There are three places left bidding to host the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse championship weekend from 2015-2018. This would be the first time for a city/stadium to hold the games in a four year term, compared to the original two. Chicago’s Soldier Field, Boston’s Gillette Stadium and Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. In a poll reported by Inside Lacrosse, Soldier Field seems to be the favorite. NCAA committee opened the bidding to non-NFL sites as well.
Just this past season, the second round of the NCAA tournament made an appearance at Indiana’s Lucas Oil Stadium. North Carolina battled with Denver and Duke took down Notre Dame in front of 7,749 fans. The sport of lacrosse is growing in the midwest, giving the NCAA committee more things to think about with the decision of where to host the men’s lacrosse championship weekend.
Baltimore hosted both the 2010 and 2011 championship weekend’s and will be the site in 2014. Foxborough held the event in 2012, with the 2013 competition in Philadelphia. Despite the growth of the sport itself, championship weekend has seen a dip in attendance. One reason may be due to the sport receiving more television air time.
Ravens special events manager and special assistant to the president, Lisa Dixon, said that due to conflicts in scheduling with the Orioles, who share parking with the Ravens, and other logistical issues, the site would not be able to host the event. The office encouraged other sites and colleges, such as Maryland and Navy, to bid in, but were not able to due to other issues and scheduling conflicts as well. The stadium submitted an intent to bid. Inside Lacrosse interviewed Terry Hasseltine, the Director of the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing, who, with other lacrosse fans, mentioned he’d like to see the competition moved to Charm City on a more permanent basis.
M&T Bank stadium has entertained NCAA MenLacrosse championship weekend five times (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2011). In the first year, fans set the attendance record at 123,225 for the weekend, the first year the event was hosted in a professional venue. Foxborough reached 121,511 in 2008 and saw a big decline in 2009, with 102,601. 2010 showed a very little decline with 102,219 fans attending and was the last time the weekend saw over 100,000 people. 98,786 people went in 2011 at M&T Bank. The next year, the event went had 79,595 folks in attendance at Gillette Stadium. Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, saw its lowest attendance after hosting the 2005 (111,247) and 2006 (120,614) championship weekends with only 79,179.
A report back in May by Baltimore Business Journal’s Jack Lambert, stated that “state officials were hopeful to make Baltimore a long-term home for collegiate lacrosse championship starting in 2015.” In the article, the NCAA’s associate director of championships , Jeff Jarnecke, said, “You hear everybody say they want to try to find their Omaha.” Hasseltine was quoted saying, “Lacrosse is obviously our state team sport…We’re in the core of the lacrosse world.” Terry also stated, “The goal wold be making the Baltimore area the ‘official or semi-permanent home’ for the fastest growing sport’s championships.” “If we don’t step up with out approach for conferences and our venues, we could potentially be closed out of NCAA championships until 2019,” he also said. Unfortunately that step may have been taken backwards due to the conflicts with the Orioles. With fans wanting to see the event on an immutable schedule in Baltimore, hopefully 2014’s attendance will incline.
