What Is Wrong With Lacrosse?

[TexanMark]

Why aren't more fans attending the games?

 

[cuseguy]

Why aren't more fans attending the games?

Probably spending the day with their kids at the thousands of youth jamborees across America.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Unless you're a laxhead, you may not understand the game, and it's easier to watch at home on TV where some commentator can explain what's happening.

 

[Bayside44]

If 4 schools with small fanbases make it to Baltimore it's gonna be an issue...personally the sport is a bit too gamed with faceoffs and time of possession being as they are.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

If 4 schools with small fanbases make it to Baltimore it's gonna be an issue...personally the sport is a bit too gamed with faceoffs and time of possession being as they are.

Not a lot of casual lacrosse fans. It has it's diehard supporters and niche markets and that is about it

 

[Hoov50]

As an SU alum I pay attention to how SU is doing each year in lacrosse. The chances of me watching a non-SU lacrosse game is very slim. I have attended a few SU games throughout the years, a few in the Dome and one NCAA Tournament game at Cornell a few years back. To be honest my four years at SU I think I only attended one game in person, which is weird because I knew a good number of the players on the team. I would agree with IthacaBarrel, that there aren't a lot of casual lacrosse fans. I'll watch games on tv, but don't have the desire to drive two hours each way to see a game in person. For basketball and football the two hour drive each way doesn't even phase me.

 

[CaliCuse]

Why aren't more fans attending the games?

Most fans don't really understand the game or its rules beyond getting the ball into the net more than the other team. Thats a fact and the biggest problem along with the fact that SU is no longer an elite program,at least recently.Suffering at the FO position for so long and goalies that are below average peaks to coaching and all related duties.

 

[dollarbill44]

Regular season lax games (as well as 1st round NCAA) should be free for kids 15 and under with a paying adult. Adult tickets should be $5 ($4 per home game for season tix) and parking at Manley should be dirt cheap ($5), and at Skytop - free. Other schools should have similar pricing structures. Get bodies in the stadia by making it cheaper than alternate forms of entertainment.

 

[Briancuse]

I don't think lacrosse's fanbase has a lot of diehards. I would consider myself in the middle, played lacrosse growing up, really like the sport, but I don't find myself getting into it until Bball season is over.

 

[Madbiker]

SU used to own this sport. Now we lose to Bryant. What is going on?

 

[IHeartSUFball]

For starters we need to stop with Sunday night game as 2 seed it doesn't help us. I know graduation but play game Friday night then and have play in game Tuesday. I know NCAA controls it but still this does us no favors

 

[OrangeXtreme]

For starters we need to stop with Sunday night game as 2 seed it doesn't help us. I know graduation but play game Friday night then and have play in game Tuesday. I know NCAA controls it but still this does us no favors

2013: Syracuse 12, Bryant 7
2011: Syracuse 10, Siena 4
2009: Syracuse 11, Siena 4
2008: Syracuse 20, Canisius 3
2006: Syracuse 11, Harvard 4

I'm not really seeng a problem with that 7:30 PM Sunday slot.

 

[Briancuse]

2013: Syracuse 12, Bryant 7
2011: Syracuse 10, Siena 4
2009: Syracuse 11, Siena 4
2008: Syracuse 20, Canisius 3
2006: Syracuse 11, Harvard 4

I'm not really seeng a problem with that 7:30 PM Sunday slot.

Its hard to expect a big crowd 7:30 on a sun, esp on mothers day.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Its hard to expect a big crowd 7:30 on a sun, esp on mothers day.

At this time the NCAA only plays 1st round games on Saturday and Sunday. Because that's what ESPN wants.

Would you have preferred to play the game at Bryant?

 

[NashvilleOrange]

The sport is still growing at a nice pace. That stall shot clock is definitely a nice addition to the game but they should make a full shot clock like they have in pro lacrosse. IS that still being proposed? I agree with those who don't watch games outside of SU. When I played in jr high/early high school I would watch any game that I could but now I have better things to do as the weather gets nice.

