|
| |
Sting News
NLLinsider.com announces new contest
WingsZone and NLL Insider
are proud to announce our "NLL Offensive Challenge" weekly contest! Every week
we will award a prize package including a Reebok shaft, a one year subscription
to Inside Lacrosse magazine, and the Lacrosse: North America‚s Game coffee table
book!
The object of the contest is to predict which team will score the most goals for
that week, and how many goals they will score. If multiple teams score the same
number of goals, the team with the higher goal differential will be considered
the highest scoring team.
|
|
ARIZONA STING SUSPEND OPERATIONS FOR 2008 SEASON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, November 2, 2007
GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- Arizona Sting Governor Douglas Moss
announced today that the Sting has suspended its operations and will not
participate in the 2008 National Lacrosse League (NLL) season.
The NLL announced the cancellation of its 2008 season on Oct. 16 after the
Professional Lacrosse Players Association rejected a proposal from the
league on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“The lack of negotiations between the NLL and the Professional Lacrosse
Players Association this summer and subsequent uncertainty negatively
impacted our planning for the 2008 season,” said Moss. “When the NLL Board
of Governors cancelled the season on Oct. 16, we ceased our Arizona Sting
business operations. On Oct. 25, when the two sides came to an agreement on
a new seven-year CBA, the league announced that there would be a season in
2008. The NLL then gave all clubs an option to be placed on voluntary
inactive status, whereby the team’s players could be subject to a dispersal
draft. Dispersed players may be loaned to other NLL clubs for the 2008
season and returned to their original clubs in 2009. At that time we
reviewed our organization and the challenges we faced with fielding and
operating a championship-caliber club both on and off the field in a reduced
time frame. After our review we made a very difficult decision to declare
inactive status for the 2008 season.
“We apologize to our loyal fans, partners and players, and look forward to
our players returning to our roster for the 2009 season.”
-STING-
From the official Sting website
NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES NEW
SEVEN-YEAR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
Arizona Sting Will Play in 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, October 25, 2007
GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The National Lacrosse League (NLL) has
announced the reaching of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the
Professional Lacrosse Player's Association (PLPA). The agreement is a
seven-year term that begins in 2008 and runs through the 2014 season. The
agreement marks the longest labor deal in the 22-year history of professional
indoor lacrosse. The league's previous three-year agreement with the PLPA
expired following the 2007 season.
“The new collective bargaining agreement will allow for positive long-term
growth of the NLL,” said Sting Governor Douglas Moss. “But most importantly,
the fans will not miss out on another great season of lacrosse.”
“We are very excited to have a new seven-year deal with the PLPA,” said Sting
General Manager and Head Coach Bob Hamley. “We’d like to apologize to our fans
for the unrest over the last several weeks, but we now have the opportunity to
take the NLL and the sport of lacrosse to the next level.”
"Reaching a long-term collective bargaining agreement with the players was our
number one priority in this process. We've been building positive growth in the
league over the past few years.” said NLL Commissioner Jim Jennings.
The agreement also means that professional indoor lacrosse will be played in
2008. When a new CBA had not reached by the league's deadline last week, the
2008 season was canceled. A new schedule for the 2008 National Lacrosse League
season is expected to be announced next week.
For more information, visit NLL.com,
the official website of the National Lacrosse League.
-STING- |
|
Sting, NLL cancels 2008 season
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 16, 2007 09:56 AM
Arizona sports fans have one less team to root for as the Arizona Sting has shut
down operations, a result of the National Lacrosse League's announcement of the
cancellation of its 2008 season.
According to the league's website, the cancellation was triggered by the
Professional Lacrosse Players Association's executive committee rejecting the
league's last Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposal.
"I would like to apologize to our fans, first and foremost", said NLL
Commissioner Jim Jennings in a statement. "We are deeply disappointed that the
PLPA's executive committee rejected our proposal without permitting all of the
players to vote on the league's final offer. The offer included annual raises
for all players in each year of the contract. Our owners made the best offer
they could make while maintaining a sound business model".
The Arizona Sting (9-7 last season), which hosted the first-ever sporting at the
now Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, was the league's runnerup in May, losing the
NLL Championship to Rochester. The Sting was also the league runnerup in 2005.
The Arizona Sting was one of 14 teams in the National Lacrosse League, which had
expanded to Portland and Edmonton in 2006, and New York in 2007, had recently
awarded Boston a team for the 2008 campaign.
