Sports Authority Named Official Partner of Major League Lacrosse

Boston, MA (March 28 , 2011) –Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced Monday a major deal naming Sports Authority Inc., the premier full-line sporting goods retailer, as an Official Partner of Major League Lacrosse beginning in March, 2011.


“Sports Authority is an industry leader in providing quality, brand-name sporting goods and we are thrilled to launch this strategic partnership with such a powerhouse company,” said Major League Lacrosse Commissioner David Gross. “MLL’s partnership with Sports Authority is a testament to the growth of our league in mainstream professional sports and we look forward to collaborating with SA this season.”

 

Under terms of the agreement, Sports Authority will become the exclusive national sporting goods retailer of the MLL.

“Sports Authority has been a long-time supporter of lacrosse at all levels—youth as well as professional and is honored to officially partner with Major League Lacrosse,” said Jeff Schumacher, Chief Marketing Officer of Sports Authority. “We believe in this dynamic fast paced sport and its ability to create a passionate fan base as well as motivate youth to be active.”

As part of the partnership, Sports Authority will be synonymous with Major League Lacrosse. From a broadcast standpoint, Sports Authority will be the title sponsor for all forty games that are televised either on ESPN2 or through syndication. In addition to television, Sports Authority will be the title sponsor of all 40 MLL games streamed online at ESPN3.com. As part of this title sponsorship they will receive commercial units, in-game features and billboards.

As the title sponsor of “Inside the MLL,” a weekly 30-minute magazine show, Sports Authority will help support the league’s efforts in providing fans with highlights, features, game previews and capturing the lifestyle of Major League Lacrosse players. Sports Authority will also be the title sponsor of “Inside the Team,” a weekly 10 minute show for each MLL club.

The All-Star Game will now be known as “The Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game” and the retail giant will also become the title sponsor of the League’s playoff series, coining the event as “The Sports Authority MLL Championship Weekend presented by Warrior”.

Sports Authority will be featured on the official game jerseys of two Major League Lacrosse teams. The Rochester Rattlers and The Denver Outlaws will proudly display the SA logo on their game jerseys and shorts.

In stadium, Sports Authority will be prominently featured with field level signage, goal post signage, on-field contests, interactive fan zone displays, couponing, video board and public address announcements and ads in the game day magazine.

From a digital standpoint, Sports Authority will be prominently displayed on the majorleaguelacrosse.com website as well as the presenting sponsor of the soon to be released MLL and team mobile apps.

SA and MLL will work together to create both national and grassroots activation programs specifically designed to reach both brand objectives.

About Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June of 2001, when the MLL was praised and heralded for its on-field play, regarded as the best ever seen. With a year-on-year attendance increase, Major League Lacrosse has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. Comprised of six teams located in Boston, Chesapeake, Denver, Long Island, Rochester and Hamilton, Major League Lacrosse will enter its eleventh successful season this year.

The 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game will take place on July 9 at Harvard Stadium in Boston. The 2011 Sports Authority MLL Championship Weekend presented by Warrior is scheduled for August 27 & 28 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, MD.

About Sports Authority

The Sports Authority is staffed with experts in all areas of sports and fitness related topics, and strives to be the ultimate “authority,” both on and off the field. Whether in the game or cheering from the sidelines, The Sports Authority is the leading destination for consumers to fulfill their own sports equipment needs, as well as find their favorite team’s apparel. The Sports Authority operates 462 stores in 45 states, and employs more than 15,000 associates nationwide. It also operates stores in Japan under a partnership with AEON Co., Ltd. The company’s e-commerce website is located at www.sportsauthority.com.

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Lacrosse Playground

In 2009, Adam O’Neill, Harry Alford and Thomas Alford launched Lacrosse Playground as the preeminent site for lacrosse gearheads. For years Lacrosse Playground provided lacrosse fans with tutorials and tips on how to string a lacrosse head, up-close looks at the gear the top players used and sneak peeks at equipment and uniforms before they were released. More than 10 years and millions of visits later, Lacrosse Playground has relaunched with a focus on storytelling. Our mission is to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest lacrosse news, share insights into the sports betting and fantasy lacrosse world and showcase the lifestyles and personalities of the sport of lacrosse through articles, videos and podcasts.

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  1. […] Sports Authority Named Official Partner of Major League LacrosseDescription : Sports Authority will be featured on the official game jerseys of two Major League Lacrosse teams. The Rochester Rattlers and The Denver Outlaws will proudly display the SA logo on their game jerseys and shorts. …http://www.lacrosseplayground. .. […]

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