Why Hasn't the NLL Worked out in Baltimore?

Most people who know anything about lacrosse will tell you that Baltimore is the biggest lacrosse city in America. With schools like Johns Hopkins and Maryland, it is hard to argue. There is a reason MLL Championship Weekend and the NCAA Final Four are held in Maryland as well.                                                                                                                                                              

One epic failure of lacrosse in Baltimore has been the National Lacrosse League. They started the league with just four teams, New Jersey, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The Baltimore team, nicknamed the Thunder, ended up moving all over the place before ending up in Colorado in 2005.

The Mammoth have become the most successful franchise in league history attendance wise, but not while they were in Baltimore. Now, the Thunder did exist from 1987 until 1999, so they are not really a failure. In the NLL that timespan is very good. However, a lesser lacrosse market in Philadelphia has been around all 26 NLL seasons. Why didn't Baltimore last with box lacrosse?

There has to be some reason the NLL has not worked in the Baltimore area. The Washington Wave folded as well, another NLL team that played in the Baltimore/Washington area. Well, what is the deal? Yes, most teams are not exactly making a profit, but known lacrosse markets like Colorado and Buffalo have worked.

Baltimore is the more established lacrosse area. It's not like it is a foreign market that has just not worked, like Chicago or Anaheim. This city has a history of success in lacrosse and have developed more lacrosse players than any other American cities.

So, why hasn't the NLL worked in Baltimore? How can it work? What have they done wrong?