Major League Lacrosse, the creation of fitness guru Jake Steinfeld and the SFX Sports Group, is scheduled to debut with a summer tour that visits six to 10 cities next year before beginning league play in 2001.
Prospective owner-operators of franchises will co-promote each tour stop in their home cities. Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Long Island, N.Y., and Columbus, Ohio, have already been selected as stops on the tour and likely markets for MLL franchises.
"It's really a trial run for us and will answer all of the questions we have without jumping in headfirst," said Gabby Roe, MLL's executive director. "We're trying to introduce the Major League Lacrosse experience to the public."
The tour will also include such entertainment elements as concerts and fireworks and will be televised on various regional sports networks.
The SFX Sports Group's television division will produce the broadcasts and make the feeds available to the stations free of charge. Talks are ongoing with a national cable station that would air one game coast-to-coast.
Roe said MLL has received multiple inquiries in each market from possible investors.
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