What Lacrosse’s Reintroduction into LA 2028 Olympics Means for the Future of the Sport
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In October 2023, the International Olympic Committee officially accepted bids from five sporting events to be introduced into the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
Flag Football, Cricket, Squash and Baseball/Softball. Noticed only four were introduced since five will not be introduced. Rather three were introduced and two reintroduced with one not being in the program for over 105 years, Lacrosse. Created by the Haunodshone people thousands of years ago to solve disputes, the game has taken the secular form we know today. Lacrosse was featured in the 1904 and ‘08 Olympics, later becoming a demonstration sport for the 1928, ‘32, and ‘48 games. With the ever-changing Olympic criteria the sport was inevitably pulled from the program.
“I think that is huge for the game. Part of the mission is being one of the early ones to anything is you have to grow and that is part of the mission right now,” states Junior Mason Hayes.
Lacrosse is one of the hidden gems of sport. Its sport is unlike anything that of the top five American sports. It’s physical, but athletic. Hand-to-eye coordination and cardio is needed to succeed. Just watch a game at practically any level and you can see what the sport is known for. As sophomore Paul Angolano states, “(it’s) fast-paced and intense…”. What makes lacrosse probably the most unique in the world of sports is the idea of making it take it. At the start of games after goals, there is something called a face-off where, theoretically, both teams have the opportunity to win the ball. If one team has a better face-off player they can keep winning the ball. This allows for a fit’s four-point deficit to be tied up in under a minute. The high intensity gives the sport its nickname, the fastest sport of two feet.
Growing a sport is probably one of the hardest things to do, not to mention it’s in the country with the biggest spending in sports media rights in the world. But due to the sport’s DNA, it is perfectly the mold that most of the other sports have. Lacrosse participation has had record-breaking growth. For example, the Big 12 is adding women’s lacrosse to its varsity sports. On the international level, lacrosse has grown to 80 participating lacrosse countries and territories, but the sport always struggled on the professional level.
As Junior Mason Hayes commented “…it’s gonna spark interest in countries all around the world…”The Olympics was just the next step in bringing other countries, participation, and exposure.”
One of the main problems in the sport is “People not joining” states Sophomore Magnus Brock. The barrier to entry and the learning curve are quite high with equipment costs similar to golf and hockey, but there is some good news for this front of the sport. After the IOC approved the lacrosse bid, the top eight lacrosse organizations came together with a common goal. Grow the game. Elevate28 is an initiative to grow lacrosse participation from two million to four million before the summer Olympics in LA. So far Athletes Unlimited(Pro women’s field lacrosse league), the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association, Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association, J Tsai Sports(Joe Tsai Investment group), National Lacrosse League(Pro Men’s Indoor Box lacrosse Leauge), Premier Lacrosse League(Pro Men’s field lacrosse Leauge), USA Lacrosse(U.S.A.’s governing lacrosse organization) and World Lacrosse(the international governing body of lacrosse) have all signed the charter.
To showcase the Sixes format, the PLL launched the Chamiopnchip series. It is a five-day tournament consisting of four of the top teams. Utah Archers, Philadelphia Waterdogs, Boston Cannons, and California Redwoods with a smaller 12-man roster. A format switch in the rules will occur this tournament to showcase the new Olympic rulebook for Sixes. Previous versions of the format included the professional two-point arch. The tournament will run through February 14-19 in Washington D.C. You can catch every game of ESPN+.
As the sport looks to the future the push for greater lacrosse participation will bring better and better athletes from other countries. Lacrosse will get propelled when the professional level gets to the point where every athlete is full-time and international players bring the sport to new markets. The future for the sport is looking bright and the sky is the limit.