 

[IHeartSUFball]

2013: Syracuse 12, Bryant 7 2011: Syracuse 10, Siena 4 2009: Syracuse 11, Siena 4 2008: Syracuse 20, Canisius 3 2006: Syracuse 11, Harvard 4 I'm not really seeng a problem with that 7:30 PM Sunday slot.

easy there tiger... I was kind of relating it to attendance... Either way when your the two seed you should get a better time slot and someone should fig that out

 

[OrangeXtreme]

easy there tiger... I was kind of relating it to attendance... Either way when your the two seed you should get a better time slot and someone should fig that out

Attendance has been poor for years now.

This year's home opener against Siena drew 2,015.
Only Albany and UNC had crowds larger than 6,000.
Senior Day against Colgate had 3,215.

Maybe it's the prices. Maybe it's fan apathy. Maybe it's because all the home games are on TV.

In any event, if we are hosting a playoff game during the 1st round ... it will have to be Sunday at 7:30 PM, because ESPN doesn't do Fridays.

Unless you can figure out a way to get Commencement or Mother's Day moved to a different weekend.

 

[swish7]

Attendance has been poor for years now.

This year's home opener against Siena drew 2,015.
Only Albany and UNC had crowds larger than 6,000.
Senior Day against Colgate had 3,215.

In HS I remember going to a game, think it was UVA where there were 12-15K attending. We've had great teams since the Gait years, but getting over 5K is some kind of miracle. I remember after having moved away for a couple years, coming home for the first time, must have been '98 or so, to see the 1st ever lax game against Georgetown. Didn't expect too too much, but there were only 2K or so there.

My big question is why the massive dropoff after the Gait years? I can understand a dropoff, but not such a massive dropoff.

Besides all that, lax is a specialty sport. It competes against baseball for cripes sakes. It should be played outside, not in a dome. So, you're never going to get a lot of people there. Especially on a Sunday night.

 

[cuseguy]

In HS I remember going to a game, think it was UVA where there were 12-15K attending. We've had great teams since the Gait years, but getting over 5K is some kind of miracle. I remember after having moved away for a couple years, coming home for the first time, must have been '98 or so, to see the 1st ever lax game against Georgetown. Didn't expect too too much, but there were only 2K or so there. My big question is why the massive dropoff after the Gait years? I can understand a dropoff, but not such a massive dropoff. Besides all that, lax is a specialty sport. It competes against baseball for cripes sakes. It should be played outside, not in a dome. So, you're never going to get a lot of people there. Especially on a Sunday night.

May have something to do with not being dominate anymore...and not having a marquee player.

I expect you'll see a dropoff in hoops attendance this year.

 

[richard levy]

The game has stopped being "the fastest game on two feet". I don't remember there being the amount of situational subbing that occurs now. Teams get the ball, run down the field, set it up, and 30 secs run off the clock for mass subsitution. A shot clock would help speed the game up

 

[CaliCuse]

Why aren't more fans attending the games?

I'm sticking with not really understanding the game with its numerous nuances.Some consider the sport boring with the ball being passed back and forth in a game of keep away.A little education and history lesson of the greats at Syracuse could help in attendance.

 

[PhatOrange]

Had this game been Saturday I would've taken my two kids and some of their friends and driven the 2.5 hours to see the game. On Sunday night, not happening.

 

[PhatOrange]

The game has stopped being "the fastest game on two feet". I don't remember there being the amount of situational subbing that occurs now. Teams get the ball, run down the field, set it up, and 30 secs run off the clock for mass subsitution. A shot clock would help speed the game up

the specialized situational subbing has driven the game into the ground. all the talk about shot clocks is crap. you want to speed up the game stop subbing so much. recruit a short stick middie who can play offense and defense.

 

[PhatOrange]

meant to say all the talk about shot clocks is crap unless the clock starts as soon as the possession changes. now the ridiculous 'timer' is started only after all the subs have been made and the offense set up, then teams stall for another 2 minutes. it takes a minute just to get subs on and off and set up.

 

[outoftownie]

In general, I think that the increase in youth leagues/tournaments, early start of regular season, lack of marquee name and cost of attendance all hurt attendance. As for last Sunday, 7:30 on Mother's Day is a tough draw. Nothing can be done but I hate that time slot. Destroys the crowd and primes SU for upset. Sitting around your apartment all day waiting for a game is the worst. I would much rather be the away team in that situation, spending time in hotel bonding with my teammates.