Whitby added as 7th ALL Franchise
Tuesday September 26,2017
The Arena Lacrosse League (ALL) is please to announce the addition of Whitby, Ontario as the league’s 7th franchise beginning play this December. The team name and Management will be announced in the upcoming weeks. The Whitby team will play out of Children’s Arena in Oshawa.
“This is an exciting time for the ALL as we head towards year two, adding another team in the east will assist with travel costs as we balance out team geographic locations”, stated league President Paul St. John. “It also adds to the rivalry already created between the Oshawa Outlaws and the Peterborough Timbermen.”
Whitby will get to name their first players in late November during the ALL expansion draft. They will round out their training camp roster via the ALL Draft, and free agency. The team will open camp the second weekend of December at Children’s Arena. Whitby will join the six other franchises in being league owned, something the league will look to change moving forward.
“As we move into year two, we want to continue to stabilize the ALL, showcasing both the league and its talent to potential ownership groups”, said Lance Winn, VP of Media and Public Relations for the ALL. “As we progress through the season, we will allow potential owners to bid and purchase teams, the league feels it’s a natural progression as we grow forward.”
The ALL is coming off a successful Young Guns Showcase game to kick off the start of the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) Draft Combine and now the news of a 7th franchise is providing the league and its players added confidence of league stability and potential growth that St. John envisioned it would provide when he announced the league in October, 2016.
“We showed in year one that we can be a development league for the NLL, not only for players but officials and coaches as well. The ALL helps all of these groups stay game ready and prepared to make the jump to the next level. We had 20 players play a game or added to an NLL practice roster, and many officials saw action in both leagues.”
“With the announcement of two new NLL franchises (San Diego and Philadelphia) for next season, we need to continue to develop players and coaches playing under the same rules as many of the roster spots and possibly coaching spots for these two teams could come from the ALL.” St. John added.
About the ALL: The Arena Lacrosse League (ALL) is a 7 team winter indoor league based in Ontario, Canada. The ALL is a development league for players and coaches who inspire to play or coach professionally. Also part of the ALL is a Junior ALL program for young players, for more information please visit arenalacrosseleague.ca.