The Perfect Amphitheater

There couldn't be a better setup for a Fan Fest than the promenade between Oriole Park and M&T Bank Stadium.  The sycamores edging the walkway created shade for tailgating and (what else?)  pickup lacrosse games on the grass. 

(Do people carry portable goals around in their trunks or something?  They materilize out of nowhere, like picnic tables.  Kids with sticks are right behind them.)

Along the the flag-lined route were festival tents with lacrosse challenges and other activities .  Fans of all ages are having a blast.

One thing I noticed is that the lax support is not confined to the two teams in the championship.  Lacrosse t-shirts from colleges and programs all around are proudly displayed.  A lot of Navy, a few Syracuse, and some youth players from Yorktown who seemed to have established a campsite on Lot H.  Very evident they are here to see the top level of competition and not necessarily the teams.

What is really cool is the main stage, which is situated right under the overpass.  Not only is it shaded and roughly in the middle, but the structural supports and the deck create a perfect acoustics for percussion.  (The overhead traffic adds a nice touch, too.)

About an hour before face-off, the 23 man drum line of the Marching Ravens took the stage for a show that drew everyone into the action.  If it was possible to energize the crowd any more, the drum line delivered.  Then they reassembled in front of the stage and led the parade into the stadium.

Here's a picture of what the promenade looked like even before the band began.

Terry told me the Terp women champs are going to be recognized on the field today.  Their game, and the crowd in Towson, was the talk of the US Lacrosse tent this afternoon.

It's been a great weekend for lacrosse in Baltimore. Why hold a championship anywhere else?

Terps Take Trophy in Towson !!!

Energy, energy, energy.  That's what Terry felt at the end of the short hop up 83 to Johnny U Stadium yesterday.  Because despite the 80+ degree temperature, the partisan crowd was electrified at seeing the Maryland women's lacrosse team storm back from an initial 6 goal deficit to beat the reigning (five year) champs from Northwestern.

Just as noteworthy as the intensity of the crowd was the size -- nearly 10,000 fans.  That's the largest attendance for a women's lacrosse event ever.

A great victory for the lady Terps and dynamite product placement for that other home team whose logo is prominent in the trophy hoist.

Stand by for the rest of the Baltimore's lax weekend as we journey to M&T for the men's fnal.  Weather is beautiful and fans are pumped.

Touting de Tours

This is the week Terry and representatives from Medalist Sports will meet in Annapolis to determine the level of support for staging a week-long, statewide Tour de Maryland in 2012.  Terry invited tourism representatives from every jurisdiction, because an event of this magnitude brings visitors from all over.  It cannot happen without support from local governments to assist with logistics, either.

And yes, while corporate support is the lifeblood of any professional event, the place where the gears shift and the tread hits the trail is with the fans and cycling community.  This is where the outreach occurs and the volunteer base germinates.  Fortunately, Maryland has a thriving network of clubs, activities and events that will only be enhanced by the presence of a high profile, multi tiered event like Tour de Maryland.

The cycling community has many components, from the folks who use it as basic transportation to the daredevils who push the envelope with tricks and obstacle courses to the environmentalists who enjoy the experience of the many natural resources Maryland has to offer, to the fitness buffs who compete in triathlons and other challenges.

A large scale professional race like a Tour de Maryland taps into all these enthusiasts.  It gives them a platform to advocate cyling issues and draw attention to local businesses and resources that support bicycling.  It also includes them in the festivities and attractions in a festival atmosphere.

A good regional example of this model is the recent BikeJam in Baltimore.  I went last year and saw the professionals as they whizzed through Patterson Park in a day-glo colored blur.   Reminded me of a psychedelic poster I had in my dorm room.  But the races were only one of the attractions.  There were recreational rides, seminars on health and safety, and demonstrations of trick riding.

There are other bicycle events in the coming months that focus more on recreation, health, and fitness.  Tour Dem Parks, Hon in Baltimore began eight years ago as a way to showcase the newly opened Gwynns Falls Trail.  It has expanded over the years to include four different routes.  The 14 mile family ride (that's the one I did,) a 25 mile that adds Druid Hill Park, a 35 mile which includes even more of Baltimore, and a metric century (64 miles) that extends to Patapsco State Park.

You can tell who's there for the long haul.  They show up in matching spandex and sunglass ensembles.  They are either part of a racing team or a triathlon training program.  And they carry more water than a camel.

