The problem with lacrosse

When I frequent lacrosse sites--mostly those affiliated with Inside Lacrosse--I notice one thing that many of the commenters have in common. It is indicative of what I think may be one of the primary issues with lacrosse.

You know who watches lacrosse? Lacrosse players.

While I've got the perception that this is an issue, I'm not entirely sure I can articulate why, but I'll give it a shot. I think it makes the sport look overly technical--that is, the only way to understand it is to have played it, though in my experience that's not the case at all. I also think that because lacrosse is overwhelmingly played by upper-middle and upper class folks (especially outside of the hotbed areas, where more people have had the opportunity to hold a stick), the fact that it is followed by many of those same people makes the sport seem elitist.

Finally, it's been my experience that laxers have a bit of a spring sport inferiority complex. Whenever attacked, lacrosse players/fans will point out that lacrosse is a better sport than baseball. This is actually a fact with which I agree, but you're not going to win any friends coming at the neck of America's Pastime.

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