In a second year of exclusive rights to broadcasting Louisiana High School Lacrosse League games, VSN Louisiana is proud to announce expanded coverage of the sport this spring.
In 2019, VSN Louisiana streamed the Final Four and state championship game. This season we will broadcast 10 Games of the Week and the inaugural “Super 8” games, which include the quarterfinals to be held on the campus of St. Thomas More in Lafayette on Saturday, May 2.
The Final Four and championship will be live on VSN Louisiana from Joe Yenni Stadium in Metairie on May 8-9.
“The LHSLL will always be very special to us because it was the first state championship VSN Louisiana ever live-streamed,” said Varsity Sports Now Louisiana founder and CEO Eric Richey. “We were honored that the LHSLL chose us to broadcast their Final Four a year ago. We were proud of our efforts that weekend through some dicey weather conditions and look to continue that momentum into even bigger things this season.”
Lacrosse has continued to increase in popularity throughout the state, and the LHSLL, “formed in 2008 to provide a framework and organizational structure for the growth of youth lacrosse in the state of Louisiana” includes 24 teams with 19 of them coming from in state.
“In a relatively short period of time, lacrosse in this area has gone from relatively nothing to fantastic growth,” said LHSLL first-year commissioner Dave Gold, who has had three sons involved in the league at St. Paul’s School in Covington. “Anything that brings more eyes and attention to the sport is a good thing, and I would like to think that the teams in the league are proud of the effort they put into the games.”
VSN Louisiana also is excited to announce that PJ’s Coffee will sponsor all of our telecasts this season, and that the Allstate Sugar Bowl is the title sponsor for all LHSLL games.
“I have been around the lacrosse community for 10 years, my son plays at LSU and in youth leagues throughout high school, and I have another son still playing in the LHSLL. I look forward to us representing the lacrosse community,” said Paul Ballard, founder and CEO of Ballard Brands, which owns PJ’s Coffee. “We are so proud to be in the community not only supporting lacrosse but in local neighborhoods, and we appreciate the support our local company receives in the New Orleans are and all across Louisiana.”
Allstate Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley echoed similar sentiments.
“The Sugar Bowl Committee has been a long-time supporter of lacrosse in New Orleans and across the state, and this sponsorship is another demonstration of that support,” he said. “We’re hopeful that bringing the state championships to the city will further increase the visibility of the sport and better position lacrosse as a great opportunity for aspiring young athletes.
“We’re excited at the prospect of it all.”
US Lacrosse will be the host of the Final Four tournament, and the president of the state’s chapter, Rich Clement, expressed his joy of the group’s association with the LHSLL and its partners.
“The Louisiana / Mississippi US Lacrosse chapter, in partnership with Jesuit, Brother Martin, Newman, and St. Paul’s, is excited to bring the High School Lacrosse Championships to New Orleans,” he said. “It was made possible by the tremendous support of the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
“The support by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and other sponsors go beyond the championships to include, for the first time, the broadcast of regular season and all playoff games through VSN Louisiana.”
VSN Louisiana is the state’s first statewide high school sports digital network.
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