The event has grown every year.  In 2009, more than 1,000 participated.  Even more are expected this June 13.

Because almost all the courses take riders through the Camden Yards complex, this is a good way to learn how bicycle-friendly and easily accessible the stadiums are.  This year, a large map of the Gwynns Falls Trail and Baltimore will be in place at the corner of Warner and Ostend.  This will remind all our visitors just how convenient we are to downtown and the public/alternative transportation routes.

The inaugural Tour de Frederick is a little more ambitious, lasting the weekend of August 13-15 and giving participants the opportunity to take in the piedmont experience with trips to the ballpark and museums. (Can you see the tourism factor now?)

In October, the Sea Gull Century is planning its 22nd annual event, beginning and ending at Salisbury University and taking in many of the sights of Maryland's Eastern Shore.  Last year, more than 6,000 participated.

So you can already see how well the bicycle community is organized in three major regions of Maryland with entirely different demographics.  Just imagine an event that would showcase the entire state's bicycle community and enhance the many resources and activities we already have.

We'll find out a lot more of what is possible and what needs to be done to make this happen in Maryland.

If you are part of the cycling or tourism communities and want to learn more about this informational meeting, blip Tweety at info@marylandsports.us.

The F&F Factor

There are some among us who love hosting big events just because of all the excitement and energy they bring.  All well and good, say the pragmatic bean counters.  But the bottom line is, well,  the bottom line!  Fill those seats and feed those bellies.  Make those turnstiles and cash registers spin.

So it was a matter of concern in some quarters when all the Maryland-based schools in Division I fell during the early rounds, leaving only Salisbury in Division III carrying the standard for the home state.

What fills the most seats are FANS, right?  Much easier to attract fans when they're already here, or just a light rail away.

Fortunately, the weather gods and the demographics of the sport are smiling upon us.  It's a beautiful day in Baltimore.  Warm, but not too sunny.  That we couldn't predict, and we're grateful.

The one thing we could count on is that no matter which four teams made it to the finals, there were sure to be Marylander somewhere on the roster.  Sure enough, even Notre Dame (the only non-Eastern time zone team to make the finals in years) has some locals on their team.

This drives another dynamic of ticket sales -- Family and Friends.  That's what Terry loves about youth sports (prep and collegiate events are categorized as amateur youth.)  Those adolescents travel with boatloads of family, friends, former teammates, and Facebook followers.  So even without local or road warrior teams (like Syracuse or Princeton) we can rely upon the homegrown talent to bring their F&Fs to M&T en masse.

There's another F factor, and that's Festivities.  This year the youth program and on-site Lax Festival have attracted league teams from all over. (These youngsters are from Richmond.  They showed up, wielding sticks, at 10:30 and have been frolicking around the campus ever since.)  The entire Camden Yards complex is teeming with tailgaters, festival-goers, and kids playing catch on the grass.  (Rain garden is off-limits, guys.)

It's too soon to tell if all these F factors can compensate for the lack of a local team in Division I.  But after wandering around and talking with folks, I know it is a already a great experience for them,  Their delight in being here, celebrating the best of lacrosse in its epicenter, is hopefully apparent to the good folks from NCAA. 

It's a great day -- in a great place --- for NCAA lacrosse.

Countdown to Face-Off

The teams are in town (they were practicing on the field this afternoon) the fans (kids with sticks; parents with shopping bags) are flooding the Inner Harbor, and the festivities began at 6:00 PM with a pep rally for all participants at the dockside amphitheater.

The Merry Marketeers were there, in the team "Here to Play"uniforms. Terry was juggling press calls while ministering to the NCAA coordinators for most of the day. Everyone seems pleased with how Baltimore is embracing the activities.

We’ve been blessed with great local coverage and glorious weather. Hopefully that will translate into another big weekend at the gates.

I worked the crowd for a while, asking where folks were from and how long they planned to stay. (Most frequent answers – Long Island and all weekend.) One common denominator? Overwhelmingly, fans were happy this event is back in Baltimore.

It’s going to be an exciting tournament, with lax activities stretching from Oriole Park to M&T Bank Stadium and around the perimeter. I watched more booths going up today. It’s hard not to think about all the people it employs to produce a festival like this, and operate all the concessions and attractions.

I'll be there bright and early tomorrow. But I'm almost willing to bet the tailgaters will get there first.  They always do.

