National Lacrosse League
Encyclopedia
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional indoor lacrosse
league in North America
. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada
and six in the United States
. Unlike other lacrosse
leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Champion's Cup
. Historically, the league has averaged about 10,000 fans per game.
, which is played on a hard floor, usually in the summer, and has 4 periods instead of 3. The NLL plays four quarters of fifteen minutes each, with two-minute breaks between the first and second quarters and between the third and fourth quarters, and a twelve-minute break between the second and third (called half-time
). The clock does not run when play is stopped.
The team that has scored the most goals at the end of regulation time is declared the winner. If the game is tied after four quarters have been played, the teams begin sudden death overtime; the team that scores first wins the game. Overtime periods are fifteen minutes long, with two-minute breaks between overtime periods. Prior to the 2005 NLL season
, overtime periods were 5 minutes each.
Each team dresses twenty players, of whom two are goaltender
s; the remaining eighteen are called runners, and may be either forwards
or defensemen. There are also players, frequently defensemen, who specialize in the transition from defense to offense.
The team in possession of the ball has ten seconds to move the ball over the center line, and thirty seconds to take a shot on net. If either of these time periods expires, the whistle is blown, and the opposing team is given possession. In the NLL, the shot clock
runs while a team that is killing a penalty has possession of the ball; this is not the case in all box lacrosse leagues (e.g. Major Series Lacrosse
, Western Lacrosse Association
).
The regular season begins in late December and ends in April. At the end the regular season, the top three teams in the Eastern Division and the top four teams in the Western division make the playoff
s. Either the fourth-placed Eastern division team or the fifth-placed Western division team, based upon regular season record, also makes the playoffs. The playoffs consist of three single-game elimination rounds. In the first round (the Division Semi-finals), each division winner hosts a fourth-seeded team, and the second-place team hosts the third-place team. In the second round (the Division Finals), the two remaining teams in each division play; the higher-seeded team hosts the game. Two weeks after the Division Finals, the division winners face off for the Champion's Cup
.
All NLL games are played on weekends, save for the occasional Friday night game. Most NLL players have full-time jobs off the floor; notable examples include Toronto's Dan Ladouceur
, a Durham Region
police officer
, and Buffalo's John Tavares, a high school teacher
in Mississauga, Ontario
.
and Chris Fritz
. As background, in 1985 box lacrosse sponsored an event played at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. The USA/Canada Superseries was an eight-game series, seen as a pre-cursor to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. The league began play for the 1987 season
, opening with two games on January 10, 1987: the Philadelphia Wings
at the New Jersey Saints
and the Washington Wave
hosting the Baltimore Thunder
.
The League announces that Darrell Russell has been named Commissioner of the League.
The first game in the League features Philadelphia at New Jersey in which the Saints defeat the Wings by the score of 11-8.
The Philadelphia Wings defeat the New Jersey Saints 17-11 at the Spectrum before a crowd of 14,903, the largest of 1987.
Those four teams contested a six-game regular season before a postseason which saw all four teams qualify for a single knockout tournament, which ended with the Baltimore Thunder crowned the EPBLL's first champion.
The Baltimore Thunder, coached by Bob Griebe, defeat the Washington Wave by a score of 11-10 to capture the first League Championship.
The League announces a total of 124,536 fans attend Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League games in its first year.
Those same four teams played in the second season
of the EPBLL. The teams expanded to an eight-game schedule, and set up a three-team playoff with the regular season winner claiming a bye to the title game.
The New Jersey Saints
become the second League champions by defeating the Washington Wave
, 17-16 before 8,125 fans at the Capital Centre
. For the Wave, it was the second time in as many years they reached the championship game, only to come away on the short end of a one-goal game.
The league then announced that the Saints will relocate to the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island
beginning in the 1989 season. The team name will be changed to the New York Saints
to reflect their new home. The MILL announces that it will award expansion teams to Detroit
and Boston. The teams will begin play in the 1989 season. The Detroit team was named the Turbos, and began play in the Joe Louis Arena
. Their team colors were announced to be purple, silver and black. The Boston entry were called the New England Blazers
and they played their home games at the Worcester Centrum. The Blazers used green, orange, and white as their team colors.
, Detroit Turbos
, New England Blazers
, New York Saints
, Philadelphia Wings
and Washington Wave
. Each of the six teams played an eight-game schedule in 1989, with an even four home and road games. In its first ever regular season game, 12,171 Detroit fans watched the expansion Turbos defeat the Washington Wave, 11-9, in the debut of the 1989 season. As the season went on, regular season attendance figures for the league totaled at 230,724 for 24 regular season games, which made an average of 9,614 people in the stands per game. When adding the postseason, the numbers grew to 255,088 total and an average of 9,811 a game.
Later that year, the Philadelphia Wings
captured the league championship in front of a record postseason crowd of 16,042 at the Spectrum, defeating the New York Saints
, 11-10. After the championship game, the league announced the expansion into Pittsburgh
, a team later to be called the Bulls
, who played at the Civic Arena
, sporting the traditional Pittsburgh colors of black and gold, like the Steelers
.
In 1990, the MILL prepared to open its fourth season with six teams: the Baltimore Thunder
, Detroit Turbos
, New England Blazers
, New York Saints
, Philadelphia Wings
and Pittsburgh Bulls
. Each of the six teams played an eight-game schedule over the 1990 season. During the near of the end of the season, the New York Saints
defeated the Philadelphia Wings
, 8-5, before the first sellout and largest crowd in league history: 17,177 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. The Saints' victory forced a rematch the next week in the playoffs. However, the Wings won that game, and later went on to become the first team to win two league championship games, defeating the New England Blazers
, 17-7 in front of 11,479 fans.
The Major Indoor Lacrosse League later announced that the attendance for twenty-six total games during the season was 287,585, which was a huge boost, increasing the average attendance a game to 11,060. After the season, the MILL announced the signing of twin brothers, Paul Gait
and Gary Gait
, three-time All-Americans at Syracuse
to the Detroit Turbos
after being drafted. The two won national championships with the Orange in 1988, 1989, and 1990.
In the first game of the regular season, the debut of Detroit rookie twin brothers Paul and Gary Gait was successful, as they paced the Turbos to a 20-16 victory over the Baltimore Thunder.
The 1991 season was definitely a record-breaking year, especially in Detroit. Rookie twin Turbos, Paul and Gary Gait, set new standards in most offensive categories. Paul scored a record 47 goals, while Gary was second in the league with 32. Gary established new records with 36 assists and 68 points. As a team, Detroit set records for goals scored with 184, assists with 227 and total points with 411.
The Detroit Turbos defeat the Baltimore Thunder, 14-12, to claim the League's fifth title and the Turbos first. The World Championship Game was attended by 10,814 at the Baltimore Arena.
The League announces that Buffalo has been named as an expansion team for League play in the 1992 season. The team will be named the Bandits, wear the colors black, orange, and white and will play in Memorial Auditorium. The League will promote the team in conjunction with the Buffalo Sabres.
Final League attendance numbers for the 1991 season reach 287,654.
On April 20, the National Division All-Stars defeat the American Division All-Stars, 25-20, in the inaugural League All-Star Game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Philadelphia Wings, 20-11, in their first ever sellout of 16,325 in Memorial Auditorium. It marks the second sellout in League history. The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Baltimore Thunder in front of their second sellout crowd of the season at the Memorial Auditorium, 16,325. It marks the first time a team has sold out two games in the same season.
The expansion Buffalo Bandits advance to the League Championship Game by defeating the Detroit Turbos and the Gait brothers, 19-16, to win the National Division crown. The Philadelphia Wings defeat the Saints, 8-6, to capture the American Division Championship.
For the first time, an expansion team wins the League's World Championship, as the Buffalo Bandits defeat the Philadelphia Wings, 11-10, in overtime.
The League and the Players Association announce a three-year contract agreement.
League signs a six-year agreement with ESPN.
