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THE SCOOP
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A new $500 million digital rights pact between ESPN and the NCAA, in part, added the Division I women’s championship to the Worldwide Leader’s broadcast lineup through 2023-24 (this May, on ESPNU), and continues the most visible men’s championship coverage, traditionally on Memorial Day weekend.
The MLL and NLL reached separate deals with CBS Sports Network, formerly CBS College Sports. CBSSN will show 14 MLL games this summer and seven NLL games in April and May, including the indoor league’s Champion’s Cup. CBSSN also will broadcast at least nine Patriot League men’s games this spring. Then add in the biggest piece of the pie: 49 NCAA games scheduled for the spring — on ESPN, ESPNU or online at ESPN3 — that includes 39 regular-season men’s games, two women’s games and six conference championship games. You only need some initiative using the digital TV guide to find a lacrosse game to watch live. Or at least DVR. ESPN has broadcast the Division I
men’s championship for 17 straight years and shown 28 NCAA finals since 1980. But last year, only an 11th- hour deal put the women’s final four on the Big Ten Network after years on CBS College Sports. As part of the ESPN-NCAA megadeal, the women’s lacrosse championship and semifinals are guaranteed to air on an ESPN property.
“Lacrosse on TV is part of the trend with where television and visual entertainment are going,” said former Princeton All-American and three-time Team USA attackman Ryan Boyle, who was added to ESPN’s lineup of game analysts. “If you look at the industry, everything is becoming more niche. It only makes sense that lacrosse would go along with that trend.” LM
Blog Bites
LaxMagazine.com will feature player blogs throughout the spring season. Here’s just a small sampling of the entries. “This is a time where the Canadians are in heaven, showing off their skills and showing that having only one hand can actually work.” — Cornell senior midfielder JJ Gilbane (pictured at right) on winter indoor practices.
18 LACROSSE MAGAZINE March 2012 >>
“It was so evident how important the mental game is to our athletic performance, and how little we, as players, actually work on it.” — Stanford sophomore goalie Lyndsey Munoz on a visit from a sports psychologist. Visit
blogs.laxmagazine.com for more from Gilbane, Munoz and other bloggers.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
DIGEST
Princeton’s Tyler Fiorito was the top goalie picked in the MLL draft. Will he challenge veteran Kip Turner for the starting job with the Chesapeake Bayhawks?
MLL Draft Intrigue
The first two picks in Major League Lacrosse’s pre-college season draft at January’s US Lacrosse National Convention went as expected. The Long Island Lizards took Rob Pannell No. 1 overall and the expansion Ohio Machine picked Steele Stanwick second. Then the intrigue began. For complete MLL draft results, visit
LaxMagazine.com/mll.
D Mike Manley Duke Pick: No. 3, Rochester What we knew: Was the Blue Devils’ top cover defender before tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus the summer before the 2011 season.
What to watch: Manley said in the preseason he’s fully recovered, but how does the knee hold up this season? If healthy, he can pay off for the Rattlers in Year One.
G Tyler Fiorito, Princeton Pick: No. 10, Chesapeake What we knew: Widely
regarded as the best goalie in his class.
What to watch: Veteran MLL goalie Chris Garrity retired, but the Bayhawks acquired Kip Turner this offseason. Fiorito likely will join the team as a backup. But will he bring with him momentum off a strong finish at Princeton?
M Sam Bradman, Salisbury Pick: No. 18, Long Island What we knew: Known for his athleticism and high lacrosse I.Q., Bradman scored 130 goals and had 75 assists prior to his senior season for the Division III powerhouse Sea Gulls.
What to watch: Will Bradman lead the Gulls to consecutive national titles? And will his game translate well to the pros, like a few other D-III players before him (Fellow Salisbury alum Justin Smith, among them)?
A Chris Bocklet, Virginia Pick: No. 29, Charlotte
What we knew: The crafty righty finisher has been a prolific goal scorer for Virginia, averaging 48.5 goals the last two seasons. What to watch: Bocklet will have every opportunity to mesh with an attack unit that includes fellow ACC alums Billy Bitter and Matt Danowski.
M Steve Serling, Hofstra Pick: No. 33, Denver What we knew: Serling was drafted by Denver in the second round last year, but he suffered a season-ending spleen injury four games into the Hofstra season. The Outlaws left him unprotected but drafted the former Lafayette midfielder (and 2010 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year) again. He’s pursuing a master’s degree in finance at Hofstra.
What to watch: Does
Serling’s health allow him to play?
— Corey McLaughlin
©JOE ROGATE (TF); ©MYLES TINTLE (JJG)
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