Angels in Annapolis

Ordinarily one wouldn't consider an air show -- no matter how spectacularly choreographed -- a sports event.  But an afternoon enthralled by the acrobatics overhead was also a timely reminder of a valuable venue that contributes so much to Maryland sports and recreation -- the Chesapeake Bay and the rivers and creeks that feed it.

The annual visit by the Blue Angels is one of those events that people who live along the Severn plan picnics and parties around. But anyone with a seaworthy vessel usually has standing arrangements to raft with friends, bond with family, or charter party.  I was fortunate enough to be on the guest list for the latter.

Although I lived along the Severn for many years (and fell into category number 1) it's been a long time since I've experienced the show from the water.  It was an excellent vantage point to see just how many types of crafts call the Chesapeake home (or work.)

I recognized a number of the sailboats as regulars in the Wednesday Night Races and other regattas held regularly in Annapolis.  Surprisingly, there were several deadrises -- the old wooden workboats used by watermen who have fished and crabbed the bay for generations.  Of course, every available party and tour charter was booked months in advance, and they muscled their way to mouth of the Severn for a more panoramic view.

There were also flotillas of kayaks and canoes threading among the anchored boats and rafting parties.  Adventure and outdoor sports are big in Maryland, and there are a number of small businesses around the state (including Annapolis) where small crafts can be rented.  I wouldn't have guessed that party-hopping was the original purpose, but on a day like this -- that was the boat to have.

I did see one peculiar contraption that has to qualify as some sort of outdoor sport, but I'm not exactly sure what.  Gliding through the anchorage was what looked like a gondolier.  Except there was no gondola.  When we drew closer, you could see if was a dude on some kind of board (smaller than surf; larger than boogie) paddling.  Or poling.  Or punting.  I'm not sure what it was, but it didn't involve a sail or flippers.

(This sounds like something new I have to try.  Hope my kayaking buddy Arlene is up for it)

There were also a number of "head boads,"  the fishing trawlers that take recreational anglers out for a day on the Bay.  It's a big business in Chesapeake country.  These boats, and the marinas that house and supply them, are a largely unseen segment of the sports and tourism scene.  Some of these enterprises have been family owned and operated for years.  Most of the year, the coolers in the back are used for bait and fish.  On days like this, they hold cans and bottles.  On Blue Angel day, the fish get the day off.  Nearly everything that floats is part of the celebration.

Terry and I were talking about how hard it is to calculate the economic impact of outdoor sports and recreation in Maryland.  Yes, they do studies for big events like the White Marlin Tournament in Ocean City, and some of the large regattas in Annapolis and the tall ship events in Baltimore.  But under the surface are those small businesses who host hunting parties, provide fishing charters, lead outdoor adventures, rent canoes and kayaks and bicycles.

Maybe there is even someone who rents one of those stand up floating boards.

So on this Memorial Day weekend, remember the natural treasures of Maryland and how they contribute to our sports and recreation scene (and economy.)  If you're traveling to the Ocean, pedaling the Alleghany Highlands, hiking the C&O, or paddling the Potomac, you are enjoying just a few of Maryland's finest sports venues.  They are a reason why many folks come here to enjoy The Land of Pleasant Living.

The $75 Million Weekend

In our pride at hosting the nationally televised NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, we don't want to overlook those other lucrative events bringing young athletes, their parents (and their checkbooks) to Maryland for the weekend.

In the lacrosse column, there is the Women's NCAA championships taking place just up the road from M&T at Johnny Unitus Stadium in Towson.  There is also the previously mentioned Youth Lacrosse tourney and the activities associated with the Final Four at M&T.  This is a first time event intended to bring more youngsters into the excitement surrounding the college championship.  That will be taking place at the Cedar Lane complex.

Also at Cedar Lane (it's a pretty big place) is the National Women's Lacrosse tournament, which is the top of the women's club lacrosse programs.  That event is separate from (but always held in tandum with) the collegiate finals.

But in other parts of Maryland, there are prestigious soccer tournaments taking place.  The Elite Soccer Columbia Invitational  this weekend, brings several hundred top boys and girls teams in for the long holiday weekend.  That is a several million dollar impact event.

So Terry figured it up.  With all the men, women, boys, girls soccer lacrosse club collegiate stuff taking place, the State of Maryland is having a $75 million dollar worth of sports events weekend.

And just think -- the sun will be shining on all this economic activity.  And there is even more to come.