Major League Lacrosse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Major League Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sport | Lacrosse |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Inaugural season | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country(ies) | United States |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Philadelphia Barrage |
| Official website | MLL.com |
Major League Lacrosse is a professional outdoor Lacrosse league that is made up of teams within the United States. The league is currently made up of 10 teams in two conferences, Eastern and Western.
Contents |
[edit] History
The MLL began regular season play in June of 2001. The MLL was founded by Jake Steinfeld, Dave Morrow and Tim Robertson in 1999. Steinfeld is well-known for creating the "Body By Jake" line of exercise equipment and videos. Morrow is a former All-American lacrosse player and the president of Warrior Lacrosse.
The season runs from May to August. MLL rules that differ from traditional lacrosse rules include: a two-point goal line 16 yards from each goal, a 60-second shot clock, a limit of three long-stick defensemen per team and the elimination of the restraining box. The 60-second shot clock was changed from a 45-second shot clock in 2005. On January 13, 2001, MLL conducted its first draft. After the league assigned each team three players, goalie Sal LoCascio was the first player selected by Bridgeport.
MLL announced on March 9, 2005, that the league would expand to Los Angeles for the 2006 season, and that the team would play its home games at The Home Depot Center. AEG, Inc. was confirmed as the franchise's owner/operator. On July 2 of 2005, MLL officials revealed that Denver, Colorado would also be home to an expansion franchise, with a team playing at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The league subsequently added teams in the Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California markets, creating a western conference for these teams. MLL Western Conference play began with the 2006 season. Since the league's inception it has gained numerous sponsors that have helped the league grow. Current sponsors include New Balance, Warrior, Bud Light, Tommy Hilfiger, Gatorade, Cascade, Brine, Gear-Up Sports, Under Armour, First National Bank of Omaha, Starbucks, The Great Atlantic Lacrosse Company, and Body by Jake.
The league was divided into the American Division — Boston, Bridgeport (moved to Philadelphia in 2004) and Long Island — and the National Division — Baltimore (moved to Washington after the 2006 season), New Jersey and Rochester — from 2001 until 2005. The league played a 14-game regular season its first two years; in 2003, the schedule was cut to 12 games. The league's playoff format has the top teams in each division advancing to the New Balance MLL Championship Weekend, with two wildcard playoff spots going to the teams with the best remaining records regardless of division.
The MLL plans to add two more expansion teams in the future, preferably in the western half of the country, so as to balance the number of teams in each conference. Cities under consideration are Cincinnati, Dallas, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis. In an effort to test markets as potential expansion/relocation candidates, Inside Lacrosse has reported that the Philadelphia Barrage franchise will play at least four - and potentially all - of its 2008 "home" matches in other cities. Reportedly, MLL officials have confirmed that the Barrage's "home" match versus the Rochester Rattlers will be played in the Raleigh area. Other cities under consideration to host a 2008 Barrage "home" match include, Dallas, Portland, St. Louis and Virginia Beach.[1][2][3]
ESPN2 has televised games since the 2003 season. On March 14, 2007 the two agreed to a television contract that will run until the 2016 season.[1]
[edit] Teams
| Team | City/Area | Home Field | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | |||
| Boston Cannons | Boston, MA | Harvard Stadium | 2001 |
| Long Island Lizards | Uniondale, NY | Mitchel Athletic Complex | 2001 |
| New Jersey Pride | Piscataway, NJ | Yurcak Field | 2001 |
| Philadelphia Barrage | Downingtown, PA (Philadelphia area) | Playing 2008 season as travel team | 2001 |
| Rochester Rattlers | Rochester, NY | PAETEC Park | 2001 |
| Washington Bayhawks | Fairfax, VA (Washington, DC area) | George Mason Stadium Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (one game) |
2001 |
| Western Conference | |||
| Chicago Machine | Bridgeview, IL (Chicago area) | Toyota Park | 2006 |
| Denver Outlaws | Denver, CO | INVESCO Field at Mile High | 2006 |
| Los Angeles Riptide | Carson, CA (Los Angeles area) | The Home Depot Center | 2006 |
| San Francisco Dragons | San Jose, CA | Spartan Stadium[4] | 2006 |
[edit] Franchise movement
- Bridgeport Barrage (2001 — 2003) → Philadelphia Barrage (2004 — Current)
- Baltimore Bayhawks (2001 — 2006) → Washington Bayhawks (2007 — Current)
[edit] MLL Championship Games
- See also: Steinfeld Cup
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Location | Game MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Long Island Lizards | 15-11 | Baltimore Bayhawks | Kennedy Stadium | Bridgeport, CT | Paul Gait (Long Island) |
| 2002 | Baltimore Bayhawks | 21-13 | Long Island Lizards | Columbus Crew Stadium | Columbus, OH | Mark Millon (Baltimore) |
| 2003 | Long Island Lizards | 15-14 (OT) | Baltimore Bayhawks | Villanova Stadium | Villanova, PA | Kevin Lowe (Long Island) |
| 2004 | Philadelphia Barrage | 13-11 | Boston Cannons | Nickerson Field | Boston, MA | Greg Cattrano (Philadelphia) |
| 2005 | Baltimore Bayhawks | 15-9 | Long Island Lizards | Nickerson Field | Boston, MA | Gary Gait (Baltimore) |
| 2006 | Philadelphia Barrage | 23-12 | Denver Outlaws | The Home Depot Center | Carson, CA | Roy Colsey (Philadelphia) |
| 2007 | Philadelphia Barrage | 16-13 | Los Angeles Riptide | PAETEC Park | Rochester, NY | Matt Striebel (Philadelphia) |
[edit] League Officials
| Name | Years | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Gabby Roe | 1999 — 2002 | Executive Director |
| Matthew Pace | 2002 — 03 | Executive Director |
| David Gross | 2003 — 04 | Chief Operating Officer |
| 2004 — present | Commissioner |
[edit] League Office
| Years | City |
|---|---|
| 1999 — 01 | East Rutherford, NJ |
| 2001 — 04 | Secaucus, NJ |
| 2004 — | Boston, MA |
[edit] References
- ^ May, Shaun (2006), Slash Magazine, pp. 5
- ^ MLL Expansion. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ Overview. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.
- ^ Pro lacrosse team migrates to San Jose - Sports
[edit] See also
- List of MLL seasons
- Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
- Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Community Service Award
- Major League Lacrosse Defensive player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse first overall collegiate draft choice
- Major League Lacrosse Goaltender of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Iron Lizard of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse MVP Award
- Major League Lacrosse Offensive player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year Award
- National Lacrosse League - the men's indoor lacrosse league in the United States and Canada
- Sports league attendances
- Steinfeld Cup
[edit] External links
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| National Lacrosse League | Major League Lacrosse | |
| Canadian Box Lacrosse | |
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Senior A: Western Lacrosse Association (BCLA) | Major Series Lacrosse (OLA) |
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| Collegiate Lacrosse | |
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NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship |
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| Post-Collegiate Club Lacrosse | |
| Other Leagues | |
| Australian Lacrosse League | |
| Notable Defunct Leagues | |
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National Lacrosse League (1974-75) | American Lacrosse League |
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