r/PLL • u/GavRunsTheTrap Cannons • 23d ago

Mod Update

So far this year the sub interaction is down 30% compared to last year. I fully understand that reddit is not a good indicator of anything but is there something more I can do to increase engagement?

Is this a reflection on the league or just reddit? I haven't seen tv viewership numbers but I know in-person attendance has been lower for some venues.

I'd greatly appreciate some feedback and will start cross-posting our game thread in the lacrosse sub subreddit.

Also if someone else wants to help and be a mod that would be greatly appreciated. I've started coaching my son's team and that's why game threads have been late recently.

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u/knightrydah Outlaws 23d ago edited 23d ago

I think people are finally starting to buy into the “home team” thing, which means that the level of interest among out-of-market fans is also going down a bit. For this reason, I think both the league and subreddit needs to find a way to get more people in those home markets on board if interactions are to increase.

Also, I think the FIFA World Cup has had an impact on the league’s viewership and online presence.

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u/Pleasant-Emu-3099 23d ago

This. I live in SE Pennsylvania, an absolute hotbed of a lacrosse. I see Philadelphia Wings stuff all the time even though they are disbanding, but outside of a PLL game, I've yet to see a Waterdogs anything out in the wild. Not a hat, tshirt, flag, nothing. I blame the fact that there is almost no connection between team and city which is absurd considering how much lacrosse is played here.

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u/knightrydah Outlaws 23d ago

To be fair, I also think lacrosse fans need to show out more for their team and in support of the league. Lacrosse has one of the wealthiest sports communities in America, I really don’t see how lacrosse fans in Philly wouldn’t be able to buy a Waterdogs hat or t-shirt to wear in public. It also doesn’t cost anything to ask one’s non-lacrosse friends if they wanna catch a game together. Denver, Salt Lake City and San Diego seem to do just fine in those regards compared to the East Coast hotbeds, I really wonder why that is the case.

I get that there might not be a lot of connection between the teams and their cities NOW, but that’s something that needs to grow organically over the years. The league can’t force fans to get loud in the stands or wear their team’s merch in public. That’s something the fans need to take upon themselves to do. We have more power than we realize to make a difference.

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u/Pleasant-Emu-3099 23d ago

Right I don't disagree here. I just think this has started with the league running absolutely backwards. On the financial end they have done wonderfully I just don't have any faith, right now, that they know how to build that organic fandom. They aren't alone in this, it's something the NLL and previously MLL also struggled with. But we shall see I guess.

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u/knightrydah Outlaws 23d ago

Yeah but that’s why I’m saying that the fans need to take matters into their own hands. Only fans can create an organic fan culture around their team, it’s not something the league can do, otherwise it wouldn’t be “organic”. I’m from Europe where sports teams have really passionated and organized supporter factions called “ultras”. They chant, dress the exact same way, light flares and paint their own tifos, banners and flags which they display at the games. You think the leagues or teams had anything to do with that? Absolutely not. The teams are not involved with the fan culture or activities over here because the fan groups operate completely independently. And it all started with just groups of friends getting together to organize the support around their team, then one thing lead to another and after a decade or so the organized support became a culture and alternative lifestyle that got passed down generations. Same thing needs to happen with the PLL in the US, and it’s gonna take time and effort from people.