A renewed effort between players and officials of the National Lacrosse League means that a 2008 lacrosse season will be held after all.

In a statement sent to season ticket holders late Thursday, Mammoth President and General Manager Steve Govett reported that the Professional Lacrosse Players’ Association and the NLL governors had reached a collective bargaining agreement.

The season had been scrapped on Oct. 16 after the league and players failed to reach a labor agreement.

Now, the parties say they’ve inked a seven-year agreement beginning in 2008, running through the 2014 season — “the longest labor deal in the 22-year history of professional indoor lacrosse,” according to an NLL statement. The league’s previous three-year agreement with the PLPA expired following the 2007 season.

“Reaching a long-term collective bargaining agreement with the players was our number one priority in this process,” NLL commissioner Jim Jennings said in a statement. “We’ve been building positive growth in the league over the past few years. Securing long-term labor peace puts us in a position to take our league to the next level.”

Following the Oct. 16 announcement scrapping the ‘08 season, Mammoth season ticket holders were offered refunds of their 2008 deposits or were encouraged to apply their deposits to tickets for other Pepsi Center teams, such as the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche or Colorado Crush.

Those requests have not yet been processed, a Mammoth representative said late Thursday so ticket holders’ deposits are still valid. The team was receiving a high volume of calls following their e-mailed announcement, but said that all ticket holders will be called to discuss their options and new invoices will be mailed. Final payments for tickets now will be delayed until late November.

In the statement, Mammoth officials said there will be changes to the original 2008 schedule, but a new, full slate of games will be announced next week.

“Everything we heard from our fans was taken into account. All of the phone calls, e-mails and letters in support of restoring the season were heard loud and clear and we couldn’t be happier to be playing again,” Govett said in a statement on the Mammoth website.

The Mammoth won the NLL Champion’s Cup in 2006. The team began playing in Denver in 2003.

The Mammoth is owned by Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the Colorado Rapids.

Twenty-Three Man Roster Released
Trevor Tierney to Retire

Denver–October 19, 2007 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse announced their 23 man off-season roster. After each season, each MLL team must submit 23 players who they wish to protect for the upcoming season. All remaining unprotected players will be released to the player pool and are eligible to be picked up by any team during the supplemental draft this spring.
Two notable names missing from the Outlaws roster are Goalie Trevor Tierney and Defenseman Trey Whitty. Both players have retired since the end of the 2007 season. Whitty was picked up during the 2007 season and was a contributing factor in the Outlaws second run for a championship.

Trevor Tierney has been on guard for the Outlaws since the franchise’s inaugural game. Responding to the effect Tierney’s retirement will have on the Outlaws, GM Brian Reese commented, “We’re losing a great player in Trevor Tierney to retirement but we still have some great players returning. We are very pleased to bring back the core of Outlaws team. I know these players are focused on improving and bringing a Championship to Denver.”

Reese remarked that despite some changes in the roster, the Outlaws look forward to 2008 with the return of seasoned veterans as well as new additions to help the team take the next step, “We’ll bring in some additional players through the supplemental draft that will compete with these players for roster spots and ultimately work to always put the best combination on the field.”

Denver Outlaws 2007 Off Season 23 Man Roster:

Greg Bastis, Midfield
Lou Braun, Midfield/FO
Matt Brown, Attack
Nick Carlson, Attack
Casey Cittadino, Midfield
Benson Erwin, Midfield
Tom Ethington, Defense
Tom Garvey, Defense
Matt Hanna, Attack/Midfield
Zach Jungers, Defense
Brian Langtry, Midfield
Mike Law, Midfield
Sean McCarthy, Defense
Brendan Mundorf, Attack
Jesse Schwartzman, Goalie
Josh Sims, Midfield
Alex Smith, Goalie
Geoff Snider, Midfield/FO
Jeff Sonke, Midfield
Scott Sowanick, Midfield
Cory Vann, Defense
Drew Westervelt, Attack
Lee Zink, Defense

For more information please visit the Denver Outlaws website at www.DenverOutlaws.com or call (303)-OUTLAWS.

– www.DenverOutlaws.com –

2008 SEASON CANCELLED Details Here!