@mdk01 you are spot on...it's both...need people moving here and organic (college players returning to give back so to speak)
The cherries program here is run by three brothers from Long Island...all D1 players with the understanding of the game...and connections. So that proves out your comments. Make no doubt...without those guys, I don't have a kid playing at Rutgers and a kid at Loyola...for me to think otherwise would be foolish. Now my boys are decent players, but those guys helped them become better players AND they got them in front of the right eyes...which is very important
Also agree that we need more programs...we have a lot of D3 programs, but we need more
In the end it's a lot of things...but interest out east still blows away the interest here...it's not close from a casual fan perspective or a historical fan perspective...you go to a game at Michigan (I've been there) and it's parents, some friends, maybe 500-750 people max and it's passive...then I go to a Loyola v Hopkins game at Ridley and the noise is deafening and you have 6-7K people there...
After the Loyola v Rutgers game last year at Ridley, the next morning, Baltimore Sun...the Sports page has a large picture of my younger son on it and a full page article...not to mention coverage on multiple other local games both D1 and D3 in full. The have a Sunday morning lacrosse section...I was floored...you would NEVER see that coverage in the Detroit Free Press or News...never
Just lots of variables...but in the end, I still think an influx of skilled coaching starts the process...