It does not take a long look at the Marquette lacrosse schedule to figure out it’s tough to get teams to come to Milwaukee.
Only three of the team’s 15 games will be played at Hart Park this spring, and only one is non-conference. For fans hoping to get a good look at the team, it’s an unfortunate reality.
Part of the issue is simple geography and economics. Besides Marquette, only three other Division I schools are in the Midwest: Ohio State, Detroit and Michigan. With schools always conscious of travel costs, it’s difficult to convince many teams to fly out to the third furthest west program in the country – Denver and Air Force being the more western teams.
However, as the sport grows, more opportunities may arise for the Golden Eagles. There have been rumblings of a new school, Cleveland State, joining the ranks as soon as 2016. According to Cleveland.com, the school is expected to approve the addition of lacrosse within the next 30 days as part of its initiative to get “more academically qualified applicants.” Although the announcement wouldn’t be one that would change the lacrosse landscape from day one, there’s reason for Marquette to be very pleased.
The immediate benefit to Marquette is another Midwest program – another easier team to schedule non-conference games against.
When looking at a more long-term goal, the issue of travel is once again front and center. Lacrosse is growing rapidly, and many schools like Cleveland State seem interested in the applicants that adding the program would attract. However, when balancing the pros and cons, high travel costs could be at the top of the program’s negative list.
Lacrosse growth needs to move in waves, but it needs its starting outposts to begin that process. As more schools in the area add the sport, it will be easier for others to follow in their footsteps. If there are no schools nearby, a university could be very hesitant. But if four or five are within a realistic distance, the opportunity looks more promising.
Obviously Marquette would like to host more of its lacrosse games at home. Part of the solution is out of Marquette’s hands, as it waits for more programs to emerge. The addition of an indoor recreational facility University President Michael Lovell discussed earlier this week could be an enormous step forward, as the team would be able to host games far earlier in the year than they are able to currently.
Creating a home field advantage and a culture around playing at Marquette are huge factors when it comes to recruiting and the program’s overall image. More home games also brings higher awareness to the team, giving fans more opportunities to get interested in the sport.
This issue is one of many Marquette knew it was walking into when the program began. The team is in uncharted territory, working out the kinks involved in starting a new program. Its location may be an inconvenience right now, but by being one of the first Midwestern programs in the country, the Golden Eagles will likely be well-established by the time others make the move.
