Organizers of the 2007 NCAA Lacrosse Championship are expecting record attendance for next May?s three-day event in Baltimore.
Although it?s nearly a year away, more than 18,000 tickets have already been sold for the championship and organizers anticipate more than 70,000 fans will attend.
“This is the first time we?ve had this many advance ticket sales,” said tournament director Martin Schwartz. “In Philadelphia last year, we had about 5,000 sold at this point so we?re well ahead of what we have done in the past.”
Next year?s event, to be held at May 26-28 at M&T Bank Stadium, marks the third time the championship has been held in the city. Baltimore previously hosted the tournament in 2003 and 2004.
Event organizers said that selling so many tickets so far in advance is really a testament to how popular lacrosse has become both in Maryland and around the country.
“In the last four years [lacrosse] has become a major sporting event, and it?s not only with lacrosse people. This is rivaling the final four,” Schwartz said. “It?s become the kind of sporting event where it?s a destination now.”
Schwartz added the 50,000 people who attended the 2004 tournament in Baltimore generated an estimated $13 million in economic impact for the city. The upcoming tournament is on target to be even more profitable.
Ernie Larossa, associate director of athletics at Johns Hopkins University, one of the host universities for the championship, said that bringing this tournament to Maryland highlights the city as a sporting destination to fans from all over the country.
“In Baltimore, we?re fortunate to be involved with a tournament like this,” Larossa said. “Like everything else, this has just gotten bigger and better and lacrosse fans are the ones who benefit the most. They?re in a state-of-the-art facility and certainly Baltimore is a great location.”
Nancy Hinds, spokeswoman with the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, said that the 2007 tournament is another way to garner interest for the city among those who have never visited before. She said that according to 18 months of research conducted prior to the association?s new branding campaign, visitors who have never toured Baltimore are pleasantly surprised when they visit, often returning to the city.
“This gives us a great opportunity as a destination to get people to come to Baltimore who have never been here before,” Hinds said. “Once they see the city and what?s happening, they?ll come back.”
Details
» Eight teams will compete
» Division 1 semi-finals will be played on Saturday, May 26
» Division 2 and 3 finals will be played on Sunday, May 27
» Division 1 finals will be played Monday, May 28
