England Lacrosse joins the global lacrosse community today in launching an integrated creative campaign that celebrates the origins of the game, along with its significant growth and ambitions to return to the Olympic Games.
Entitled ‘LAX: Indigenous Made, Globally Played’ and utilising the hashtag #LAX28, the campaign is aimed at putting a spotlight on the sport and its Olympic-worthy heritage and credentials, while showcasing the scale of the international lacrosse community.
The LAX campaign will also drive awareness for lacrosse of today: modern, progressive and accessible.
The campaign launches on the heels of the sport’s recent invitation to participate in the host city sport process for the LA28 Olympic Games.
Launching the campaign on the International Day for the World’s Indigenous Peoples is intended to further celebrate the game’s unique Native American roots and the participation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in World Lacrosse events.
At 4pm today (Tuesday 9 August), the launch campaign video has been shared across World Lacrosse’s social portfolio, as well as among the International Federation’s 77 member nations and four Continental Federations around the globe.
The video will be part of upcoming lacrosse television coverage, including during the 2022 World Lacrosse Men’s U21 Championship that kicks off tomorrow in Limerick, Ireland, on ESPN and Lax Sports Network.
World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern said: “This campaign is the perfect way to celebrate both our history and our future, recognising and acknowledging our origins, while sharing the progress that puts us in a position to contend for a place in the Olympic Games. Our members, athletes and the wider global lacrosse community are overwhelmingly united in their support for our efforts to bring the game back to the world’s greatest stage.”
World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said: “The last several decades, our sport has seen tremendous growth, including participation and fandom in new regions, investment from leading figures in adjacent sports, and the development of different styles of play. This campaign emphasises lacrosse’s origins, its evolution and the next generation of competition, which hopefully includes an opportunity to showcase the game in the Olympic arena.”
Dating back nearly 1,000 years, lacrosse originated in Native American tribes as a healing game and has grown into an internationally recognised sport. In 2018, the lacrosse sixes discipline was introduced, shaped specifically for 21st century athletes, fans, partners and event hosts, emphasising athleticism, tempo, sustainable development and global balance.