Grow the Game®

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10 Predictions for 2010

nostradamus

Call me opinionated, tell me I’m wishfully thinking, whatev. These are the 10 things I see happening in 2010, which we here at LAS like to call The Big Win.

Tellin’ ya right now, the sport of lacrosse is about to get turned upside down. As Crave says, “points on your face.”

10. Lou Holtz blows us away.

The most inspirational coach of our time drops wisdom bombs on everyone attending the 2010 US Lacrosse Convention. Lax All Stars releases sweet t-shirt commemorating the event.

9. Two MCLA Division 1 schools go NCAA D1.

One will be a Top 10 MCLA program, the other will be completely unexpected.

MCLA D1 2009 Top 10

8. A local sports headline will read: Blue Chip Basketball Recruit Chooses Lacrosse Over Full Ride At Univ. of ________.

Haven’t ever seen this happen with a bball player, but when it does it will get national coverage.

7. Mainstream media increases coverage.

We’ve already heard that ESPN will be broadcasting more games this year. There’s more to come.

6. More Brantford. More Con Bro. More bros.

‘Tis the mentality, the Left Coast culture, fun.

5. Lacrosse and entertainment – music, movies, parties – continue to intertwine.

See: LXM PRO (interview here)

4. Brand marketing takes a turn for the… best.

Finally. Out with the gimmicks, in with the useful.


Winner 1
: Maverik (see the players behind it)

Winner 2: STX/Nike (see the new K18 technology)

Winner 3: Under Armour (look up the word innovation)

3. The MLL and NLL properly embrace the interwebz.

Finally, casual fans get an opportunity to learn more and become hardcore.

Crucial fact 1: Community is of the utmost importance. It starts with integrating social media the right way and facilitating conversation.

Crucial fact 2: If the indoor and outdoor leagues get their web presences properly aligned with each other, it’ll spur much more interest nationwide.

2. Pro players collectively realize that it’s up to them to make the sport explode.

Example 1: 5 pro players running a camp together is more powerful than 1 bigtime pro starting and running his own camp company.

Example 2: A pro or three as youth refs could cause quite the stir. All the sudden you hear youngins saying “I want to help grow the game by being a volunteer ref when I grow up.”

Call em assumptions, but the fact is the pros have the popularity… the power.

1. Technology plays a KEY ROLE in the growth of the game.

There are a whole pile of valuable resources out there – some have already arrived, others are in development.

Think video, mobile scorekeeping, team management tools… Such efficiencies will help our sport evolve and become more appealing, minimizing barriers to entry. Now consider fan-sided implementation.

It’s going to happen.

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Got a question or news tip? Want your team covered?
Email the author of this post at jeff@lacrosseallstars.com.