National Lacrosse League (2004-2005)
Tombstone
Born: September 17, 2003 – The New Jersey Storm relocate to Anaheim, CA1McKibben, Dave. “Lacrosse Invades Anaheim”. The Times (Los Angeles, CA). September 18, 2003
Folded: June 3, 2005
First Game: January 10, 2004 (L 19-18 vs. Arizona Sting)
Last Game: April 16, 2005 (W 11-10 @ Arizona Sting)
NLL Championships: None
Arena
Arrowhead Pond
Opened: 1993
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Jayson Williams & Ogden Entertainment
Background
The Anaheim Storm was an ill-fated box lacrosse franchise that played two seasons at the Arrowhead Pond arena in the early 2000’s. When the team relocated west from New Jersey in September 2003, National Lacrosse League Commissioner Jim Jennings expressed confidence (hope?) that the Storm could replicate the success of the team’s Western expansion franchise of the previous year, the Colorado Mammoth. The Mammoth averaged nearly 16,000 fans per game during their inaugural season in Denver earlier that year.
Jennings neglected to mention a key difference between the league’s model franchise in Denver and the ragtag outfit headed to Anaheim. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, owners of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, ran the Mammoth. The Kroenke group’s deep sports marketing expertise and infrastructure in Denver fueled the Mammoth’s popularity.
Jayson Williams
The Storm, meanwhile, were owned by former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams. The franchise previously floundered under Williams’ stewardship in New Jersey. More important, Williams arrived in Anaheim under the cloud of an upcoming manslaughter trial for the accidental fatal shooting of his limousine driver in 2002. (Williams would eventually serve prison time in the case from 2010-2012).
The End
The Storm were a miserable entry on the field as well. The club went 1-15 during its 2004 debut season in Anaheim. The team improved marginally in 2005 (5-11), but by the end of season two the Storm’s lack of appeal to Orange County fans & sponsors was well established.
The Storm folded on June 3rd, 2005.
Anaheim Storm Shop
Links
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One Response
I was a Anaheim Ducks season seat holder around the time that this team existed. A group of us attended a number of their games and all we wanted was a win. We never saw them win but the prancing referee was good for a laugh and the bare knuckle fights were something else, since they weren’t on skates and never fell over. I think if they had won more they would’ve lasted longer.