The Philadelphia Wings deny the Buffalo Bandits a third consecutive World Championship by defeating the Bandits, 26-15, in front of a sellout crowd of 16,284 at Memorial Auditorium. The win gives the Wings its third League Championship in their history, the most of any League team. ESPN broadcasts the game live from Buffalo, marking the first live telecast by ESPN of a League game.
The League announces Rochester, NY has been awarded an expansion team for the 1995 season.
Philadelphia breaks the League's attendance record as 17,380 fans witness the Wings defeat of the Baltimore Thunder in the regular season finale.
For the first time in League history, Paul Gait (Rochester) played against his twin brother Gary Gait (Philadelphia).
The Philadelphia Wings win back-to-back championships by defeating the Rochester Knighthawks, 15-14, in a thrilling overtime game. The Wings have won four League titles in their nine-year history.
announced their new home in the Fleet Center
for 1996. Another big crowd, the fourth largest in league history, of 16,818 watched the Wings defeat the Charlotte Cobras
at CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia. The Wings advanced to their fifth consecutive league championship game by defeating the Boston Blazers
, 10-8, a week before. That was the final MILL game to be played in the historic arena.
However, the Buffalo Bandits
would play spoiler to the Wings, as they denied them a third conseucitve league championship, as Buffalo beat Philadelphia, 15-10 in the 1996 league championship game, in front of a sold-out Memorial Auditorium
in Buffalo
. The Bandits picked up their third championship win, as they said goodbye to their own arena, at the culmination of the season, as well.
John Livsey, Jr. is named as Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League.
A three-year collective bargaining agreement between the NLL and the Professional Lacrosse Players Association (PLPA) is announced.
A blockbuster trade sees seven-time All-Pro Paul Gait go to the expansion Syracuse Smash in exchange for draft picks and player compensation.
Reigning league MVP Gary Gait is sent to Baltimore in a blockbuster trade involving player and cash compensation.
The Philadelphia Wings sweep the best-of-three Championship Series with a 17-12 win over the Thunder after having won 16-12 two days earlier. Game Two marks the first title game appearance by Baltimore since 1991 and the win is Philadelphia's fifth in franchise history. Wings goaltender Dallas Eliuk is named Championship Series MVP.
Kaleb Toth beats K-Hawks goaltender Pat O'Toole with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation time to give the Toronto Rock a 14-13 victory, and their second straight championship. Dubbed the "Greatest Professional Indoor Lacrosse Game of All-Time", the 2000 Final is the last sporting event to be held in the historic Maple Leaf Gardens.
The city of Columbus, Ohio is granted an expansion team. Former League Commissioner John Livsey will head the Landsharks.
At a press conference at the ESPNZone in New York City, Jim Jennings is named the new Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. Jennings announces that League Headquarters will be relocated from Buffalo, New York to Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
Commissioner Jim Jennings appoints George Daniel to the position of Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel for the NLL.
The league announces expansion franchises are awarded to Montreal, New Jersey, Calgary and Vancouver for the following season.
The Albany Attack host the Toronto Rock in the 2002 Final. The Rock defeat the Attack by a score of 13-12 to capture their third title, all won in the past four seasons. 9,289 fans watch the game at the Pepsi Arena in Albany. Toronto forward Colin Doyle was voted Championship Game MVP, scoring three goals and one assist.
The League announces the sale and relocation of the Washington Power franchise to the city of Denver, Colorado. The franchise will play its home games at the Pepsi Center. The team is now owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises, whose holdings include the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Pepsi Center. The new team marks the League's first United States team west of the Mississippi River.
In front of a sellout crowd of 18,207 at the Pepsi Center, the Colorado Mammoth defeat the New York Saints by a score of 19-13. The crowd was the first of two sellout crowds the Mammoth would host during their first season.
The Rochester Knighthawks host the Toronto Rock in the 2003 Champion's Cup Final. The Rock defeated the Knighthawks by a score of 8-6 to capture their fourth title, all won in the past five seasons. 11,051 fans attend the game at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. Toronto goalie Bob Watson earns Championship Game MVP honors with his 40 saves.
Fox Sports Net becomes the league's new national broadcast partner in the United States. Fox Sports Net will carry nine regular season game broadcasts, spread across the schedule to over 50 million homes. Fox Sports Net will feature the 2004 All-Star Game on Feb. 22.
The Arizona Sting play their inaugural home game at the Glendale Arena in Arizona. The game becomes the first event ever held inside the new arena. The Sting defeats the Vancouver Ravens by the score of 16-12 in front of 12,789 fans.
The Colorado Mammoth host a sellout crowd of 18,305 at Pepsi Center in a 14-13 loss to the Calgary Roughnecks. The Mammoth went on to record five sellout crowds on the season.
The 2004 All-Star Game was played in front of 16,742 fans at Pepsi Center in Denver, home of the Colorado Mammoth. The crowd was the largest All-Star Game crowd in league history. The East Division All-Stars defeated the West Division All-Stars by a score of 19-15.
The Calgary Roughnecks won their first ever Champion's Cup by defeating the Buffalo Bandits 14-11 at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary. The game was played in front of 19,289 fans. The sellout crowd is the largest in Roughnecks history and the second highest single game attendance total in NLL history.
The league announces the placement of a franchise in Minnesota. The new team will be owned and operated by Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League. The Minnesota team will enter the league for the 2005 season and play its home games at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
A new pre-season attendance record is set as 14,084 fans come to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for the first home exhibition game of the expansion Minnesota Swarm. The game marks the first professional lacrosse game ever played in the state of Minnesota.
The National Lacrosse League All-Star Game aired live on NBC at 2pm Eastern. The game became the first live broadcast of lacrosse on national U.S. network television. The game was also televised in Canada on The Score, and internationally via CNBC International, CNBC Asia and on Armed Forces Network. The East Division (Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Rochester, Toronto) defeated the West Division (Anaheim, Arizona, Calgary, Colorado, San Jose) 11-10 in overtime in front of 11,511 fans at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.
Legendary lacrosse superstars and twin brothers Paul and Gary Gait were reunited when Paul ended his retirement signing with the Colorado Mammoth. Paul Gait would join his brother, Mammoth captain Gary, for the remaining four games of the regular season and the team's playoff run. He would make his Mammoth debut on April 1 at Minnesota and then returned to Denver for the team's final regular-season home game on April 2 against the Anaheim Storm at Pepsi Center.
The 2005 Edge NLL Championship Game is played in front of an NLL record 19,432 fans at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and in front of a national network television audience in the US on NBC and in Canada on the Score. The Toronto Rock defeated the Arizona Sting 19-13 capturing their fifth title in seven seasons. Colin Doyle was named MVP of the game after leading the Rock with five goals and three assists.
Legendary coach Les Bartley passes away after an 18 month battle with colon cancer. Bartley served as Head Coach and General Manager of the Toronto Rock between 1999 and 2003. He posted a 51-19 regular season record and 9-1 post-season record in five seasons. He also led the team to a 37-5 regular season home record in the same time. Bartley began his coaching career in 1991 and would go on to lead his teams to eleven Championship games, winning seven League Championships. Four of those seven were with the Rock; back-to-back titles in 1999/2000 and 2002/2003. Prior to coming to Toronto, Bartley coached the Bandits to titles in 1992, 1993 and 1996.
The NLL announces that the league will consist of eleven teams for the 2006 season. The eleven-team league will include expansion teams in Edmonton, Alberta and Portland, Oregon.
The league announces the establishment of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame opens with five charter members who have made immeasurable contributions to the league and the sport of lacrosse. The five charter members are league founders Russ Cline and Chris Fritz; legendary lacrosse stars Gary Gait and Paul Gait, and the late Les Bartley, the winningest coach in league history.
The NLL and Reebok announce a multi-year exclusive partnership in which all NLL players will use Reebok equipment and will be exclusively outfitted in the brand's footwear and apparel. The partnership makes the brand the official equipment, uniform and footwear provider of the league. The agreement makes Reebok the exclusive licensee of official NLL apparel including authentic and replica jerseys, caps, shirts and additional clothing.
