Premier Lacrosse League
Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is an American professional field lacrosse league composed of 8 teams.[1] The league's inaugural season debuted on June 1, 2019, and included a 14-week tour-based schedule taking place in 12 major-market cities.[2] The league was founded by the American professional lacrosse player Paul Rabil and his brother Mike Rabil. Investors include The Chernin Group, The Raine Group and Joe Tsai.[3]
| Current season, competition or edition: 2023 Premier Lacrosse League season | |
| Sport | Field lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Mike Rabil, and Paul Rabil |
| Inaugural season | 2019 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Countries | United States Canada |
| Headquarters | El Segundo, California |
| Most recent champion(s) | Archers LC (1st title) |
| Most titles | Whipsnakes LC (2 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN ABC ESPN2 ESPN+ |
| Official website | premierlacrosseleague.com |
History edit
Founding edit
In September 2018, Bloomberg reported that Paul Rabil would be launching a new professional lacrosse league. The PLL would be a direct competitor to the more established Major League Lacrosse. The new league will provide professional lacrosse players with salaries, health care, and league equity.[4]
The league's media model radically differs from that of most North American professional sports leagues. A 2018 Sports Illustrated story on the then-prospective league pointed out that LeBron James' Instagram account "features virtually no clips of him playing basketball—those are the property of the NBA, meaning its owners." By contrast, the PLL open-sources its highlights, allowing players to freely use them to build their own personal brands. Additionally, PLL operates a full-time studio that produces other player-centered content.[5]
The PLL features eight teams, each with a 25-player roster.[6] As opposed to tying teams to a specific market, the league tours 12 different "major market cities". The season includes 14 weeks, comprising 10 regular-season weekends, 1 all-star weekend, and 3 playoff weekends, running from June 1 through September 21, assuring there is no overlap with the NCAA Lacrosse season or the National Lacrosse League regular season.[7] On May 25, 2023 it was announced that the PLL would be assigning home cities to teams for the 2024 season. The PLL also announced that they would not be ending the touring model and there would still be 10 regular-season weekends. Eight of the weekends would be played at a teams home city where the hosting team plays a doubleheader and the remaining two weekends will be played at a neutral site.[8][9]
By October 2018, 140 players had been signed by the PLL. Of the 140 players are 86 All-Americans, 25 members of the U.S. national team, and 10 former Tewaaraton Award winners.[10][11] By December the league had signed 17 additional players.[12]
Differences from traditional field lacrosse edit
The PLL has a variety of major rule differences compared to traditional field lacrosse:[13][14][15][16]
- A PLL field is shorter by 10 yards compared to traditional field lacrosse. Traditional field lacrosse is played on a 110-yard field with 80 yards separating the two goals, in the PLL the field is 100 yards with 70 yards separating the two goals. The field width remains at 60 yards.
- In the PLL a two-point goal can be scored outside of the two-point arc. The arc is 15 yards at the top-center, top-left, and top-right portions, and is 13-yards at the corners.
- There is a 52-second shot clock on possessions gained from defensive stops and other turnovers. When there is a shot and the offense retains possession the shot clock is 32 seconds. The shot-clock is 32 seconds on possessions gained from winning the face-off.
- Field players are not required to wear shoulder pads.
Draft edit
For the League's inaugural season, the PLL had the 6 founding teams draft a player in each of the 4 rounds. For the first round there was a random draw and the reverse the order every round. Archers had the first draft pick in the newly formed league, taking Pat Spencer making him the first player ever drafted in the PLL.[17][18]
In the years following the PLL has held a college draft each year and expansion drafts when necessary. The college draft order is determined via regular season standings with the team that was in last place the previous season receiving the number one overall pick.
