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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why is lacrosse even a sport where recruitment is such a big deal?  I get football and basketball.  Those are the marquee sports that bring in revenue, tv exposure, and donors.  But lacrosse?   No one goes to the games, it's never on tv, and I don't see donors opening their checkbooks simply because their school lacrosse team had a winning season.[/quote]

The recent trend for earlier commitments is not necessarily related to the revenue lacrosse brings in.  There are more and more recruiting events where coaches can evaluate top prospects.  Consequently, there is an arms race going on to get the best recruits as early as possible.  The NCAA does not have any restrictions as to when someone can commit to a college, and many top coaches are willing to snatch up a highly regarded recruit at an early age.  In the 2016 class, there are already three kids who have committed to D1 programs who haven't played a minute of HS lacrosse.  Some of these kids (perhaps many) are not going to pan out, but there is no sign of this trend stopping.

As for revenue, lacrosse is not a minor sport.  Nothing approaches college football, which typically pays for the entire athletic department.  Besides basketball, baseball and sometimes hockey, there aren't any other sports that top lacrosse in terms of attendance and revenue at the gate.  Lacrosse is seen on ESPN and some regional networks, so it is on TV.  Yes, it is nowhere near the size of football and basketball, but it is a sport that is usually high on the college food chain.  At some schools like Hopkins, it is the #1 sport.  A school like Hopkins has a lacrosse-only athletic center that was funded by donors.  There are many donors who open their checkbooks for lacrosse (e.g.  Richmond is starting a men's D1 program funded by donors).[/quote]

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