The 2006 National Lacrosse League All-Star Game is held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, home of the Toronto Rock. The West Division (Arizona Sting, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush, Portland LumberJax, San Jose Stealth) defeated the East Division (Buffalo Bandits, Minnesota Swarm, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, Toronto Rock) by a score of 14-13 in front of 15,924 fans. Calgary Roughnecks forward Lewis Ratcliff scores the game-winning goal with 4.4 seconds remaining. Ratcliff was named the Game MVP.
The National Lacrosse League finishes its 20th season by setting an all-time single season attendance mark, reaching a total of 1,037,147 fans for the 2006 season, including 88 regular-season games, six playoff games, the 2006 All-Star Game in Toronto, and the 2006 RBK NLL Championship Game presented by Edge Active Care. The league season average attendance is 10,804.
The Colorado Mammoth defeat the Buffalo Bandits 16-9 in front of 16,104 fans at HSBC Arena in Buffalo to secure the first championship in Colorado Mammoth history. Mammoth forward Gavin Prout is named game MVP, scoring four goals and adding three assists for seven points in the win.
The National Lacrosse League announces the awarding of a franchise to New York City for the 2007 season. The official announcement is made during a press conference at East River Park in Manhattan by the honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City and National Lacrosse League Commissioner Jim Jennings. The New York team becomes the league's thirteenth franchise and will play its games at Madison Square Garden.
The Eastern Division defeats the Western Division 20-16 in front of 12,856 fans at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, home of the Portland LumberJax, in the 2007 National Lacrosse League All-Star Game. Buffalo Bandits forward Mark Steenhuis was named the game's Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in NLL history to win two All-Star Game MVP honors. Steenhuis also won the award in 2004.
The NLL reaches a milestone as the league plays its 1,000th regular season game. The Minnesota Swarm hosted the Colorado Mammoth at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis/St Paul in the historic game. The Mammoth beat the Swarm 11-9.
The Rochester Knighthawks defeated the Arizona Sting, 13-11, in the 2007 NLL Championship presented by Edge Active Care at Jobing.com Arena. John Grant was named Championship Game MVP with a three goal, five assist performance. The victory marks the first time Rochester has won the title since 1997.
The NLL reaches a new seven-year agreement with the players' union.
John Tavares breaks Gary Gait's all-time goal scoring record. Tavares, who had already captured the all-time points and assists records, notched his record-breaking 597th career goal in the third quarter of Buffalo's 17-13 victory over New York.
Philadelphia Forward Athan Iannucci breaks Gary Gait's single season scoring record of 61 goals. He went on to finish the season with 71 goals.
The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Portland Lumberjax by the score of 14–13 in the 2008 Edge NLL Championship game at HSBC Arena. The event, which aired nationally on ESPN2, drew a sellout crowd of 18,690 fans. Mark Steenhuis captures the game's MVP honors with five goals and one assist.
George Daniel is appointed Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League.
Calgary wins its second championship, defeating New York 12–10 in front of 13,042 at Pengrowth Saddledome. Josh Sanderson was named Championship Game MVP, finishing with two goals and three assists.
Each year, the league holds a mid-season All Star Game
between two teams representing the Eastern and Western divisions.
As of 2007, the average salary in the league was just $14,000, with most players holding down second jobs.
were conditionally approved for a 2008 return; the conditions included selling at least 2,500 season tickets and finding a suitable arena lease by July 19, 2007. On July 16, 2007, the Vancouver Ravens
announced an agreement with Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to make GM Place (now Rogers Arena) the home venue of the Ravens, if they are able to meet the season ticket sales requirement. However, just a few days later, the NLL announced that the Ravens would not play in the 2008 season
. Although a local tabloid made mention of a potential return in 2011 for the team, Commissioner Daniel announced that there would be no expansion in 2011.
A number of cities and potential ownership groups have expressed interest in expansion franchises:
On June 17, 2009, the San Jose Stealth
announced their relocation to Everett
, Washington, north of Seattle, for the 2010 season
. The newly renamed Washington Stealth
play their home games at the Comcast Arena at Everett
. In their first season in Everett the Stealth won the league title.
On August 10, 2009, the New York Titans announced the team's move to Orlando
, Florida
, to become the Orlando Titans
.
Commissioner George Daniel announced on March 31, 2010, that there would be no expansion for the 2011 season
.
In July, 2010 the Orlando Titans announced that they would not participate in the 2011 season due to ownership restructuring.
, the network formerly known as OLN and home of the Indycar Series
, NHL, Tour de France
, and PBR
. For the 2008 season
, due to dispute between the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association
and the NLL owners in completing the collective bargaining agreement, the "Game of the Week" on Versus
was cancelled. Previously, the NLL has had its All-Star Games and Championship games on NBC
in 2005 and ESPN2
in 2006. In the early 2000s, CNN Sports Illustrated aired NLL games regularly. For the 2011 season, the NLL would return to Versus, beginning with coverage of the 2011 All-Star Game, followed by 6 weekly games, and two playoff games, one of these being the championship game. Beginning with the 2012 NLL season
, U.S. broadcast rights will shift to CBS Sports Network, which will carry eight regular season games, all of them live. In Canada, TSN2
also airs NLL games, however their game coverage is primarily focused on the Toronto Rock.
Also in 2007, the NLL signed an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio
, who has been named "Official Satellite Radio Partner". The pact includes a "Game of the Week" as well as weekly highlight show.
Since the 2009 season, all NLL games have been carried on the streaming video platform and web site Livestream
, a video game based on the NLL, was released. It was the first lacrosse video game ever and included all nine teams of their 15th season
, including mascots.
On February 15, 2005, the NLL announced that Activision
would produce a new video game. The game was slated to be released for the 2007 season. In an online chat held on NLL.com with commissioner Jim Jennings, it was noted that the game would be out in 2009, however the game was never released.
On March 31, 2010, the NLL announced it had partnered with Crosse Studio and Triple B Games to develop NLL Lacrosse 2010 presented by Reebok Lacrosse
. The game was released exclusively on the Xbox 360
as an Indie Game
on April 23, 2010. Crosse Studio and Triple B Games developed Inside Lacrosse's College Lacrosse 2010 in 2009 before approaching the NLL to license their next game.
The NLL game won Kotaku's Indie Sports video game of the year for 2010.
. Approximately half of the league's players originate within 75 miles (125 km) of Toronto.
The remainder of the players are either American
or Iroquois
, with a select few Europe
ans and Australia
ns.
Box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
league in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and six in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Unlike other lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup
The Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
. Historically, the league has averaged about 10,000 fans per game.
Game
The version of lacrosse played in the NLL is indoor lacrosse, slightly different from box lacrosseBox lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
, which is played on a hard floor, usually in the summer, and has 4 periods instead of 3. The NLL plays four quarters of fifteen minutes each, with two-minute breaks between the first and second quarters and between the third and fourth quarters, and a twelve-minute break between the second and third (called half-time
Half-time
In some team sports such as association football and rugby, matches are played in two halves. Half-time is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match...
). The clock does not run when play is stopped.
The team that has scored the most goals at the end of regulation time is declared the winner. If the game is tied after four quarters have been played, the teams begin sudden death overtime; the team that scores first wins the game. Overtime periods are fifteen minutes long, with two-minute breaks between overtime periods. Prior to the 2005 NLL season
2005 NLL season
The 2005 National Lacrosse League season began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19-13 in Toronto....
, overtime periods were 5 minutes each.
Each team dresses twenty players, of whom two are goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
s; the remaining eighteen are called runners, and may be either forwards
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
or defensemen. There are also players, frequently defensemen, who specialize in the transition from defense to offense.
