A Game Ops Dream

While running a sports entertainment and event production company, I’ve experienced a wide variety of game ops styles…but my latest is somewhat of a game ops dream.  For all of you that think entertainment is just as important to the experience as the sport itself, welcome to indoor lacrosse…more commonly known as box lacrosse.  More formally known as the National Lacrosse League, or NLL.

This league has got to be one of North America’s best kept secrets…outside of its 11 home markets that include Denver, Toronto, Boston, Calgary and Philly…where arenas are selling out for eight home games from January-April.  One of Pat Walker Production’s newest clients is the Washington Stealth, who play in the Seattle suburb of Everett, WA after a recent relocation from San Jose.

After successfully completing the first two home games, I understand why this sport draws a large fan base, despite being tagged as a “niche” game by many.  The sport itself is a hybrid between basketball, hockey, field lacrosse, arena football and a rock concert.  There are goals, penalties, shot clocks, line changes, dance teams, face-offs, balls flying into the crowd and the occasional fisticuff…which, like hockey, the refs allow to proceed until one player has a clear advantage.

And unlike any other sport I’ve produced, the NLL allows for music to be played throughout the game, especially while the ball is in play.  Not only can fans watch the ball whizzing down the field on a fast break…they can do so while Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” drum intro kicks in.  The ebb and flow of the crowd is very entertaining to experience, especially when watching with the headset on.

Check out nll.com and see if there is a team in your area.  If so, go out and see a game.  You might get hooked, too…

-Pat Walker

Patrick Walker is the President of Pat Walker Productions, a Seattle-based event production group. Pat shares over a decade of expertise in Game Entertainment and Operations in a monthly column called Walk & Talk and blog posts on Gameops.com.
[patwalkerproductions.com] [LinkedIn - Pat Walker]

Tags: Everett, pat walker, Pat Walker Production's, Washington Stealth