Minnesota Swarm of NLL Sold to Businessman John J. Arlotta

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE), the parent company of the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) Minnesota Swarm, announced today that a letter of intent has been signed to sell the team to John J. Arlotta.  Under terms of the letter of intent, the Minnesota Swarm will continue to play its home games at the Xcel Energy Center and MSE will continue to support and provide certain services to the Minnesota Swarm.  Financial terms were not disclosed and the transaction is conditional upon NLL Board of Governors approval.
    “John Arlotta is a long-time, close friend of mine who has Wisconsin roots and has had an extremely successful business career in the health care industry,” said Craig Leipold, owner of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment.  “John and his family are passionate lacrosse fans and they are looking forward to growing the success of the Minnesota Swarm and the sport of lacrosse.”
    Arlotta is the former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Denver-based Coram Inc., a privately held provider of home infusion and specialty pharmacy services.  Prior to Coram, he served as Chairman, President and CEO of NeighborCare Inc.  Arlotta joined NeighborCare in July 2003, and took the company public in December of that year.  From 1995 to 2000, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Caremark Rx as well as the President of Caremark's specialty biotech drug distribution business.  He started his health care career in 1971 at Chicago-based Baxter International.  
    “I am very excited to be given the opportunity to own and operate the Minnesota Swarm and to grow the great sport of lacrosse here in the Upper Midwest,” said Arlotta.  “I look forward to building off the tremendous fan support and strong foundation that already exists here in Minnesota, and I want to be clear that our aspirations will include winning a NLL Championship for our fans and our organization.”
    Arlotta is a 1971 graduate of the University of Notre Dame who majored in marketing. He and his wife currently reside in Denver and Milwaukee and, in addition to John’s three children, Mindy, Andy and Jon; they have two grandchildren, Devin and Riley. His son Andy is expected to be involved with the Swarm operation as well.
    Arlotta and his wife, Bobbie, pledged the lead gift toward a new $5 million lacrosse stadium to be built for the University of Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s lacrosse teams in June of 2007.  Groundbreaking ceremonies for Arlotta Stadium were held on April 18, 2008.
    MSE purchased an NLL franchise on August 10, 2004 and the Swarm began play in the 2005 season at the Xcel Energy Center.  Minnesota recently completed its fourth campaign and set franchise records with 10 wins and an average attendance of 11,405 fans per game while advancing to the playoffs for the third straight season.  The Swarm has increased its win total all four seasons in the NLL and owns a franchise mark of 32-32.  
    The National Lacrosse League is North America's professional indoor lacrosse league, featuring the best lacrosse players in the world.  The NLL has twelve teams playing in the major markets of the United States and Canada. NLL teams each play a 16-game regular season schedule (eight home and eight away) that begins in December and runs through April, followed by the Champion's Cup Playoffs. All games are played on the weekends.  Professional indoor lacrosse combines the physical play of hockey with the high scoring, fast pace and play-making style of basketball. Indoor lacrosse is played inside the confines of an ice hockey rink, with glass and rink boards intact.  The playing surface consists of a green dieter turf carpet that is laid down over the hockey ice.  The two teams combine to score a total of 25 goals in the average NLL game.

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