The team in possession of the ball has ten seconds to move the ball over the center line, and thirty seconds to take a shot on net. If either of these time periods expires, the whistle is blown, and the opposing team is given possession. In the NLL, the shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
runs while a team that is killing a penalty has possession of the ball; this is not the case in all box lacrosse leagues (e.g. Major Series Lacrosse
Major Series Lacrosse
Major Series Lacrosse is a Senior A box lacrosse league based out of Ontario, Canada sanctioned by the Ontario Lacrosse Association. Most of the players in the league play or have played in the National Lacrosse League. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the...
, Western Lacrosse Association
Western Lacrosse Association
The Western Lacrosse Association is an amateur league of men's Senior A box lacrosse sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. It consists of seven teams, based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the...
).
Season and playoffs
Each team in the NLL plays sixteen games during the regular season, eight at home and eight away. The teams are divided into two divisions, the Eastern division and the Western division. Each team plays at least twelve of its sixteen regular season games against division opponents.The regular season begins in late December and ends in April. At the end the regular season, the top three teams in the Eastern Division and the top four teams in the Western division make the playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s. Either the fourth-placed Eastern division team or the fifth-placed Western division team, based upon regular season record, also makes the playoffs. The playoffs consist of three single-game elimination rounds. In the first round (the Division Semi-finals), each division winner hosts a fourth-seeded team, and the second-place team hosts the third-place team. In the second round (the Division Finals), the two remaining teams in each division play; the higher-seeded team hosts the game. Two weeks after the Division Finals, the division winners face off for the Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup
The Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
.
All NLL games are played on weekends, save for the occasional Friday night game. Most NLL players have full-time jobs off the floor; notable examples include Toronto's Dan Ladouceur
Dan Ladouceur
Dan "Big Dog" Ladouceur is a former lacrosse player. Ladouceur played ten seasons for the Toronto Rock in the National Lacrosse League, winning five championships, before retiring during the 2009 season....
, a Durham Region
Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Durham, informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto, Ontario. It has an area of approximately 2,500 square kilometres. Durham Region is considered part of the Greater Toronto Area, with the communities...
police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, and Buffalo's John Tavares, a high school teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
.
Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League
The rebirth of major professional box lacrosse in the United States came on March 13, 1986, with the formation of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League (EPBLL), which was incorporated by Russ ClineRuss Cline
Russ Cline was a co-founder of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League on March 13, 1986. Russ is President/Owner of the Philadelphia Wings organization. They actually Operated as The Major Indoor Lacrosse League on all their Programs and Advertising.Cline served as Executive Vice President for the...
and Chris Fritz
Chris Fritz
Chris Fritz was a co-founder of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League on May 13, 1987.Fritz was the league's first President. In June 2005, it was announced that Chris would be inducted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame along with Russ Cline, Paul Gait, Gary Gait and Les Bartley...
. As background, in 1985 box lacrosse sponsored an event played at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. The USA/Canada Superseries was an eight-game series, seen as a pre-cursor to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. The league began play for the 1987 season
1987 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season
-Awards:-Statistics Leaders:-References:*...
, opening with two games on January 10, 1987: the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
at the New Jersey Saints
New Jersey Saints
The New Jersey Saints were one of the founding teams in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League . They played at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Saints won the 1988 Eagle Pro championship...
and the Washington Wave
Washington Wave
The Washington Wave was an American lacrosse team. They were a member of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1987 to 1989. They were based in Washington, D.C. and played in the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The team's first coach, Bud Beardmore, was...
hosting the Baltimore Thunder
Baltimore Thunder
The Baltimore Thunder were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1987 until 1999. They were based in Baltimore, Maryland, and won the first Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League championship in 1987...
.
The League announces that Darrell Russell has been named Commissioner of the League.
The first game in the League features Philadelphia at New Jersey in which the Saints defeat the Wings by the score of 11-8.
The Philadelphia Wings defeat the New Jersey Saints 17-11 at the Spectrum before a crowd of 14,903, the largest of 1987.
Those four teams contested a six-game regular season before a postseason which saw all four teams qualify for a single knockout tournament, which ended with the Baltimore Thunder crowned the EPBLL's first champion.
The Baltimore Thunder, coached by Bob Griebe, defeat the Washington Wave by a score of 11-10 to capture the first League Championship.
The League announces a total of 124,536 fans attend Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League games in its first year.
Those same four teams played in the second season
1988 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season
-Awards:-Statistics Leaders:Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records.-References:*...
of the EPBLL. The teams expanded to an eight-game schedule, and set up a three-team playoff with the regular season winner claiming a bye to the title game.
1988
The League begins its second year with each of the four teams playing an eight-game schedule. The league becomes known as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL).The New Jersey Saints
New Jersey Saints
The New Jersey Saints were one of the founding teams in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League . They played at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Saints won the 1988 Eagle Pro championship...
become the second League champions by defeating the Washington Wave
Washington Wave
The Washington Wave was an American lacrosse team. They were a member of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1987 to 1989. They were based in Washington, D.C. and played in the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The team's first coach, Bud Beardmore, was...
, 17-16 before 8,125 fans at the Capital Centre
Capital Centre
The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey....
. For the Wave, it was the second time in as many years they reached the championship game, only to come away on the short end of a one-goal game.
The league then announced that the Saints will relocate to the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
beginning in the 1989 season. The team name will be changed to the New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
to reflect their new home. The MILL announces that it will award expansion teams to Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and Boston. The teams will begin play in the 1989 season. The Detroit team was named the Turbos, and began play in the Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
. Their team colors were announced to be purple, silver and black. The Boston entry were called the New England Blazers
New England Blazers
The New England Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991. They were based in Worcester, Massachusetts, playing at the Worcester Centrum. After the 1991 season, they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the Boston Blazers.-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
and they played their home games at the Worcester Centrum. The Blazers used green, orange, and white as their team colors.
1989
The league prepared to open its third season with six teams—the Baltimore ThunderBaltimore Thunder
The Baltimore Thunder were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1987 until 1999. They were based in Baltimore, Maryland, and won the first Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League championship in 1987...
, Detroit Turbos
Detroit Turbos
The Detroit Turbos were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1994. They were based in Detroit, Michigan. The Turbos won the 1991 MILL Championship.-Awards & honors:1A) All Time Roster-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
, New England Blazers
New England Blazers
The New England Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991. They were based in Worcester, Massachusetts, playing at the Worcester Centrum. After the 1991 season, they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the Boston Blazers.-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
, New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
, Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and Washington Wave
Washington Wave
The Washington Wave was an American lacrosse team. They were a member of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1987 to 1989. They were based in Washington, D.C. and played in the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The team's first coach, Bud Beardmore, was...
. Each of the six teams played an eight-game schedule in 1989, with an even four home and road games. In its first ever regular season game, 12,171 Detroit fans watched the expansion Turbos defeat the Washington Wave, 11-9, in the debut of the 1989 season. As the season went on, regular season attendance figures for the league totaled at 230,724 for 24 regular season games, which made an average of 9,614 people in the stands per game. When adding the postseason, the numbers grew to 255,088 total and an average of 9,811 a game.
Later that year, the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
captured the league championship in front of a record postseason crowd of 16,042 at the Spectrum, defeating the New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
, 11-10. After the championship game, the league announced the expansion into Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, a team later to be called the Bulls
Pittsburgh Bulls
The Pittsburgh Bulls were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1990 to 1993.They were based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The National Lacrosse League would return to Pittsburgh in 2000 with the Pittsburgh Crossefire, but the team would only stay for one season before moving to become...
, who played at the Civic Arena
Civic Arena
Civic Arena refers to several areas including:* Civic Arena known as Mellon Arena 1999-2010* John F. Kennedy Civic Arena* Midland Civic Arena* Nanaimo Civic Arena* St. Joseph Civic Arena...
