Commissioner Brett Frood Q&A: What will the NLL do next?

NLL Commissioner Brett Frood, 2023 NLL Entry Draft (Photo: David Pickering)

In the week’s leading up to the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League regular season, The Lax Mag checked in with league commissioner Brett Frood to discuss the current state of the league, what his office has in store for future seasons, plus some personal perspective about his role, the lacrosse landscape and much more.

Unlike last year, Frood, who was named the NLL’s new boss in August of 2022, will have had a full season under his belt as the league’s leader when the upcoming season kicks off on December 1 at the the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax when the Thunderbirds host the Saskatchewan Rush (7pm ET, NLL Game of the Week on TSN).

How have things gone for Frood now nearly 500 days at the helm? What does he think of Paul Rabil and the Premier Lacrosse League? Is lacrosse too divided and discombobulated a sport for a mainstream sports fan to follow? Find out all that and more, below…

Brett Frood, 2022 NLL Entry Draft, The Carlu, Toronto, Ontario

Coming into your second NLL season as commissioner, has your overall perspective of the NLL – it’s current state and where it’s headed – changed at all?

While strategies and tactics have evolved over the first year, no, my overall perspective of the NLL has not changed. It is a league pillared by an exemplary on-field product, committed ownership groups, world-class athletes and passionate fans. There is massive untapped potential, and we have the cornerstones to facilitate exponential growth of our sport in the near future.

How would you define your role as commissioner?

My role includes a breadth of responsibilities across competition, commercial pursuits, broadcast, player relations and holistic business operations, but I believe my core fiduciary duty is to deliver meaningful enterprise value to our core constituents.

Steve Priolo and Brett Frood, 2023 NLL Cup Finals Game 3 (Photo: Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)

During Nick Sakiewicz’s eight years leading the NLL, he always approached expansion very aggressively, while you’ve focused more so on the existing franchises. With that said, do you still receive interest from parties potentially interested in an expansion franchise, and has anything changed in your approach when it comes to expansion, both short and long term?

There definitely needs to be a hybrid approach when considering our existing organizations versus. expansion. I do believe in prioritizing the needs of our member clubs and their success and sustainability; however, it would be shortsighted to not also look forward and consider the significance of new markets and ripe fan bases. We have been active, yet pragmatic, with discussion with our next wave of NLL owners.

Typically, in marketing, companies diversify themselves from direct and indirect competitors by highlighting unique features, benefits, etc. that they offer that those competitors don’t, or that those competitors don’t offer at the same high standard. What would you say the NLL’s unique qualities are and is the sport in general highlighting those areas enough?

I love this question and its timing is impeccable, as the league launches its new marketing campaign later this month. At the core of this initiative is differentiating the NLL from other professional lacrosse leagues, asserting the NLL amongst the “Big 5” professional sports leagues in North America and establishing a distinct and consistent definition of what the NLL represents with all key stakeholders. It is time to control the narrative, spur immediate action and showcase the best kept secret in North America to the masses.

With field, box and now sixes, as well as an array of differing rule sets within those three unique disciplines, lacrosse is not the easiest game for someone outside of our sport to understand and follow. Do you find that sometimes troubling trait to be a roadblock when attempting to engage someone outside of our box lacrosse bubble? And immediate followup: Does the recent inclusion of sixes lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics help the NLL as far as mainstream visibility, or are we asking too much of a non-lacrosse sports fan to connect our sometimes-chaotic dots?

I think it is important to not make things too complicated when dissecting and/or educating new fans on the various disciplines of lacrosse. We feel the NLL’s product caters to all sports fans, endemic or not; it is an entertainment experience with something for everyone. We feel box lacrosse has emerged as the modern game, perfectly suited for the needs of today’s sports fan, who crave non-stop action, physicality, diversity and personality.

Yes, the inclusion of the lacrosse within the 2028 Olympics is an absolute positive for all disciplines of our game, but we are especially excited because of sixes close correlation in game play with our product. We will look for impactful ways to leverage this synergy within our growth initiatives.

The NLL joins the newly established ELEVATE28 initiative with other lacrosse leaders at the NYSE on October 31, 2023

Do you consider the Premier Lacrosse League a direct competitor, indirect competitor or neither? Plus, how would you define the NLL’s relationship with the PLL, if one even exists?

Paul (Rabil), Mike (Rabil), Rachel (DeCecco) and team obviously have done an amazing job growing the PLL and positioning that entity for long-term success. I definitely have a rise-the-tide mentality when it comes to the broader lacrosse community and specifically, the PLL. They are sophisticated business leaders who work tirelessly to grow the game of lacrosse. How can that not be good for the NLL? Right now, many of our fan demographics aren’t necessarily aligned. I’d love to have more of their fans consuming box lacrosse and I am sure they would agree that they would love to have more of our fans engaged with their product. We have a productive working relationship and actively pursue leveraging synergies that can be mutually beneficial.

When you left Stewart-Haas Racing and joined the NLL, you had said early on that corporate sponsorships are why NASCAR exists. What updates can you provide as far as corporate sponsorships when it comes to the NLL and can the league positively move forward without significant sponsors on board?

Having strong corporate partnerships is vital for the sustainability and success of any professional sports league and this certainly will ring true for the NLL as well. But it is definitely a process building out the assets and opportunities that can provide partners with value-laden, ROI-driven programs. It is also important that we connect with the right organizations, ones that can authentically resonate with our fans and roots and help amplify our unique positioning within the sport’s landscape. We look forward to launch several of these programs during the season.

Brett Frood, 2023 NLL Entry Draft, Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (Photo: David Pickering)

Since the relaunch of NLL.com, which happened before you joined the league, both fans and media have struggled navigating the site, specifically when it comes to statistics. Is there an update on the league’s dot com and will there be any improvements to the NLL’s statistical offerings?

Enhancing our technology and improving those vital touchpoints for our fans is an absolute priority. Unfortunately, many of these types of initiatives take time. But yes, there will be definite updates and improvements on NLL.com when we kick-off our season.

Days away from the start of a new season, what is your 2023-24 NLL regular season elevator pitch to a non-NLL fan?

From highlight reel goals and sprawling saves to the game’s frenetic pace, crushing hits and constant action, the NLL features world-class athletes and high-quality entertainment anyone can enjoy, all game and every game.