BOSTON, Mass. (January 30, 2012)– Major League Lacrosse (MLL) announced Monday it will host the 2012 MLL All-Star Game in Boca Raton, FL. at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. This will mark the first event in League history that will take place in the state. It will take place on Saturday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. EST.
“MLL is making major strides by hosting our All-Star Game in Florida,” said Gross. “The rapid growth of lacrosse in the south has made Florida a market of interest for us as we continue to execute our expansion plans over the next several years. By hosting our marquee event at FAU, we will be able to test the waters to see if it could be a logistically successful place for an MLL team in the future.”
Florida Atlantic University is home to the FAU Owls. The newly built stadium opened last fall and seats 30,000 people. MLL is partnering with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission (PBCSC) to bring the MLL All-Star Game to Florida, providing fans with scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean and palm trees.
“We’re extremely excited about bringing the MLL All-Star Game to Palm Beach County,” said George Linley, executive director of Palm Beach County Sports Commission. “FAU is a state-of-the-art facility and a venue unlike any that Palm Beach County has ever had. We’re thrilled to showcase the new stadium through the MLL All-Star game, which will really help solidify the growth and presence of lacrosse in Florida. We’re hoping by hosting the All-Star game here we will ignite potential for many more MLL events in the future.”
Returning to the All-Star Game this year is the “Young Guns vs. Old School” format, in which MLL veterans will compete against players who entered the league in 2009 or later.
New to the All-Star Game will be the “MLL All-Star Experience with Casey Powell and Tony Lowe,” which will provide fans with the opportunity to compete in a tournament prior to the game. MLL Legend Casey Powell is a current attackman for the Hamilton Nationals. He is the MLL all-time points leader with 392 points. He was named the MLL Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 and is one of ten players in MLL history to earn at least ten Bud Light MLL Player of the Game honors. Tony Lowe is the founder of Snipers Lacrosse, the premier Florida lacrosse program. The Long Island native is a former Lehigh University lacrosse standout.
The MLL All-Star Game is the league’s marquee event and consistently draws large crowds to watch the world’s top lacrosse talent compete on a single field. It is home to the league’s Bud Light Skills Competition, in which players showcase specialty skills that wouldn’t be seen during regular games.This year’s MLL All-Star Game is a Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council funded project, supported by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Tickets will be available forpurchase on February 20, 2012 at 10 a.m. ET at www.Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or by visiting any Ticketmaster Outlet.
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 and will enter its twelfth season in 2012. 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, Long Island Lizards, Ohio Machine and Rochester Rattlers.
The 2012 season will commence on April 28, 2012. More information about the league can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.
About Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the county as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the county, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season) and maximizes utilization of county facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that supports its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.palmbeachsports.com.