Over the next nine days, we will be looking at the top nine stories of the year in lacrosse, based off of our most read and covered stories. Today is #7 with a look at the beginning, end and restart of small lacrosse leagues.
Last year was the first year we really saw smaller lacrosse leagues affect the game. However, this year took a more dramatic turn. 2012 saw the start of the Canadian Lacrosse League and the North American Lacrosse League, but 2013 brought a clearer picture of the landscape of box lacrosse.
While the National Lacrosse League renewed their CBA and all seems fine, not is so for the other leagues. The Professional Lacrosse League went out without even a whimper while the NALL crashed to a sad ending after the league’s first and only championship. 2013 saw the beginning of the year with a Rhode Island team without an arena and a Baltimore team that folded mid season. Then after a dominating finish from Boston, the league announced it would not return.
A quiet summer followed with things bleak for American lacrosse– no NALL, no PLL and nothing in sight for American indoor lacrosse players. Things went from bad to worse in the late fall when CLax announced the league had been sold and three teams were folding for 2014.However, not all was bad for small lacrosse leagues in 2013. The Continental Indoor Lacrosse League finished their third season strong and head into 2014 looking to expand. Meanwhile, the United States Lacrosse League has been announced with former NALL team the Kentucky Stickhorses getting involved.
It almost seems full circle- the summer of 2011 was the beginning with the announcements of NALL and CLax. Now more than two years later, NALL is gone and the CLax is struggling towards their 2014 season. The USLL is still on the fringes of reality and the CILL is still not a “pro” league.
Not to mention, the demise of the Can-Am Senior B league with teams folding and their future uncertain. However, despite all the misgivings of the new lacrosse leagues emerging every day (NIFL?), we can’t seem to get small time lacrosse leagues off of our minds, which could only lead to a success someday. The past year has been a fun, eventful, and at times, tragic ride as we follow the ups and downs of the business of lacrosse. Here’s hoping for a 2014 that sees a resurgence.
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