NLL Insider

The Stealth will be playing out of Comcast Arena in Everett, Washington in 2010.

The San Jose Stealth and the National Lacrosse League have made it official.

As NLL Insider reported last month, the Stealth will no longer be operating in San Jose.

The team issued a press release late Wednesday evening, confirming that the franchise would be moving to Everett, Washington and playing out of the 8,300-seat Comcast Arena, a location it first appeared the Portland Lumberjax may have been destined for.

“We are excited about coming to the greater Seattle area and the great State of Washington, where the sport of lacrosse is booming,” said NLL Commissioner George Daniel via the release. “We look forward to seeing NLL games played at the Comcast Arena in Everett this upcoming season and beyond.”

Former Stealth season ticket holders were also issued a statement from owner Denise Watkins, thanking their loyal fan-base for their six years of support.

“Following an exhausting and difficult decision making process, we regret to inform you that after six years in the market, the Stealth will not be returning to San Jose, and will be moving the team to the State of Washington,” said Watkins in the email sent to fans. 

“We can assure you that we considered many options in an attempt to keep the Stealth close enough to the Bay Area where you could still actively support us, but with the stark economic realities you’ve observed at our home games, it is just not possible.”

San Jose averaged just 4,129 fans per game this season, which marked the fourth consecutive season the franchise has sat dead last in league-wide attendance figures.

The press release issued by the team makes no mention of what the team will be known as, but everettstealth.com and seattlestealth.com both currently forward to the franchise’s existing San Jose Stealth websites.

Although nothing official has been announced by either team or league, the likelihood that the Lumberjax franchise will simply fold seems increasingly likely. Everett was thought to be the Lumberjax only remaining option to keep things alive for 2010.

Several sources NLL Insider has spoken to this week have said that even though nothing has been finalized in the search for the New York Titans potential new home, the city of Orlando appears to yet again be on the table and up for consideration or relocation.

The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey is also thought to still be a possibility for the 2010 season.

NLL Insider was unable to confirm what cities were included in relocation applictions sumbitted to the league by their extended June 15th deadline from earlier this week.

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