PLL opts for two-week, quarantined season
The Premier Lacrosse League hasn’t been afraid to try new things, from two-point goals to playing for the first draft pick. In the league’s second season, with a sizeable assist from the coronavirus pandemic, the PLL is innovating again.
The league Wednesday announced the PLL Championship Series, which replaces the planned three-month summer season with a 20-game tournament over 16 days from July 25 to August 9.
The league’s seven teams will play four games each, a total of 14 games, in group play from July 25Aug. 2. That provides seeding for the elimination round, a knockout tournament starting Aug. 4 that crowns a champion on Aug. 9.
The two-week tournament will be quarantined at a yet undisclosed location and take place without fans, with games broadcast on NBC’s over-the-air and online platforms.
Last year, the PLL, whose six founding teams are not tethered to locations, followed a barnstorming model, with games played over
14 weekends in 12 different cities, both traditional hotbeds and emerging markets. Its championship weekend – featuring the game for the first overall draft pick and the inaugural championship game, won by the Whipsnakes over the Redwoods in overtime – took place in Chester in front of more than 12,000 fans.
The league has since added a seventh franchise, the Waterdogs, and while a national tour is impossible thanks to COVID-19, the league, led by co-founder and Atlas midfielder Paul Rabil, isn’t afraid to find creative solutions to fill the sports vacuum with content.
“The Premier Lacrosse League is excited to be a leader in the return of pro sports this July,” Rabil said in a league statement. “Although we’ve pivoted our originally scheduled season to a fully quarantined, fanless model, our PLL Championship Series will bring sports fans an innovative and thrilling experience that only the best players in the world can provide. It’s taken a village of topnotch executives to develop, and this is a testament to the forwardthinking prowess that the PLL has become renowned for.”
The PLL has formed a COVID-19 medical committee to conduct testing, restrict travel and implement preventative measures. The location for the tournament will be announced at a later date.
“Last month, we made the tough yet necessary decision to postpone our 2020 season to ensure the well-being of our players and fans,” PLL Co-Founder and CEO Mike Rabil said. “With the support of our investors, sponsors, and our fantastic broadcast partner, NBC Sports, we are delighted to officially unveil the PLL Championship Series. This summer, millions of fans will witness the game’s best players compete for the ultimate prize in an exciting yet, most importantly, safe format. We’ve brought in respected medical experts as the health of our players is of utmost importance.”