A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
JAIME VALDEZ / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE
Peter Jacobs of the Portland LumberJax celebrates a goal in a 13-12 victory over Colorado last month. The National Lacrosse League team says it won't return to the Rose Garden.
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The Portland LumberJax will move from Portland, the team announced Monday.
The LumberJax played in Portland the past four seasons, making the playoffs three times, after entering the National Lacrosse League as an expansion franchise.
"We are currently exploring options for the future,” LumberJax executive vice president Brian Silcott says. "For numerous reasons, including the current economic climate, it has become increasingly difficult for our owners to continue funding the team at the level necessary to ensure future success in Portland.
"Right now there are several options for the franchise including a move to another market, accepting new partners and/or the outright sale of the franchise. The National Lacrosse League has a June 1 deadline for notification of intent, so a final decision will be made soon."
Adds managing partner Angela Batinovich: “We are entertaining many different avenues for the future of this franchise. We believe in this sport, this league and this team.”
Jeff: We have grown, but the economy, and SAM,have not allowed us the ability to pay or support a major team other then the Blazers.
Think of the basics first...then we buy the toys!
(email verified)
Tue, May 05, 2009 at 01:36 AM
Jeff, I have news for ya. Portland is a small city. It acts like one, looks like one, filled with people from them and therefore is one. Your city is so minor league, I don't even know where to start. Next to leave? Your MLS team, if it actually ever even gets here. You guys are a bunch of wannabes and you suck.
Jack, it is exactly because of people like you (Mr. NIMBY) that your pissant town will never amount to anything except the King of Weird. Portland sucks.
(email verified)
Tue, May 05, 2009 at 04:23 PM
Jack:
Jeff is right, let's stop playing games with minor league teams; let's get a major league team - but not one that will roll us over a barrel. Either the team can make money on its own - without a city subsidy - or we wait until the city is big enough (enough of a fan base) for that to happen.
As for blaming SAM - huh? If anything, I want Sam to STOP offering city money to a private money making venture. If a MSL expansion team can't make it on its own yet, then we the taxpayer shouldn't subsidize them until the fan base is large enough. Those are the basics.
Cheers,
(email verified)
Tue, May 05, 2009 at 06:03 PM
I'd like to thank the Portland Tribune for all their consistent coverage of the Lumberjax the past few years. As a fan from day one, you delivered insightful articles (compared to the "Big" paper in town). The Jax will be missed by our family, we'll miss the fun with our fellow season ticket holders in section 201.
(email verified)
Tue, May 05, 2009 at 06:19 PM
I'm sorry, but Jeff is wrong. Joe Canizaro folded the Breakers during the anti-trust suit. I remember him saying they were like $15-20 million in the hole.
Portland Fire were in the bottom half of WNBA attendance, averaging around 6,500 fans in 2002. Average league attendance in 2002 was around 8,500.
The old Timbers were showing some troubling trends before the NASL went down. Look at these avg. attendance figures:
1976-17,429
1977-13,216
1978-11,803
1979-11,172
1980-10,210
1981-10,516
1982-8,786
(email verified)
Wed, May 06, 2009 at 09:32 AM
I stand corrected - I was very young when the Breakers were in town. I recall they started as the Boston Breakers, then New Orleans Breakers, then the Portland Breakers. I also remember they had a fitting name for their cheer squad: "The Heartbreakers"
Since the team moved three times in three years, they probably were $15-$20 million in the hole. The old Timbers did draw very well initially, but I think most of the teams had reduced attendance numbers as the NASL
neared it's demise.
In my initial post I should clarify the term "future". Yes, the economy is bad now and there is a lack of corporate support...but that statement could have been made in the early 1970's, a few years before Nike was founded or in the 1980's in Seattle, before Microsoft. Companies will sometimes relocate their headquarters -
a few have already left Portland, we need to recruit some back.
Who knows what the corporate business climate will be in Portland in 2015, 2020, etc. But population trends for the Metro region continue to project upward and at some point in the future our major league aspirations should follow suit.
(email verified)
Wed, May 06, 2009 at 11:49 AM
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Re: LumberJax will move from Portland
Another case of a minor league team departing Portland.
The USFL Portland Breakers drew fairly well, but the league folded. The Portland Timbers of the NASL enjoyed good attendance at Civic Stadium, but the league failed. The Portland Power & Fire had fairly good numbers at the gate, but the league that the Power played in folded. Portland often will support a team franchise, but often the league isn't that strong.
The stronger fan base and corporate sponsorships lie with the major league teams and Portland has been minor-leagued to failure. Fans will follow the Boston Red Sox or L.A. Dodgers, but a smaller percentage of people will watch minor league teams in Fresno or Reno.
Let smaller cities enjoy the minor league teams while Portland should strive for higher professional sports aspirations in the future as the metro region grows.
"Jeff"
(email verified)
Mon, May 04, 2009 at 06:31 PM