PLL attendance so far this season has been in the low five figures per each three-game weekendGETTY IMAGES
The Premier Lacrosse League three weeks into its first season has "already seen promising trends in several of their revenue streams" and projections have "already been tripled," according to Katie Baker of THE RINGER. PLL Content ManagerTyler Steinhardt said merchandise sales have been "through the roof," with some jerseys sold out until July. Subscriptions to the NBC Sports Gold lacrosse package have "met goals established for the whole season just a few weeks in." Capital One's deal with the PLL placed a patch on Atlas LC’s jersey and the bank will be organizing what PLL co-Founder Paul Rabil calls "on-field assets and experiential marketing." The league’s online engagement, when "measured by interaction rates, exceeds that of MLS and of most" MLB clubs. The "only bummer" for the PLL has been "in-person attendance, which so far has been in the low five figures per each three-game weekend." Last Saturday, the league "sold out an evening game at the 8,500-seat Homewood Stadium in Baltimore," but it is a "work in progress." Recently, the league’s Twitter account "offered two free tickets to any PLL game to anyone who got a bar or restaurant to turn their TV to the lacrosse broadcast and tweet a picture of it" (THERINGER.com, 6/25).
PAYING HOMAGE: FAST COMPANY's Ben Paynter noted the National Lacrosse League has "made a game-wide commitment to increase awareness and appreciation of the sport’s indigenous heritage among both teams and fans alike." The new initiative is called “Roots of the Game” and includes "formal education and sensitivity training for team players, owners, and their arena staffs." When the indoor lacrosse league begins its next season this fall, every team will "host a heritage appreciation night for fans, and ensure that culturally relevant messaging is incorporated into everything from in-game giveaways to youth sports clinics." The league will "expand web coverage explaining these connections." The league’s logo is a "stylized morning star -- a Native American symbol for hope and guidance -- and roughly 10% of current players are indigenous" (FASTCOMPANY.com, 6/25).
