An accident of history that could bring new fans to lacrosse
The official attendance was 3,876 - but the turnout at the NCAA lacrosse tournament matchup between Notre Dame and top-ranked Virginia on Saturday at Klockner Stadium was noteworthy in one respect.
I would estimate that around 1,000 or so fans who attended the baseball game between Virginia and North Carolina held earlier in the day on Saturday at Davenport Field ventured over to Klockner to take in the lax contest - and my guess is that more than a few of them left Charlottesville hooked on the sport.
There's something about lacrosse that says that about the game - that if you can get a sports fan to sit down and watch an entire contest from beginning to end, then you have a fan for life.
That the University of Virginia was able to expose the game to more fans came about as an accident. The lacrosse game was originally scheduled as a night game - but was moved at the request of ESPN to accommodate its broadcast schedule.
This accident of history might be something that the school might want to consider as an intentional move in the future.
In the meantime, fans who attended both were given a rare treat - the chance to watch the top-ranked baseball team in the country (North Carolina) and the best lacrosse team in the country (the #1 Cavs are competing for their third national championship under coach Dom Starsia).
- Chris Graham