, sporting the traditional Pittsburgh colors of black and gold, like the Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
1990
| National Lacrosse League Progression | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Teams | Games Played |
| 1987 1987 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season -Awards:-Statistics Leaders:-References:*... |
4 teams | 6 games |
| 1988 1988 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season -Awards:-Statistics Leaders:Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records.-References:*... |
8 games | |
| 1989 | 6 teams | |
| 1990 | ||
| 1991 | 10 games | |
| 1992 | 7 teams | 8 games |
| 1993 | ||
| 1994 | 6 teams | |
| 1995 | ||
| 1996 | 7 teams | 10 games |
| 1997 | 6 teams | |
| 1998 | 7 teams | 12 games |
| 1999 | ||
| 2000 | 8 teams | |
| 2001 | 9 teams | 14 games |
| 2002 | 13 teams | 16 games |
| 2003 | 12 teams | |
| 2004 | 10 teams | |
| 2005 | ||
| 2006 | 11 teams | |
| 2007 | 13 teams | |
| 2008 | 12 teams | |
| 2009 2009 NLL season -Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven.... |
||
| 2010 2010 NLL season The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:... |
11 teams | |
| 2011 2011 NLL season The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:... |
10 teams | |
| 2012 2012 NLL season The 2012 National Lacrosse League season, the 26th in the history of the NLL, will begin on January 8, 2012 and end with the Championship game in May.-Team movement:... |
9 teams | 16 games |
In 1990, the MILL prepared to open its fourth season with six teams: the Baltimore Thunder
Baltimore Thunder
The Baltimore Thunder were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1987 until 1999. They were based in Baltimore, Maryland, and won the first Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League championship in 1987...
, Detroit Turbos
Detroit Turbos
The Detroit Turbos were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1994. They were based in Detroit, Michigan. The Turbos won the 1991 MILL Championship.-Awards & honors:1A) All Time Roster-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
, New England Blazers
New England Blazers
The New England Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991. They were based in Worcester, Massachusetts, playing at the Worcester Centrum. After the 1991 season, they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the Boston Blazers.-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
, New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
, Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and Pittsburgh Bulls
Pittsburgh Bulls
The Pittsburgh Bulls were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1990 to 1993.They were based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The National Lacrosse League would return to Pittsburgh in 2000 with the Pittsburgh Crossefire, but the team would only stay for one season before moving to become...
. Each of the six teams played an eight-game schedule over the 1990 season. During the near of the end of the season, the New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
defeated the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, 8-5, before the first sellout and largest crowd in league history: 17,177 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. The Saints' victory forced a rematch the next week in the playoffs. However, the Wings won that game, and later went on to become the first team to win two league championship games, defeating the New England Blazers
New England Blazers
The New England Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991. They were based in Worcester, Massachusetts, playing at the Worcester Centrum. After the 1991 season, they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the Boston Blazers.-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
, 17-7 in front of 11,479 fans.
The Major Indoor Lacrosse League later announced that the attendance for twenty-six total games during the season was 287,585, which was a huge boost, increasing the average attendance a game to 11,060. After the season, the MILL announced the signing of twin brothers, Paul Gait
Paul Gait
Paul Gait is widely regarded as one of the best lacrosse players of all time and is the current Vice President of the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League...
and Gary Gait
Gary Gait
Gary Charles Gait is widely regarded as the best lacrosse player of all time, just above his twin brother Paul. He has starred at the NCAA level at Syracuse University, at the professional level in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse, and at the international level for the...
, three-time All-Americans at Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
to the Detroit Turbos
Detroit Turbos
The Detroit Turbos were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1994. They were based in Detroit, Michigan. The Turbos won the 1991 MILL Championship.-Awards & honors:1A) All Time Roster-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
after being drafted. The two won national championships with the Orange in 1988, 1989, and 1990.
1991
The League prepares to open season number five with the same six teams. However, this season the schedule is increased from eight games to ten, with each team playing five games at home and on the road.In the first game of the regular season, the debut of Detroit rookie twin brothers Paul and Gary Gait was successful, as they paced the Turbos to a 20-16 victory over the Baltimore Thunder.
The 1991 season was definitely a record-breaking year, especially in Detroit. Rookie twin Turbos, Paul and Gary Gait, set new standards in most offensive categories. Paul scored a record 47 goals, while Gary was second in the league with 32. Gary established new records with 36 assists and 68 points. As a team, Detroit set records for goals scored with 184, assists with 227 and total points with 411.
The Detroit Turbos defeat the Baltimore Thunder, 14-12, to claim the League's fifth title and the Turbos first. The World Championship Game was attended by 10,814 at the Baltimore Arena.
The League announces that Buffalo has been named as an expansion team for League play in the 1992 season. The team will be named the Bandits, wear the colors black, orange, and white and will play in Memorial Auditorium. The League will promote the team in conjunction with the Buffalo Sabres.
Final League attendance numbers for the 1991 season reach 287,654.
On April 20, the National Division All-Stars defeat the American Division All-Stars, 25-20, in the inaugural League All-Star Game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
1992
The League opens season number six with the largest lineup of teams ever, seven. Each of the seven teams will play an eight game schedule, with four home games and four road games.The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Philadelphia Wings, 20-11, in their first ever sellout of 16,325 in Memorial Auditorium. It marks the second sellout in League history. The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Baltimore Thunder in front of their second sellout crowd of the season at the Memorial Auditorium, 16,325. It marks the first time a team has sold out two games in the same season.
The expansion Buffalo Bandits advance to the League Championship Game by defeating the Detroit Turbos and the Gait brothers, 19-16, to win the National Division crown. The Philadelphia Wings defeat the Saints, 8-6, to capture the American Division Championship.
For the first time, an expansion team wins the League's World Championship, as the Buffalo Bandits defeat the Philadelphia Wings, 11-10, in overtime.
1993
Buffalo wins their second consecutive League Championship with a 13-12 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Wings before 16,325 in sold out Memorial Auditorium. The Bandits keep their 18 game winning streak alive, the longest in professional sports. Buffalo joins the Wings as the only team in League history to win back-to-back championships.The League and the Players Association announce a three-year contract agreement.
League signs a six-year agreement with ESPN.
1994
ESPN2's first Monday night broadcast features the Detroit Turbos against the Baltimore Thunder.The Philadelphia Wings deny the Buffalo Bandits a third consecutive World Championship by defeating the Bandits, 26-15, in front of a sellout crowd of 16,284 at Memorial Auditorium. The win gives the Wings its third League Championship in their history, the most of any League team. ESPN broadcasts the game live from Buffalo, marking the first live telecast by ESPN of a League game.
The League announces Rochester, NY has been awarded an expansion team for the 1995 season.
1995
The expansion Rochester Knighthawks won their inaugural game, 12-8, against the New York Saints in the War Memorial.Philadelphia breaks the League's attendance record as 17,380 fans witness the Wings defeat of the Baltimore Thunder in the regular season finale.
For the first time in League history, Paul Gait (Rochester) played against his twin brother Gary Gait (Philadelphia).
The Philadelphia Wings win back-to-back championships by defeating the Rochester Knighthawks, 15-14, in a thrilling overtime game. The Wings have won four League titles in their nine-year history.
1996
Before the beginning of the 1996 season, the second-to-last season that the NLL would be known as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, it was announced that the season would be expanded to ten games. In addition, the Boston BlazersBoston Blazers
The Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
announced their new home in the Fleet Center
Fleet Center
Fleet Center is the former name of two buildings in New England cities which may mean:*TD Garden, a sports arena in Boston*50 Kennedy Plaza, an International-style skyscraper in Providence, RI...
for 1996. Another big crowd, the fourth largest in league history, of 16,818 watched the Wings defeat the Charlotte Cobras
Charlotte Cobras
The Charlotte Cobras were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League . They were based at Independence Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina and only played during the 1996 season. In October 1995 the MILL announced that Charlotte had been awarded an expansion franchise to begin play for the 1996...
at CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia. The Wings advanced to their fifth consecutive league championship game by defeating the Boston Blazers
Boston Blazers
The Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
, 10-8, a week before. That was the final MILL game to be played in the historic arena.
However, the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
would play spoiler to the Wings, as they denied them a third conseucitve league championship, as Buffalo beat Philadelphia, 15-10 in the 1996 league championship game, in front of a sold-out Memorial Auditorium
Memorial Auditorium
Memorial Auditorium may refer to:* Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York* Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex , Kitchener, Ontario* Memorial Auditorium , California...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The Bandits picked up their third championship win, as they said goodbye to their own arena, at the culmination of the season, as well.
