The Premier Lacrosse League is already "securing financial backing from several big investors," and though league officials declined to say how much has been staked, the investments are "generally based on the expectation of a return in 10 years," according to Andrew Cotto of the N.Y. TIMES. Many investors have "lacrosse backgrounds," including Nets co-Owner Joe Tsai, who played at Yale, and former CAA Managing Partner David O'Connor, who played at Dartmouth. O'Connor said the PLL is "bringing the sport to the right markets with the finest players and event-izing the experience -- and it's proving the model with a great media partnership and top-tier sponsors like Adidas." He added, "It's about the very best talent in the game competing at the highest levels, as the game was meant to be played." Cotto noted the PLL "drew about 11,000" per weekend in June, its first month, "peaking with about 16,000 on the weekend in Baltimore, a lacrosse hotbed." The league held its first All-Star Game yesterday at Banc of California Stadium in L.A. (N.Y. TIMES, 7/21).