Salary and free agency edit
As of 2023, the each PLL team has a salary cap of $735,000 which they must allocate at least 98% of each year, The minimum salary for each player is $25,000, this leaves around $100,000 to be allocated by each team over the minimum. [19] The average PLL salary has been estimated at $28,000, although the league itself does not release the number.[20]
Rookie contracts edit
All players selected in the PLL college draft are given three-year contracts, all but the top-four selections are given $25,000. The first overall pick receives $30,000, second overall receives $28,500, third overall receives $27,500, and fourth overall receives $26,000. [19]
Free agency and other player movement edit
The first free agency period for the PLL took place prior to the 2023 PLL season from March 6, 2023 to April 1, 2023.[21] Following the PLL season, players are given the opportunity to opt out of their current contract if they were on the active roster(21-man roster) for less than 30% of games the previous season. If that player does not sign with another club by the end of the free agency period, they return to their original team.[22]
If a player has not appeared on a team's 21-man active roster for three consecutive weeks the player was eligible to play, the player may be claimed by any team.[23]
When a player is released by their club, they enter the player pool; other teams will have one week to claim the player before the player enters free agency.[24]
Media and business partners edit
The league had an exclusive media rights agreement with NBC Sports Group,[25][26] until 2022, when the league signed a new media rights deal with ESPN. All PLL games are streamed on ESPN+ with select games on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.
| Year | Channel | Games Aired |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ||
| NBC | 3 | |
| NBCSN | 16 | |
| NBC Sports Gold | All | |
| 2020 | ||
| NBC | 4 | |
| NBCSN | 13 | |
| NBC Sports Gold | All | |
| 2021 | ||
| NBC | 4 | |
| NBCSN | 17 | |
| Peacock | All | |
| 2022 | ||
| ABC | 3 | |
| ESPN | 3 | |
| ESPN2 | 6 | |
| ESPN+ | All | |
| 2023 | ||
| ABC | 8 | |
| ESPN | 2 | |
| ESPN2 | 6 | |
| ESPN+ | All |
The PLL has a variety of companies that they list as "Official Partners." They are listed below.
Champion is the exclusive footwear and apparel brand.[27] In 2022, it was announced that Champion would also be the PLL's on-field apparel partner with the first set of Champion created jerseys being worn for the 2023 season.[28]
The league partners with Gatorade, as the beverage company acts as one of the league's founding sponsors.[29]
In 2019, Cascade was announced as one of the partners for the PLL. All players wear Cascade brand helmets.[30]
In February 2020, Ticketmaster signed a deal with the PLL to become the official ticket sales company of the league, as well as having their name added to the league's name, making it "Premier Lacrosse League Powered by Ticketmaster".[31]
On July 24, 2020, Progressive was announced as the official Home and Auto Insurance Provider of the PLL.[32]
The Steadman Clinic was the official healthcare provider and orthopaedic partner for the PLL during the 2021 season and have continued to be partnered with the PLL through the 2023 season.[33]
On May 27, 2021, Athletic Brewing Co. was named the official non-alcoholic beer of the PLL[34]
On March 16, 2022, VukGrip was announced as the official grip tape partner of the PLL.[35]
On June 3, 2022, the PLL's partnership with Cash App was announced. Cash App became the official cryptocurrency exchange, peer-to-peer payment technology, and investment/trading platform of the PLL.[36]
On June 16, 2022 it was announced that Vail Health’s Howard Head Sports Medicine would be the official physical therapy provider for the 2022 PLL season.[37] The partnership has continued through 2023.
On July 11, 2023, ReCreate by Charlotte's Web was announced as the official CBD of the PLL. [38]
The PLL also has a partnership with Epoch Lacrosse.
Teams edit
| Team | Joined | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|
| Archers Lacrosse Club | 2019 | Chris Bates |
| Atlas Lacrosse Club | 2019 | Mike Pressler |
| Cannons Lacrosse Club | 2021 | Brian Holman |
| Chaos Lacrosse Club | 2019 | Andy Towers |
| Chrome Lacrosse Club | Tim Soudan | |
| Redwoods Lacrosse Club | Nat St. Laurent | |
| Waterdogs Lacrosse Club | 2020 | Andy Copelan |
| Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club | 2019 | Jim Stagnitta |
Timeline edit
- " * " indicates Championship Season
Expansion edit
| Year | Teams | Games played |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 6 teams | 10 games |
| 2020 | 7 teams | group play |
| 2021 | 8 teams | 9 games |
| 2022 | 10 games | |
| 2023 |
2020 edit
The addition of the Waterdogs Lacrosse Club, a seventh team for the 2020 season, allowed for natural bye weeks to occur for each team throughout the season. Paul Rabil first hinted at expansion in a post game interview after the 2019 Championship game and on January 1, 2020, the Premier Lacrosse League announced the Waterdogs identity.[39] An expansion draft took place on February 12 and an entry draft occurred on March 16 to build the new roster with veteran players.[40]
2021 edit
On December 16, 2020, it was announced that the PLL and MLL had merged under the banner of the PLL. The PLL would add the Boston Cannons for the 2021 season, rebranded as the Cannons Lacrosse Club, to bring the total PLL teams to eight.[41] Small tweaks to the former Boston Cannons branding resulted in a PLL crest and logo reveal on January 12, 2021.[42]
2022 edit
In July 2022, Ticketmaster tracked a 38% growth in tickets purchased and attendance. The PLL also announced the approved Series D round of funding for the league which was being led by return investor The Chernin Group (TCG). Other investors include Blue Pool Capitol, Brett Jefferson, WWE, 35V, Kevin Durant, Rich Klieman, Wheelhouse Entertainment, and Pomp Investments.[43]
2023 edit
Championship series edit
On December 12, 2022, the PLL announced a new mini event, the 2023 Championship Series, which took place in late February 2023 at The St. James indoor stadium in Springfield, Virginia.
The 2023 Championship Series featured the top four teams from the 2022 season. Those being: Whipsnakes LC, Chrome LC, Archers LC, and Atlas LC. They played with 12-man rosters (10 position players and 2 goalies) using modified lacrosse-sixes rules. Each team played three round-robin games from Wednesday, February 22 through Friday, February 24 to determine seeding for the semifinals on Saturday, February 25. The winners advanced to the PLL Championship Series game on Sunday, February 26.[44]
The games were broadcast on ESPN2 and streaming on ESPN+ with the Championship game on ESPNU.
The PLL Championship Series champions were Chrome LC who defeated the Atlas LC in the final 24–23.[45]
Atlas midfielder Romar Dennis won the Golden Stick Award.
Home cities edit
On May 25, 2023 it was announced that the PLL would be assigning home cities to teams beginning with the 2024 season. Voting for the finalists began on June 3, 2023, and the 26 finalists were announced during the 2023 PLL All-Star game. The finalists were selected through a mix of fan-voting, customer data, ticketing performance, and venue availability. The PLL also announced that they would not be moving away from the touring model. Teams will continue to play on ten regular season weekends, two of which will be played at neutral sites, the other eight of which will be hosted by one of the teams. On the weekend a team hosts, they will play a doubleheader. [8][46][47][9] Following the 2023 season the PLL announced that home cities would be assigned in November of 2023. [48]
Season format edit
Preseason edit
Prior to the beginning of the season the PLL hosts a "training-camp" where each team begins with a 30-man roster. By the end of training camp each team is required to have a 25-man roster. Training camp consists of individual and multi-team practices, as well as scrimmages between the teams.[49]
Regular season edit
The PLL regular season consists of 10-weekends where games are played. Halfway through the season there is an all-star break where the exhibition all-star game is played as well as other all-star skills challenges. The PLL utilizes a touring model and plays at a different location each weekend. Prior to the 2023 PLL season it was announced that the PLL would be assigning home cities to teams while still utilizing the touring model. Each team will host one weekend where they play a doubleheader. The remaining two weekends will be played at a neutral site.[8][9]
Postseason edit
The PLL postseason consists of a 7-team single elimination tournament. Only one team does not qualify for the postseason. The top-seed receives a bye into the semifinals. All three quarterfinals games are played on the same day at the same location. The same is true for the semifinals.[50]
Championship history edit
| Season | Champions | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Location | Attendance | Game MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Whipsnakes LC | 12–11 (OT) | Redwoods LC | Talen Energy Stadium | Chester, PA | 12,556 | Matt Rambo |
| 2020 | Whipsnakes LC | 12–6 | Chaos LC | Zions Bank Stadium | Herriman, Utah | No Fans (COVID-19) | Zed Williams |
| 2021 | Chaos LC | 14–9 | Whipsnakes LC | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | 16,322 +/- | Blaze Riorden |
| 2022 | Waterdogs LC | 11–9 | Chaos LC | Subaru Park | Chester, PA | 14,000 +/- | Michael Sowers |
| 2023 | Archers LC | 15-14 | Waterdogs LC | Subaru Park | Chester, PA | TBA | Brett Dobson |
Awards edit
Hall of Fame edit
On February 15, 2022, the Premier Lacrosse League announced the inaugural class of the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In order to be eligible for selection, a player must:[51]
- Be retired from professional play for at least three years
- Have played five seasons in MLL/PLL
- Be nominated by a member of the Hall of Fame committee and receive a 75 percent majority vote
Up until the creation of the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame there was no Hall of Fame for exclusively professional field lacrosse players.[52]
In February, 2023 Ryan Boyle was announced as the first member of the 2023 class.[53] The remainder of the 2023 class was announced on March 23, 2023. [54]
References edit
- ^ PLL (July 22, 2022). "The Premier Lacrosse League shows growth across core channels through All-Star Break". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ DaSilva, Matt (October 22, 2018). "Paul Rabil's Premier Lacrosse League Launches". US Lacrosse Magazine.
- ^ Soshnick, Scott (February 12, 2019). "Rabil's Lacrosse League Gets Investment From Alibaba Billionaire". Bloomberg. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Soshnick, Scott; Boudway, Ira (October 22, 2018). "Wall Street's Lacrosse Fraternity Backs Rabil's New League". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- ^ Reiter, Ben (November 16, 2018). "Can a New Barnstorming, Player-Centric Lacrosse League Serve as a Template for Other Sports?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League Clubs Announce 25-Man Rosters". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "NBC Sports Group, Paul Rabil launch Premier Lacrosse League" (Press release). NBC Sports. October 22, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Premier Lacrosse League Assigning Home Cities for 2024 Season". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c Kinnear, Matt (July 23, 2023). "PLL Announces 26 Finalists For Host Cites — a Mix of Familiar Spots With a Few Surprises". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League Announces 140-Plus Player List". Inside Lacrosse (Press release). October 22, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Jastrzembski, Chris (October 22, 2018). "Premier Lacrosse League introduced: Players, media deal, funding all announced". College Crosse. SB Nation. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ "PLL Announces 17 Additional Players to League Roster". Inside Lacrosse (Press release). December 6, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Keegan, Joe (May 28, 2019). "Breaking down the new PLL rules". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "PLL Announces Changes to Shot Clock, 2-Point Arc and Timeout Structure". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Lacrosse Rules: A Beginner's Guide to LAX Rules at All Levels". www.lacrossemonkey.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Why Don't More Pros Wear Pads? Matt Dunn Bucks Trend with Chest Protection". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "The Original 6: Previewing the PLL's Inaugural Rosters". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "PLL announces expansion draft, entry draft and college draft details". Lacrosse Playground. February 2, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ a b Kinnear, Matt (December 14, 2021). "Breaking: PLL Gives Coaches Say Over Player Compensation, Free Agency Coming". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Russell, Josh (July 28, 2022). "The Unanswered Questions of the PLL". Lacrosse All Stars. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Kevin (October 25, 2022). "PLL Offseason Key Dates For Trade Window, Free Agency Revealed". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Roggenburg, Lee (October 25, 2022). "PLL: The Premier Lacrosse League announces Offseason Player Movement Dates". Florida Lacrosse News. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Breaking Down the 25 Man PLL Rosters". Sticks In Lacrosse. June 1, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Kevin (August 1, 2023). "Chrome Sends Dylan Molloy To The Player Pool". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "New Pro Lacrosse League". Barstool Sports. September 25, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- ^ Foy, Terry (October 22, 2018). "PLL Announcement". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- ^ "adidas & Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) announce groundbreaking partnership" (Press release). Adidas. April 10, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ PLL (February 24, 2022). "Champion® Builds on Sports Heritage as the Official On-Field and Sideline Apparel Partner of the Premier Lacrosse League powered by Ticketmaster". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Premier Lacrosse League [@premierlacrosse] (August 12, 2019). "We Are Excited to Formally Announce Gatorade as a Founding Partner of the Premier Lacrosse League! As the Leader in Sports Fuel, Gatorade Will Provide PLL Athletes with a Portfolio of Products to Provide Fuel, Hydration and Recovery to Play Their Best on Game Day" (Tweet). Retrieved February 27, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Cascade Lacrosse And STX To Sponsor Premier Lacrosse League | SGB Media Online". sgbonline.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Soshnik, Scott (February 27, 2020). "Premier Lacrosse League Adds Ticketmaster Name in Rights Deal". Bloomberg.
- ^ "Progressive Insurance Named as Official Home and Auto Insurance Provider of Premier Lacrosse League". OurSports Central. July 24, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ PLL (April 29, 2022). "The Steadman Clinic Embarks on Second Season as Official Healthcare Provider and Orthopaedic Partner of the Premier Lacrosse League". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ PLL (May 27, 2021). "Athletic Brewing Co Named the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier Lacrosse League". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ PLL (March 16, 2022). "Premier Lacrosse League powered by Ticketmaster announces VukGripz as the Official Grip Tape Partner". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League Announces Partnership with Cash App". OurSports Central. June 3, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ PLL (June 16, 2022). "Howard Head Sports Medicine named Official Physical Therapy Provider of PLL". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ PLL (July 11, 2023). "ReCreate by Charlotte's Web Named Official CBD of the Premier Lacrosse League". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Pickman, Ben (January 1, 2020). "How the PLL Developed Its First Expansion Team, Waterdogs Lacrosse Club". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ DeJohn, Kenny (March 16, 2020). "Premier Lacrosse League Entry Draft Results". US Lacrosse Magazine.
- ^ Turner, Nick (December 16, 2020). "Premier Lacrosse League Merging With Rival in Bid to Unify Sport". Bloomberg News. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League Unveils New Logo, Branding for Cannons LC". US Lacrosse Magazine. January 12, 2021.
- ^ PLL (July 22, 2022). "The Premier Lacrosse League shows growth across core channels through All-Star Break". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ "Championship Series 2023".
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League Stats".
- ^ Brown, Kevin (May 25, 2023). "It's Official: PLL Clubs To Move To Host Cities in 2024". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ PLL (May 25, 2023). "Premier Lacrosse League to Assign Teams to Home Cities in 2024". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ PLL (September 29, 2023). "Premier Lacrosse League Sets Record Viewership, Business Growth Through 2023 Season". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Kevin (May 15, 2023). "PLL Clubs Announce 30-Man Rosters Ahead of Training Camp". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Premier Lacrosse League 2022 Quarterfinals". Gillette Stadium. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "PLL Announces Inaugural Class of Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ Rosenthall, Chris (June 2, 2021). "Biggest. Summer. Ever. It's Time to Be Unapologetically Optimistic About Pro Lacrosse". Inside Lacrosse. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Ryan Boyle Surprised By Announcement Of His Selection To The Pro Lacrosse Hall Of Fame". Princeton University Athletics. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "PLL Announces 2023 Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
External links edit
- Official website