1997
The eleventh season opened with three games, including Rochester playing Buffalo at the Bandits' new home, the Marine Midland Arena, in front of a new league record crowd of 18,595 fans. The Knighthawks of Rochester, coached by Barry Powless, later claimed their first MILL championship title in 1997, in front of the second largest crowd in MILL history, 18,055, a game also played at the Marine Midland Arena.National Lacrosse League
A new entity, combining the tradition of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League with two expansion teams and individual team ownership is announced - the National Lacrosse League. Syracuse, New York (nicknamed Smash and playing at the Onondaga County War Memorial) and Hamilton, Ontario (nicknamed Raiders and playing at Copps Coliseum) are the new professional indoor lacrosse entries. The NLL unveils its new league logo.John Livsey, Jr. is named as Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League.
A three-year collective bargaining agreement between the NLL and the Professional Lacrosse Players Association (PLPA) is announced.
1998
The 1998 regular season schedule is announced, with teams now playing 12 games (six at home and six on the road) and facing their six opponents twice each (once at home and once on the road). In addition, the playoff format will see a best-of-three championship series with semifinal playoff action to still take place in a single-game elimination format, though sites of all post-season games will be based on regular season record.A blockbuster trade sees seven-time All-Pro Paul Gait go to the expansion Syracuse Smash in exchange for draft picks and player compensation.
Reigning league MVP Gary Gait is sent to Baltimore in a blockbuster trade involving player and cash compensation.
The Philadelphia Wings sweep the best-of-three Championship Series with a 17-12 win over the Thunder after having won 16-12 two days earlier. Game Two marks the first title game appearance by Baltimore since 1991 and the win is Philadelphia's fifth in franchise history. Wings goaltender Dallas Eliuk is named Championship Series MVP.
1999
The Toronto Rock finish the season with a perfect home record, going a combined 8-0 (regular season and playoffs) after a 13-10 win over the Rochester Knighthawks in the Championship Game before a sellout crowd of 15,691 in Maple Leaf Gardens. The game is televised throughout Canada by CTV SportsNet, and in the United States on ESPN2.2000
18,911 fans pack the First Union Center in Philadelphia to watch the Philadelphia Wings battle the Pittsburgh CrosseFire. Pittsburgh wins the game, 14-8. At the time, this was the largest single-game crowd to ever see a professional indoor lacrosse game.Kaleb Toth beats K-Hawks goaltender Pat O'Toole with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation time to give the Toronto Rock a 14-13 victory, and their second straight championship. Dubbed the "Greatest Professional Indoor Lacrosse Game of All-Time", the 2000 Final is the last sporting event to be held in the historic Maple Leaf Gardens.
The city of Columbus, Ohio is granted an expansion team. Former League Commissioner John Livsey will head the Landsharks.
At a press conference at the ESPNZone in New York City, Jim Jennings is named the new Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. Jennings announces that League Headquarters will be relocated from Buffalo, New York to Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
Commissioner Jim Jennings appoints George Daniel to the position of Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel for the NLL.
2001
In front of the league's largest crowd in history, the Philadelphia Wings win their sixth League Championship Title with a 9-8 win over the Toronto Rock at the Air Canada Centre in front of 19,409 fans. Wings goaltender Dallas Eliuk is named Most Valuable Player.The league announces expansion franchises are awarded to Montreal, New Jersey, Calgary and Vancouver for the following season.
2002
The Vancouver Ravens play their inaugural home game at General Motors Place in Vancouver. The Ravens give the crowd of 13,772 much to cheer about, beating the Toronto Rock 13-12. The crowd makes history as the largest ever to attend the first home game of an expansion franchise.The Albany Attack host the Toronto Rock in the 2002 Final. The Rock defeat the Attack by a score of 13-12 to capture their third title, all won in the past four seasons. 9,289 fans watch the game at the Pepsi Arena in Albany. Toronto forward Colin Doyle was voted Championship Game MVP, scoring three goals and one assist.
The League announces the sale and relocation of the Washington Power franchise to the city of Denver, Colorado. The franchise will play its home games at the Pepsi Center. The team is now owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises, whose holdings include the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Pepsi Center. The new team marks the League's first United States team west of the Mississippi River.
2003
The Colorado Mammoth play their inaugural home game at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Mammoth treated the home crowd of 16,121 fans to a thrilling 13-12 win in double overtime against the Toronto Rock. The crowd broke the previous record for an inaugural home game attendance, previously held by the Vancouver Ravens (13,772 in 2001).In front of a sellout crowd of 18,207 at the Pepsi Center, the Colorado Mammoth defeat the New York Saints by a score of 19-13. The crowd was the first of two sellout crowds the Mammoth would host during their first season.
The Rochester Knighthawks host the Toronto Rock in the 2003 Champion's Cup Final. The Rock defeated the Knighthawks by a score of 8-6 to capture their fourth title, all won in the past five seasons. 11,051 fans attend the game at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. Toronto goalie Bob Watson earns Championship Game MVP honors with his 40 saves.
2004
A new divisional format is announced for the regular season. The first ever Western Division will consist of Anaheim, Arizona, Calgary, Colorado, San Jose and Vancouver. The East will consist of Buffalo, Philadelphia, Rochester and Toronto. The top three teams in each division shall earn playoff berths, with the division champions receiving byes. The second and third place finishers shall face each other in the opening round with the winners facing their respective division champions in the semi-final round. The semi-final winners (East vs. West) shall meet in the 2004 Champions' Cup Final with the higher seed hosting.Fox Sports Net becomes the league's new national broadcast partner in the United States. Fox Sports Net will carry nine regular season game broadcasts, spread across the schedule to over 50 million homes. Fox Sports Net will feature the 2004 All-Star Game on Feb. 22.
The Arizona Sting play their inaugural home game at the Glendale Arena in Arizona. The game becomes the first event ever held inside the new arena. The Sting defeats the Vancouver Ravens by the score of 16-12 in front of 12,789 fans.
The Colorado Mammoth host a sellout crowd of 18,305 at Pepsi Center in a 14-13 loss to the Calgary Roughnecks. The Mammoth went on to record five sellout crowds on the season.
The 2004 All-Star Game was played in front of 16,742 fans at Pepsi Center in Denver, home of the Colorado Mammoth. The crowd was the largest All-Star Game crowd in league history. The East Division All-Stars defeated the West Division All-Stars by a score of 19-15.
The Calgary Roughnecks won their first ever Champion's Cup by defeating the Buffalo Bandits 14-11 at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary. The game was played in front of 19,289 fans. The sellout crowd is the largest in Roughnecks history and the second highest single game attendance total in NLL history.
2005
The National Lacrosse League reached a new three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Professional Lacrosse Player's Association (PLPA). The agreement covers the league's 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons.The league announces the placement of a franchise in Minnesota. The new team will be owned and operated by Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League. The Minnesota team will enter the league for the 2005 season and play its home games at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
A new pre-season attendance record is set as 14,084 fans come to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for the first home exhibition game of the expansion Minnesota Swarm. The game marks the first professional lacrosse game ever played in the state of Minnesota.
The National Lacrosse League All-Star Game aired live on NBC at 2pm Eastern. The game became the first live broadcast of lacrosse on national U.S. network television. The game was also televised in Canada on The Score, and internationally via CNBC International, CNBC Asia and on Armed Forces Network. The East Division (Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Rochester, Toronto) defeated the West Division (Anaheim, Arizona, Calgary, Colorado, San Jose) 11-10 in overtime in front of 11,511 fans at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.
Legendary lacrosse superstars and twin brothers Paul and Gary Gait were reunited when Paul ended his retirement signing with the Colorado Mammoth. Paul Gait would join his brother, Mammoth captain Gary, for the remaining four games of the regular season and the team's playoff run. He would make his Mammoth debut on April 1 at Minnesota and then returned to Denver for the team's final regular-season home game on April 2 against the Anaheim Storm at Pepsi Center.
