Premier Lacrosse returning
Ualbany men’s match postponed.
While the Salt Lake City bubble worked well under the circumstances last summer, former University at Albany men’s lacrosse star Connor Fields is looking forward to playing in front of fans again. Especially at his alma mater.
The Premier Lacrosse League will return with six games at University at Albany’s Casey Stadium from Aug. 13 to 15, the PLL and school announced Wednesday morning.
Capacity limits and guidelines will come out as the event gets closer.
The league made its debut at Ualbany in 2019 with a combined attendance of 12,522 over two days. It was supposed to return last season, but the PLL abandoned its touring format last summer because of the coronavirus pandemic and held a three-week championship event in Salt Lake City instead.
“I think everyone can’t wait to go back there,” Fields said by phone from his
home in Buffalo. “Obviously, they rocked the house, just like they did for the Ualbany days. It’s going to be a lot of fun playing in front of them. … The Albany guys all love playing in that stadium and it really showed all the other guys in the league who came from different colleges how good Ualbany’s fan base really is and how supportive and how loud they are.”
The PLL features several former Ualbany stars, including Fields, Miles Thompson and Blaze Riorden. The league is also adding former Great Danes phenom Lyle Thompson this year after a merger with Major League Lacrosse. Lyle Thompson was chosen by Cannons LC first overall in the entry draft last month.
Casey Stadium will be the final regular-season stop for the PLL, which will begin June 4 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., and play weekends in 11 markets, ending with the Sept. 19 championship game in Washington, D.C.
“I think it’s going to be really nice,” Fields said. “I think all the guys are excited to be in front of actual fans this year, hopefully, and kind of go back to more normal, what we’re used to.”
How much closer to normal is still to be determined.
Ualbany deputy athletic director Vic Cegles said Casey Stadium, with a capacity of about 8,400, can seat 20 percent of that (about 1,680) under current New York State guidelines.
Also, fans need to present proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. All New York State, Albany Department of Health and Ualbany COVID -19 guidelines will be strictly followed and enforced, the school said.
“We’re just hoping by August, maybe it’s at 50 percent and you just have to show a vaccination,” Cegles said. “I think people are itching to get out and about.”
Cegles said tickets are not on sale yet for the Casey Stadium stop. Limited tickets are available for the PLL’S first five weekends.
“We’re excited to have it back,” Cegles said. “The lacrosse passion is here, man. Our fans are die-hards. … It’s incredible.”
“The fans showed up and created an amazing atmosphere (in 2019) — which made the decision to return a no-brainer,” PLL co-founder and CEO Mike Rabil said in a news release. “This year’s event will have similar consequences as we wrap our regular season with three doubleheaders in Albany.”
For the third straight year, PLL games will be shown on the NBC Sports Group through a combination of NBC, NBC Sports Network and Peacock.
There will be two matches on Friday, Aug. 13 with Redwoods LC taking on Whipsnakes LC and Archers LC (Connor Fields) against Chaos LC.
On Saturday, Aug. 14, Atlas LC will play Waterdogs LC and Cannons LC (Lyle Thompson) will meet Chrome LC.
Sunday, Aug. 15 will feature Chaos LC against Redwoods LC and Archers LC vs. Whipsnakes LC.