While the league's organization received praise, there was little entertainment inside the stadiumGETTY IMAGES
The overall atmosphere at the Premier Lacrosse League's debut this past weekend was "mixed," as 13,681 fans attended Gillette Stadium over three games, according to Chris Jastrzembski of COLLEGECROSSE.com. The PLL fan experience outside Gillette was "okay, nothing special." There were "three shooting stations for fastest shot or accuracy," as well as "gear available and some players coming to sign" autographs. Inside the stadium on Sunday, the "only entertainment going on was the game itself," with "not a ton of activity during timeouts or halftime outside of jumbotron ads." Jastrzembski: "These games can’t be in giant NFL stadiums. ... But I get why the league had their first weekend at Gillette Stadium, kick off the start of something new with a bang. (COLLEGECROSSE.com, 6/3). DIGITALSPORTSDESK.com's Terry Lyons wrote the PLL's organization was "near perfect at Gillette Stadium" on Saturday. The event organization was "downright impeccable." From a "media standpoint, the pre-event and day-of-game set up was spot-on" (DIGITALSPORTSDESK.com, 6/1).
TELECAST INNOVATIONS: USLAXMAGAZINE.com's Jack Goods noted the PLL "pulled out all the stops for its broadcasts on NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold, bringing the sport to a level of television production it’s never seen before." The skycam gave an "outstanding angle to watch transition, especially with the shorter field, and the ability to interview players straight from their helmets after goals, though there were a few technical kinks." The graphics packages and introductory videos were "clean and extensive" (USLAXMAGAZINE.com, 6/3). Jastrzembski wrote that the TV production of the games was "unreal" the skycam was "cool." The in-game interviews with players via helmet mics "felt crisp, clean, and even revolutionary" (COLLEGECROSSE.com, 6/3).
BIG YEAR FOR MLL: In Annapolis, Bill Wagner wrote this is a "critical season" for Major League Lacrosse. For the first time since its founding in '01, MLL has "direct competition." The PLL is going "head-to-head with the MLL and it may very well be a winner-take-all scenario when everything is said and done." There is "no question" the PLL has "impacted" MLL already. Some of the "world’s finest players left MLL in favor of PLL during the offseason." That "talent drain ultimately played a role in the MLL decision to disband three franchises -- the Charlotte Hounds, Florida Launch and Ohio Machine." MLL CRO Mark Burdett said, “I know for a fact the reason the league went through a re-organization and has come out the other side as MLL 2.0 is because there was competition. It forced owners and league representatives to make very hard and calculated decisions” (Annapolis CAPITAL, 6/2).