The 2005 Edge NLL Championship Game is played in front of an NLL record 19,432 fans at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and in front of a national network television audience in the US on NBC and in Canada on the Score. The Toronto Rock defeated the Arizona Sting 19-13 capturing their fifth title in seven seasons. Colin Doyle was named MVP of the game after leading the Rock with five goals and three assists.
Legendary coach Les Bartley passes away after an 18 month battle with colon cancer. Bartley served as Head Coach and General Manager of the Toronto Rock between 1999 and 2003. He posted a 51-19 regular season record and 9-1 post-season record in five seasons. He also led the team to a 37-5 regular season home record in the same time. Bartley began his coaching career in 1991 and would go on to lead his teams to eleven Championship games, winning seven League Championships. Four of those seven were with the Rock; back-to-back titles in 1999/2000 and 2002/2003. Prior to coming to Toronto, Bartley coached the Bandits to titles in 1992, 1993 and 1996.
The NLL announces that the league will consist of eleven teams for the 2006 season. The eleven-team league will include expansion teams in Edmonton, Alberta and Portland, Oregon.
The league announces the establishment of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame opens with five charter members who have made immeasurable contributions to the league and the sport of lacrosse. The five charter members are league founders Russ Cline and Chris Fritz; legendary lacrosse stars Gary Gait and Paul Gait, and the late Les Bartley, the winningest coach in league history.
The NLL and Reebok announce a multi-year exclusive partnership in which all NLL players will use Reebok equipment and will be exclusively outfitted in the brand's footwear and apparel. The partnership makes the brand the official equipment, uniform and footwear provider of the league. The agreement makes Reebok the exclusive licensee of official NLL apparel including authentic and replica jerseys, caps, shirts and additional clothing.
2006
The Edmonton Rush play their inaugural game and home opener in front of 11,385 fans at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta. The Rush lost 10-9 in overtime to the San Jose Stealth. The game was only the second time in league history that an expansion team forced overtime in their inaugural game.The 2006 National Lacrosse League All-Star Game is held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, home of the Toronto Rock. The West Division (Arizona Sting, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush, Portland LumberJax, San Jose Stealth) defeated the East Division (Buffalo Bandits, Minnesota Swarm, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, Toronto Rock) by a score of 14-13 in front of 15,924 fans. Calgary Roughnecks forward Lewis Ratcliff scores the game-winning goal with 4.4 seconds remaining. Ratcliff was named the Game MVP.
The National Lacrosse League finishes its 20th season by setting an all-time single season attendance mark, reaching a total of 1,037,147 fans for the 2006 season, including 88 regular-season games, six playoff games, the 2006 All-Star Game in Toronto, and the 2006 RBK NLL Championship Game presented by Edge Active Care. The league season average attendance is 10,804.
The Colorado Mammoth defeat the Buffalo Bandits 16-9 in front of 16,104 fans at HSBC Arena in Buffalo to secure the first championship in Colorado Mammoth history. Mammoth forward Gavin Prout is named game MVP, scoring four goals and adding three assists for seven points in the win.
The National Lacrosse League announces the awarding of a franchise to New York City for the 2007 season. The official announcement is made during a press conference at East River Park in Manhattan by the honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City and National Lacrosse League Commissioner Jim Jennings. The New York team becomes the league's thirteenth franchise and will play its games at Madison Square Garden.
2007
The expansion New York Titans play their home opener at Madison Square Garden in the first ever professional lacrosse game at the World's Most Famous Arena. The Titans defeated the expansion Chicago Shamrox 11-9 in front of 13,127 fans.The Eastern Division defeats the Western Division 20-16 in front of 12,856 fans at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, home of the Portland LumberJax, in the 2007 National Lacrosse League All-Star Game. Buffalo Bandits forward Mark Steenhuis was named the game's Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in NLL history to win two All-Star Game MVP honors. Steenhuis also won the award in 2004.
The NLL reaches a milestone as the league plays its 1,000th regular season game. The Minnesota Swarm hosted the Colorado Mammoth at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis/St Paul in the historic game. The Mammoth beat the Swarm 11-9.
The Rochester Knighthawks defeated the Arizona Sting, 13-11, in the 2007 NLL Championship presented by Edge Active Care at Jobing.com Arena. John Grant was named Championship Game MVP with a three goal, five assist performance. The victory marks the first time Rochester has won the title since 1997.
The NLL reaches a new seven-year agreement with the players' union.
2008
The league announces the divisional alignments for the 2008 regular season. The expansion Boston franchise will join the Eastern Division, which expands to eight teams (Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Rochester, Toronto). The Western Division remains the same as in 2007 (Arizona, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Portland, San Jose).John Tavares breaks Gary Gait's all-time goal scoring record. Tavares, who had already captured the all-time points and assists records, notched his record-breaking 597th career goal in the third quarter of Buffalo's 17-13 victory over New York.
Philadelphia Forward Athan Iannucci breaks Gary Gait's single season scoring record of 61 goals. He went on to finish the season with 71 goals.
The Buffalo Bandits defeat the Portland Lumberjax by the score of 14–13 in the 2008 Edge NLL Championship game at HSBC Arena. The event, which aired nationally on ESPN2, drew a sellout crowd of 18,690 fans. Mark Steenhuis captures the game's MVP honors with five goals and one assist.
2009
The league announces the addition of instant replay for officials to review disputed goals and crease violations during games.George Daniel is appointed Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League.
Calgary wins its second championship, defeating New York 12–10 in front of 13,042 at Pengrowth Saddledome. Josh Sanderson was named Championship Game MVP, finishing with two goals and three assists.
2012
On August 30, 2011, the Boston Blazers announced that the team will temporarily suspend operations for the 2012 season as it seeks a new home facility for the 2013 season.Championship history
| Team | Championships |
|---|---|
| Toronto Rock | 6 |
| Philadelphia Wings | 6 |
| Buffalo Bandits | 4 |
| Calgary Roughnecks | 2 |
| Rochester Knighthawks | 2 |
| Baltimore Thunder/Colorado Mammoth | 2 |
| Detroit Turbos | 1 |
| New Jersey Saints | 1 |
| Washington Stealth | 1 |
- 19871987 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season-Awards:-Statistics Leaders:-References:*...
Baltimore ThunderBaltimore ThunderThe Baltimore Thunder were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1987 until 1999. They were based in Baltimore, Maryland, and won the first Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League championship in 1987...
11 — 10 Washington WaveWashington WaveThe Washington Wave was an American lacrosse team. They were a member of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1987 to 1989. They were based in Washington, D.C. and played in the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The team's first coach, Bud Beardmore, was... - 19881988 Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League season-Awards:-Statistics Leaders:Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records.-References:*...
New Jersey SaintsNew York SaintsThe New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
17 — 16 Washington Wave - 19891989 MILL season-Team Movement:1989 saw the MILL expand by two teams: the New England Blazers and the Detroit Turbos. The New Jersey Saints also moved to Long Island, New York, becoming the New York Saints.-Regular season:...
Philadelphia WingsPhiladelphia WingsThe Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
11 — 10 New York SaintsNew York SaintsThe New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006.... - 19901990 MILL season-Awards:-All-Pro Teams:First Team:*John Fay, New England*Brad Kotz, Philadelphia*Brian Nikula, Pittsburgh*Rick Sowell, Baltimore*John Tucker, Philadelphia*Ted Sawicki, Detroit Second Team:*Don Borges, New York...
Philadelphia Wings 17 — 7 New England BlazersNew England BlazersThe New England Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991. They were based in Worcester, Massachusetts, playing at the Worcester Centrum. After the 1991 season, they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, becoming the Boston Blazers.-All time Record:-Playoff Results:... - 19911991 MILL seasonThe 1991 season began on December 29, 1990 and concluded with the championship game on April 6, 1991.-Team Movement:No teams were added, removed, or relocated in the 1991 season...
