C-Lax lacrosse league folds
Winter pro box lacrosse league with local players struggled to attract fans after 2012 launch
Mat Giles is disappointed but not surprised the Canadian Lacrosse League (C-Lax) ceased operation Wednesday.
The fledgling semi-pro box lacrosse league, which started in 2012 and operated in the winter, struggled to attract fans. The league announced by press release it was no longer viable to operate its senior league. It will continue its junior leagues for players six to 20.
The closest team to Peterborough was the Durham Turfdogs who operated out of Oshawa’s GM Centre.
Giles and offensive co-ordinator Todd Richard and quite a few of its players were from Peterborough. Giles led Durham to the 2016 championship. He learned of the news from a league email Wednesday morning.
“I can’t say I was surprised,” Giles said. “The number of fans they were getting out to games, to pay players, I don’t think was very sustainable. I was definitely disappointed. More for the players. It gave them an opportunity to have their sticks in their hands and to get better each year. Those young guys who don’t crack the NLL lineups got an opportunity to play all year.”
Last season Durham players Pete Rennie and Thomas Hoggarth earned mid-season call-ups to NLL teams. After the NLL down-sized several years ago, Giles said it left a lot of quality players with nowhere to ply their trade in the winter season.
“It was an opportunity for those guys coming out of junior to play and prove themselves,” he said.
Giles said the Turfdogs probably averaged 400 fans per game but in the 6,000-seat GM Centre it didn’t look like much.
“I don’t know what their operating costs were but if you’re paying guys $50 a game then they probably weren’t breaking even on a game night when you factor in there were two teams and the refs,” he said.
The press release says the league has not ruled out the possibility the league could be reintroduced in the future.
“However, after exhausting efforts by both league personnel and its current ownership group, it was no longer viable to continue to operate,” stated the release.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to our ownership partners, Demon and Nancy Hill,” stated board of directors representative Jim Asselstine. “They too shared our vision of athletic outlets promoting a positive life for today’s participants.”
“While it is unfortunate that CLax will not return in 2017, we are extremely grateful to everyone who has invested their time, support and made significant financial commitments to the league over the past five seasons,” said chief operating officer, Chad Asselstine.
“We are also grateful to the hundreds of players and dedicated coaches who have competed in CLax over the course of its history, many of whom have gone on to successful professional careers.” 11 a.m. Tennis: 2016 U.S. Open, TSN. 7:30 p.m. Football: NFL pre-season: Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions, ABC; CFL: Ottawa Redblacks at Montreal Alouettes, TSN. 8 p.m. Baseball: MLB: San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs, NET. 11 a.m. Tennis: 2016 U.S. Open, TSN. 2 p.m. Baseball: MLB: San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs, NET. 5 p.m. Soccer: FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifying: Honduras vs. Canada, TSN. 7 p.m. Baseball: MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays, NET. Tennis: 2016 U.S. Open, TSN.