The league, which started in 1986, consisted of the following franchises:
Arizona Sting, Boston Blazers, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Chicago
Shamrox, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush, Minnesota Swarm, New York Titans,
Philadelphia Wings, Portland LumberJax, Rochester Knighthawks, San Jose Stealth,
Toronto Rock.
Key dates in NLL history
May 12, 2007
The Rochester Knighthawks defeated the Arizona Sting, 13-11, in the 2007 NLL
Championship presented by Edge Active Care at Jobing.com Arena. John Grant was
named Championship Game MVP with a three goal, five assist performance. The
victory marks the first time Rochester has won the title since 1997.
February 1, 2007
The NLL & SIRIUS Satellite Radio sign a multi-year broadcasting agreement that
makes SIRIUS the exclusive Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NLL. SIRIUS
also debuted a weekly one-hour show later in the 2007 season featuring
highlights, news and analysis.
May 13, 2006
The National Lacrosse League finishes it's 20th season by setting an all-time
single season attendance mark, reaching a total of 1,037,147 fans for the 2006
season, including 88 regular season games, six playoff games, the 2006 All-Star
Game in Toronto, and the 2006 RBK NLL Championship Game presented by Edge Active
Care. The league season average attendance was 10,804.
June 16, 2005
The league announces the establishment of the National Lacrosse League Hall of
Fame. The Hall of Fame opens with five charter members who have made
immeasurable contributions to the league and the sport of lacrosse. The five
charter members are league founders Russ Cline and Chris Fritz; legendary
lacrosse stars Gary Gait and Paul Gait, and the late Les Bartley, the winningest
coach in league history.
May 25, 2005
The Arizona Sting defeat the Colorado Mammoth 16-13 in the franchise's first
ever playoff game. The Sting would go on to advance to their first ever
appearance in the Champion's Cup Final against the Toronto Rock. Colorado
Mammoth veteran forwards Gary and Paul Gait played their final NLL game in the
loss to the Sting. Gary scored five points (1g, 4a) and Paul scored a goal in
the loss.
December 26, 2003
The Arizona Sting play their inaugural home game at the Glendale Arena in
Arizona. The game becomes the first event ever held inside the new arena. The
Sting defeats the Vancouver Ravens by the score of 16-12 in front of 12,789
fans.
*Information courtesy of nll.com |
Conn out for season
From the NLL website
8/21/2007
Arizona Sting General Manager and Head Coach Bob Hamley announced on Tuesday
that the club has placed forward Craig Conn on the Physically Unable to Perform
List for the upcoming 2008 NLL season. The four-year veteran suffered a knee
injury while playing summer lacrosse.
"Sting Ownership and Management are very disappointed to hear of Craig's injury
playing summer lacrosse," said Hamley. "Craig has proven to be one of the NLL's
superstars and one of the main reasons for the success of the Sting over the
past three seasons."
Conn finished the 2007 season as Arizona's second-leading scorer with 76 points
on 21 goals and 55 assists. He also ranked second on the team in loose balls
(106) and penalty minutes (35) while appearing in all 16 regular season games.
The St. Catherines, Ont. native also helped lead Arizona to an appearance in the
Champions Cup finals as he tied for the league lead in playoff scoring with 19
points (7G, 12A).
"In light of this incident, we are deeply concerned about the lack of
restrictions in off-season activities in NLL player contracts. The league needs
to work to restrict such activities as playing in summer leagues," Hamley added.
"We wish Craig well in his road to recovery and we know we speak for our fans
when we say he will be missed this season."
Conn, who was originally drafted by Vancouver with the fourth overall pick in
2003, was acquired by Arizona in a trade with Minnesota midway through the 2005
season. In 36 career regular season games with the Sting, Conn has recorded 154
points on 71 goals and 83 assists. A two-time NLL All-Star and an All-Rookie
selection in 2004, Conn has 224 points (104G, 120A) in 57 career games.
|
Adanacs win playoff berth
The Coquitlam Adanacs cinched the Mann cup playoff berth when they defeated
the New Westminster Salmonbellies four games to zero in the WLA finals. There are
six Sting players on the Adanacs, Brandon Atherton, Bruce Murray, Curt Malawsky,
Andy Secore and Peter Veltman. Peter's brother Daryl is also on the Adanacs
team. The Salmonbellies Mann cup hopes were no doubt hindered by the loss of
one of their top scorers and another Sting player Craig Conn. Craig was injured in the Salmonbellies last
semi-final game verses the Nanaimo Timbermen. Craig will be out for the entire
2008 NLL season.
|
| |
|
