The owners of the MLL N.Y. Lizards are "hoping that playing games at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island will attract new fans,” according to Steve Reddicliffe of the N.Y. TIMES. The Lizards “will play two of their 14 regular-season games at Icahn Stadium this season.” Their other five home games will be played at Hofstra Univ., “where they drew an average of 2,449 fans in the 2012 regular season, ahead of only" the Hamilton Nationals. Lizards Owner, Chair & President Andrew Murstein said the club wanted to play on Randalls Island because "we were losing potential fans from New York City like myself who live in the city and whose kids play lacrosse.” He added that he also “wanted to attract fans from New Jersey and Westchester County.” The Randalls Island games will be played June 6 and 13. Murstein: “It’s similar, perhaps, with a much smaller TV audience, to like a Thursday night kickoff NFL game where it’s going to be under the lights and the games will be on ESPN2 and CBS Sports Network. We’re starting with two games there and then the hope is we play more probably the following year depending upon how well we do.” Murstein said that his goal is to "lead the league in attendance.” Murstein: “Our goal is probably to get about 10,000 people per game in 2014.” The team has “not spent much on marketing in previous seasons.” But Murstein said, “I think we’re going to start advertising and kind of get the word out more.” Pro Football HOFer and Lacrosse HOFer Jim Brown “has a stake” in the team. Brown said that he “planned to attend both games at Randalls Island” (N.Y. TIMES, 3/5).
