Inside Lacrosse Launch Face-Off Classic

Nov 10th - Inside Lacrosse

This spring will be the 10th Anniversary of Inside Lacrosse Magazine, the sport's leading media outlet. And as such, IL has three ground-breaking projects for 2007. On March 3, Inside Lacrosse will bring the nation’s top four teams to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for a double-header to kick off the season. Inside Lacrosse will also expand the sport’s reach by creating a new publication unique to the National Lacrosse League. The third offering will be a television component in conjunction with ESPN and ESPNU, details of which will be soon to follow. 

"It's been a long ride, and it seems like each year there are more exciting ways to stay involved with this growing sport," said IL Publisher, Robert Carpenter. "In 2003 we re-launched the website, which has since become an ESPN.com affiliate and is the largest voice in the game. In 2004 we took the magazine glossy and put it on newsstands. I think that what we're putting in the pipeline this year blows all that away."

FACE-OFF CLASSIC
In men’s college lacrosse, there are four teams that have won every NCAA Championship since 1991: Princeton, Virginia, Johns Hopkins, and Syracuse. Heading into 2007, Virginia is ranked preseason No. 1. Johns Hopkins is ranked No. 2, Syracuse is at No. 3 and Princeton is No. 4.

On March 3, 2007 the college season will get underway in unprecedented fashion, as these four powerhouses battle it out on the first day of the season at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore – the same venue where the NCAA Championship will be played three months later. The University of Virginia will play Syracuse and Princeton will play Johns Hopkins. 

"The electricity that exists already on that first Saturday is incredible," said Carpenter. "Not only is it the first day of lacrosse after a long winter – it also has the best matchups of the year. The best play the best. Bringing those two games into one stadium on opening day was a no-brainer as far as something we wanted to try." Said Princeton coach Bill Tierney: "We're giving up a home game against Johns Hopkins. That should tell you about our commitment and our belief in this event.”

"College basketball has the Great Alaska Shootout, college football had the Kickoff Classic,” said Carpenter. “We think this weekend can play the same role for lacrosse and put a book-end at the beginning of the season like championship weekend does at the end."

"Johns Hopkins is privileged to take part in this exciting double-header that will showcase four outstanding programs," said Blue Jays coach Dave Pietramala. "Our staff and players look forward to representing Johns Hopkins University at what we know will be a great event. Congratulations to Bob Carpenter and his staff for their vision and the impact they have had on the sport of lacrosse."

The Syracuse program approaches the event from a similar perspective. 

"We are giving up a home gate against the defending national champions," said Lelan Rogers, the director of Syracuse's lacrosse operations. "But we think it's a great opportunity for the sport. It's a great chance for people to see four of the elite teams in one place. Lacrosse has never had an opening weekend like that."

TEN YEAR TRADITION TIES INTO THE FACE-OFF CLASSIC
The roots of this game's idea go back 10 years, to the very beginning of Inside Lacrosse. It was the season's first weekend in 1997, and it was the first day Inside Lacrosse was in business. A fax whirred off the machine. It told of Syracuse’s 22-21 victory over Virginia in the Carrier Dome. Casey Powell had a school-record 13 points (seven goals, six assists) before a crowd of more than 10,000. Another fax soon arrived, from Princeton. Josh Sims had scored the winning goal in overtime to lead Princeton past Hopkins, 7-6.

"We’d spent months working on ‘publishing’ and struggling to learn the technical side of how to make a magazine,” Carpenter said. "When those faxes came over, it was this great relief. It was suddenly about ‘the game’ again. That was the single best day of lacrosse action of the past 10 years, and it happened on our first day publishing. Ultimately that’s what made us choose these teams on this day, for our 10th Anniversary."

"This weekend in college lacrosse has been special for a long time, with these games having a lot to do with it,” added Virginia coach Dom Starsia. “This is a very unique opportunity to put them in the same facility. We always look forward to playing Syracuse and respect the rivalry because it has traditionally been a ‘players’ game. And this will be a great opportunity for all fans of the sport.”

TICKET INFO
The game will be played in conjunction with and support from the Baltimore Ravens. Ticket prices will be $10 for groups of 10 or more, $15 for Lower Level reserved seats and $25 for Club Level seats. Tickets for the March 3 event will go on sale in early December. Lacrosse fans can go online to Insidelacrosse.com to find out the latest information regarding the event and the participating teams.