Boston, Mass. (Jan. 15, 2013)– Major League Lacrosse and LB3 Lacrosse, in conjunction with the Atlanta Sports Council and Kennesaw State University, announced today that the Rochester Rattlers home game against the Boston Cannons will be played at KSU Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga., on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. This will be the first MLL game played in Georgia and will serve as a test for the league as it contemplates expansion.
“We are delighted to bring an MLL game to the Atlanta area and KSU Stadium, and pleased to be working with Liam Banks, Brian Silcott and LB3 Lacrosse” said MLL Commissioner David Gross. “This will serve as a test match for future expansion as the popularity of lacrosse continues to grow in the region.”
LB3, a local lacrosse club operated by former MLL stalwarts Liam Banks and Brian Silcott, will also organize ancillary events around the game including their Summer Jam Tournament and recruiting event, youth clinics prior to the game and the Syracuse University Team Camp in Rome, Ga., from June 2-6. The SU Camp will feature Rattlers stars Joel White and John Galloway.
“We saw this as the perfect opportunity to show our local community what MLL lacrosse was all about,” stated Banks. “Our goal is to grow the game in the Atlanta area and throughout the South, and we believe the MLL is an important part of our sport. Hopefully, this is the first step toward having a team here full time.”
The event is being supported by the Atlanta Sports Council, a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The Atlanta Sports Council has played a role in helping to attract and support more than 50 major sporting events to metro Atlanta, including Super Bowls XXVIII and XXXIV, the Centennial Olympic Games, two NCAA Women’s Final Fours and three NCAA Men’s Final Fours.
“Lacrosse is an emerging sport in Atlanta and one of our key pillars of future growth,” said Dan Corso, executive director of the Atlanta Sports Council. “We plan on fully supporting this game and recruiting future lacrosse events to the region.”
The game coincides with the inaugural year of women’s lacrosse at Kennesaw State, which makes its debut on Feb. 10 at Vanderbilt and plays its first home against Coastal Carolina on March 2 at KSU Stadium.
“KSU is thrilled to play host to the MLL as well as to welcome more than 6,000 athletes who will be in town to participate in the LB3 Summer Jam Lacrosse Tournament June 7-9,” said Marty Elliott, executive director, Kennesaw Stadium, Sports and Recreation Park. “Events like these are wonderful ways for us to showcase the premier sports and recreation facilities we have at Kennesaw State and for the community to experience our commitment to delivering great service to fans and participants.”
Tickets for the event will go on sale March 1 and will be available (along with full event information) through the event website www.mllatl.com. The 2013 MLL season will commence on April 27, 2013. More information about the league can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June 2001 and will enter its thirteenth season in 2013. MLL has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. The league is made up of eight teams: The Boston Cannons, Charlotte Hounds, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Denver Outlaws, Hamilton Nationals, New York Lizards, Ohio Machine and Rochester Rattlers.
About LB3 Lacrosse
LB3 Lacrosse was founded in 2005 by former Syracuse University All American and MLL star Liam Banks. Based in Atlanta, LB3 offers outstanding lacrosse experiences to young players through camps, clinics, tournaments and club teams. With a focus on teaching, honoring and respecting the great game of lacrosse, LB3 provides elite coaching and up tempo lacrosse to players from youth through high school age. LB3 operates Club Team programs in Atlanta, St Louis, Mo., and Philadelphia, as well as running camps, clinics and tournaments throughout the South. For more information go to www.lb3lacrosse.com.
About the Atlanta Sports Council
The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development. The Atlanta Sports Council was created in 1985 under the original name of Sports 2000, and is a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. For more information, visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com.
About KSU Stadium
KSU Stadium is an 8,300-seat state-of-the-art stadium built in 2010 in partnership with the former Women’s Professional Soccer team Atlanta Beat, designed to showcase a variety of events. It has hosted Major League Soccer, KSU Soccer and Lacrosse, the Southern Lacrosse Showdown, NCAA Women’s College Cup, concerts and music festivals. Situated within a beautiful 88-acre KSU Sports and Recreation Park, the facility is conveniently located just one mile from both I-75 and I-575 in Cobb County, which is often referred to as Atlanta’s sweet spot.
About Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering more than 80 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and nursing and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population of more than 24,600 from 130 countries.KSU Athletics attained NCAA Division I status in 2006, and its 16 sports (7 men’s, 9 women’s) compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference.