on June 9, 2021

The New Breed

The game of lacrosse was created by the Native Americans and has become very popular in the North East, middle America, and Canada. Professional lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the US, and the Premier Lacrosse League has changed the way the game is played and perceived.

The college game and Major League Lacrosse, which has since merged with the Premier Lacrosse league, feature a slow paced game. The traditional game has an 80 second shot clock, more passing, and inconsistent offense. In Summer 2019, Paul Rabil who played for the Boston Cannons with MLL, and his brother Mike announced the start of what is now commonly known as the PLL. The new league features a shorter field, a 52 second shot clock, and a lot more action in front of the net. In both professional leagues, shots from farther back score as two points, just like basketball with its’ three point range.

There are no regional teams in the PLL, instead the league tours the country. Rabil is working hard to make sure the league travels to lacrosse hotspots, but also to where they want more exposure to grow the game. In their first year, they sold out John Hopkins University, played in Hamilton, Ontario, and brought the All Star game to Los Angeles. The PLL originally started with six teams–the two time champions Whipsnakes LC (which stands for lacrosse club), Chaos LC, Redwoods LC, Archers LC, Atlas LC, and Chrome LC.

Last summer in the Salt Lake City, Utah bubble, the Waterdogs were added as the seventh team. Prior to this season as result of the merger, the Cannons became the eighth team in the league. Rabil played with Atlas the first two years but was traded to the Cannons before the start of the season. The regular season of the PLL began in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts which is home of the New England Patriots. The teams will also be playing at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, followed by Baltimore, Long Island, Minneapolis, San Jose (which will also be the home of the All Star game), Colorado Springs, and Albany. The quarterfinals will return to Utah with the semi-finals taking place in Philadelphia. The final stop is in Washington DC, where the championship will be played.

This exciting, new brand of lacrosse is captivating fans everywhere. Highlight reel goals from behind the back, through the legs, and everything in between are inspiring the next generation of players. If you haven’t checked out the PLL yet, make sure you tune in on the NBC family of networks during the summer and be part of the growing movement.

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