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Will Lacrosse Be Checked By Economy?

Will Lacrosse Be Checked By Economy?

As a product of the MCLA, I am no stranger to the idea of team dues.  However this article seems to suggest that the idea of paying to play is foreign to many families.  That got me thinking about the potential ways our country’s current economic crisis could negatively affect the game of lacrosse.  After the jump are a few scenarios I’ve considered.  However, just so this article doesn’t become a major downer, I’ve also added a glass half full approach to each:

 

 

1. Lack of new players:

Lacrosse already carries the stigma of being an expensive sport.  I for one remember the look on my parents’ faces the first time I came home with a sign up sheet for a youth lacrosse team.  The cost of a new set of pads and a stick that won’t get you laughed off the field is enough to make any breadwinner cringe.  Add the fact that many families are being forced to cut back on their expenses, and it’s likely there are some potential lacrosse stars out there who will never purchase their first stick.  Could this crisis be robbing the lacrosse world of the next Mikey Powell?

Glass Half Full: That kid who ends up never playing the game was going to beat your kid out for the last spot on the varsity squad ten years from now.

2. High School Travel teams:

Joining a travel lacrosse team isn’t cheap.  Plane tickets (or your share of a bus rental), tournament fees, and hotel rooms can really put in a dent in your checking account.  For players whose parents were nice enough to foot the bill for these trips, the gravy train might be coming to an abrupt halt.  Will this result in fewer, smaller tournaments?

Glass Half Full: Less chance of kids caring more about their club team than their high school team.

3. Road Games:

Many MCLA teams rely on not only player dues, but also massive fund raising to provide the money necessary for their road games.  However, in these tough economic times it could be more difficult to squeeze extra income out of potential donors.  Does this mean fewer road trips, and therefore lighter MCLA schedules?

Glass Half Full: Less instances of some poor sap being locked in the smelly restroom at the back of the bus by his teammates (not that I have any experience with that).

Readers – Any potential economic side effects I failed to consider?