Hamilton lands pro lacrosse franchise
http://www.thespec.com/sports/local/...osse-franchise
Forget about the bone-chilling blizzard, the treacherous driving conditions and being stuck inside the house as a result.
Think spring, instead. Visualize being outdoors watching professional field lacrosse at McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Stadium. That’s coming soon.
Beginning in April, the Hamilton Nationals will call the 6,000-seat Mac site home for their 2011 Major League Lacrosse season. The franchise played its first two campaigns in Toronto — at BMO Field and then Lamport Stadium — before Arrow Express Sports came on board as the sole ownership group.
The Nationals home opener will be Thursday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. against the Chesapeake Bayhawks. Four of the remaining five regular-season home dates for Hamilton will be Saturday evenings, however, at 7 p.m.
Field lacrosse goals are 85 yards (78 metres) apart, unlike the indoor game at arenas where the playing surface is 85 feet (26 metres) by 200 feet (61 metres). In the field game, some position players are also allowed to use long-handled sticks. There is a 60-second shot clock, similar to the box game.
“We’re excited about bringing the team to Hamilton,” said Lewis Staats, president of the Nationals. “I have lived on Six Nations my whole life. And I know, from my own personal perspective, having the Nationals in Hamilton will make it easier for some families to jump into the car and drive to watch a professional lacrosse game.
“I have driven the 403 and QEW corridor enough to know that one of the main influences on whether you’re going to do something in Toronto is whether or not you want to fight the traffic on that particular day. We believe Hamilton offers a better venue. It’s much more accessible. I looked at the demographics and the majority of our season-ticket base was from west of Toronto. I believe Hamilton will be a benefit for them. And it will help us bring in new fans, as well.”
Staats said it will be “much cheaper” for the Nationals to rent McMaster than either of their previous homes in Toronto.
The players receive less than half the salary of those who play the National Lacrosse League indoor game.
Staats also oversees the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League and the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League. For more than 10 years, he’s also been president of the Six Nations Arrows Lacrosse Association.
A news conference to formally announce the arrival of the Nationals in Hamilton was cancelled this week because of the winter storm. The club is now in partnership with Hamilton Entertainment and Convention Facilities Inc.
“For us at HECFI,” chief executive Duncan Gillespie said, “it’s an opportunity to bring to Hamilton a new sports/entertainment venture that the people of the region will have an opportunity to take advantage of. We (HECFI) are leveraging the expertise that we’ve already developed in terms of managing, marketing and promoting the (American Hockey League) Hamilton Bulldogs. When we entered into the Bulldogs arrangement it was with the view to expand the corporation into these kind of ventures.
“The lacrosse team is moving close to where its core fan base is located. The arrangement allows them to focus on on-field performance and we will deal with the marketing, promoting and ticketing, etc.”
Gillespie said his expectation is for the team to get back to the average attendance figures (just over 2,000) it enjoyed during its championship season of 2009. Those numbers fell dramatically last season at Lamport.
The Nationals are owned by Curt Styres, the Ohsweken businessman who also owns the AHL’s Rochester club and the NLL’s Nighthawks. He was part owner of the Toronto Nationals last year when the club missed the playoffs with a 3-9 record.
Former Hamilton junior hockey player Jody Gage will be the Nationals general manager. Gage, who serves as director of player personnel for the Rochester Americans, was the Knighthawks general manager for 12 seasons. From 1997 to 2008, his teams advanced to five championship games, winning two. The Nationals assistant GM duties will be handled by Randy Chrysler.
Regy Thorpe takes over the head coaching job — his first in the pro ranks. The assistant coach is Jason Johnson. Gary Gait, one of the all-time greats in lacrosse, joins the nationals as an assistant coach.
The club’s consultant will be Oakville minor lacrosse product Stuart Brown, whose role was president and general manager for the past two seasons in Toronto.
Season ticket prices are as low as $78. Individual ticket prices range from $15 to $25. For more information, call 905-546-2391 or visit nationalslacrosse.com. Training camp begins in April at Mac. Other home dates are: June 18, Denver; June 25, Rochester; July 1, Long Island; July 16, Chesapeake; and Aug. 6, Boston.
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