Detroit TurbosDetroit TurbosThe Detroit Turbos were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1994. They were based in Detroit, Michigan. The Turbos won the 1991 MILL Championship.-Awards & honors:1A) All Time Roster-All time Record:-Playoff Results:...
14 — 12 Baltimore Thunder - 19921992 MILL season-Awards:-All-Pro Teams:First Team:*Gary Gait, Detroit*Paul Gait, Detroit*Dave Pietramala, Pittsburgh*Rick Sowell, Baltimore*John Tucker, Philadelphia*Sal LoCascio, New York Second Team:*Jeff Jackson, Baltimore*Derek Keenan, Buffalo...
Buffalo BanditsBuffalo BanditsThe Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
11 — 10 Philadelphia Wings (OT) - 19931993 MILL seasonThe 1993 Major Indoor Lacrosse League season began on January 9, 1993 and concluded with the championship game on April 10. 1993 saw the only undefeated season in the history of the MILL/NLL; the Buffalo Bandits won all eight of their regular season games, then defeated Boston in the Divisional...
Buffalo Bandits 13 — 12 Philadelphia Wings - 19941994 MILL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:In 1994, the MILL began awarding "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:An award is also given out monthly for the best overall player.-All-Pro Teams:First Team:*Gary Gait, Philadelphia*Paul Gait, Philadelphia...
Philadelphia Wings 26 — 15 Buffalo Bandits - 19951995 MILL seasonThe 1995 Major Indoor Lacrosse League season began on January 7, 1995 and concluded with the championship game on April 8, 1995.-Team Movement:1995 featured the debut of the Rochester Knighthawks to the MILL, replacing the Detroit Turbos.-Regular season:...
Philadelphia Wings 15 — 14 Rochester KnighthawksRochester KnighthawksThe Rochester Knighthawks are a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Knighthawks were previously members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997...
(OT) - 19961996 MILL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:An award is also given out monthly for the best overall player.-All-Pro Teams:First Team:*Gary Gait, Philadelphia*Paul Gait, Rochester...
Buffalo Bandits 15 — 10 Philadelphia Wings - 19971997 MILL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:An award is also given out monthly for the best overall player.-All-Pro Teams:First Team:*Gary Gait, Philadelphia*Paul Gait, Rochester...
Rochester Knighthawks 15 — 12 Buffalo Bandits - 19981998 NLL seasonBefore the 1998 season, the Major Indoor Lacrosse League was renamed to be the National Lacrosse League, in the process increasing the length of the regular season from ten to twelve games. The first season as the NLL began on January 3, 1998 and concluded with the second championship game on April...
Philadelphia Wings 2 — 0 Baltimore Thunder (Best of 3 Games Series) - 19991999 NLL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.-Statistics Leaders:...
Toronto RockToronto RockThe Toronto Rock is a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record...
13 — 10 Rochester Knighthawks - 20002000 NLL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.-Statistics Leaders:...
Toronto Rock 14 — 13 Rochester Knighthawks - 20012001 NLL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.-Statistics Leaders:...
Philadelphia Wings 9 — 8 Toronto Rock - 20022002 NLL season-All Star Game:The 2002 All-Star Game was held on April 21 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the North team beat the South 14-10. The MVP was Toronto's Steve Toll, who scored three goals. At the time, this also marked Paul Gait's final professional lacrosse game, as he...
Toronto Rock 13 — 12 Albany AttackAlbany AttackThe Albany Attack was the name of a franchise which played in the National Lacrosse League from the 2000 season through the 2003 season. The Attack played in the former Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York... - 20032003 NLL season-Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie....
Toronto Rock 8 — 6 Rochester Knighthawks - 20042004 NLL season-All Star Game:The 2004 All-Star Game was held at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19-15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.-All-Star teams:-Awards:-Weekly Awards:...
Calgary RoughnecksCalgary RoughnecksThe Calgary Roughnecks are a professional box lacrosse team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Western Division of the National Lacrosse League and play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The team name is derived from the roughnecks who work drilling rigs in...
14 — 11 Buffalo Bandits - 20052005 NLL seasonThe 2005 National Lacrosse League season began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19-13 in Toronto....
Toronto Rock 19 — 13 Arizona StingArizona StingThe Arizona Sting was a member of the National Lacrosse League from 2004 to 2007. They played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, from 2001 to 2003 as the Columbus Landsharks. On August 28, 2003, it was announced that the team was relocating to Glendale, Arizona... - 20062006 NLL season-All-Star game:The 2006 All-Star Game was held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on February 25, 2006. The West Division defeated the East Division 14-13. The MVP of the game was Lewis Ratcliff of the Calgary Roughnecks, who scored 4 goals, including the game winner...
Colorado MammothColorado MammothThe Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season....
16 — 9 Buffalo Bandits - 20072007 NLL seasonThe Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:...
Rochester Knighthawks 13 — 11 Arizona Sting - 20082008 NLL seasonThe 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
Buffalo Bandits 14 — 13 Portland LumberJaxPortland LumberjaxThe Portland LumberJax were a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League , which started playing in the 2006 season and ended operations after the 2009 season. Announced by the NLL on May 11, 2005, the LumberJax played their home games at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon... - 20092009 NLL season-Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven....
Calgary Roughnecks 12 — 10 New York Titans - 20102010 NLL seasonThe 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:...
Washington StealthWashington StealthThe Washington Stealth are a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America. Based in Everett , the Stealth began play in the 2010 NLL season, with home games played at the 8,513-seat Comcast Arena at Everett.The team was previously known as the...
15 — 11 Toronto Rock - 20112011 NLL seasonThe 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:...
Toronto Rock 8 — 7 Washington Stealth
Commissioners
| Commissioner | Years |
|---|---|
| Darrel Russell | 1987–1997 |
| John Livsey Jr | 1997–2000 |
| Jim Jennings | 2000–2009 |
| George Daniel | 2009-present |
Current league structure
The National Lacrosse League currently plays a 16 game regular season, with 4 teams from each division qualifying for postseason play. The 1st and 4th seed in each division meet in a divisional semifinal game, while the 2nd and 3rd seeds meet in the other. The next round are the Eastern Division and Western Division champions. The divisional champions then meet in the Champions Cup final for the league title.Each year, the league holds a mid-season All Star Game
National Lacrosse League All-Star Game
National Lacrosse League All Star Game is a lacrosse game played each year between two teams representing the two divisions of the National Lacrosse League .-1991 :...
between two teams representing the Eastern and Western divisions.
As of 2007, the average salary in the league was just $14,000, with most players holding down second jobs.
Current teams
 |
| Division | Team | City/Area | Arena | Founded | Joined | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | ||||||
| Buffalo Bandits Buffalo Bandits The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998.... |
Buffalo Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... , NY New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
First Niagara Center | 1991 | 1992 | Darris Kilgour Darris Kilgour Darris Kilgour is the head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. Kilgour also played for the Bandits for 8 seasons, before finishing his playing career with the Rochester Knighthawks and Albany Attack. He won three championships with the Bandits, and is... |
|
| Philadelphia Wings Philadelphia Wings The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
Philadelphia, PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Wells Fargo Center | 1986 | 1987 | John Tucker John Tucker (lacrosse) John Tucker is a retired American professional lacrosse player and the former head coach of the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.-Playing career:... |
|
| Rochester Knighthawks Rochester Knighthawks The Rochester Knighthawks are a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Knighthawks were previously members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997... |
Rochester Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City... , NY New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Blue Cross Arena Blue Cross Arena The Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial is a multi-purpose indoor arena, located in Rochester, New York. Its maximum seating capacity is 13,000... |
1995 | Mike Hasen | ||
| Toronto Rock Toronto Rock The Toronto Rock is a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record... |
Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , ON Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... |
Air Canada Centre Air Canada Centre The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar .... |
1998 | Troy Cordingley | ||
| Western | Calgary Roughnecks Calgary Roughnecks The Calgary Roughnecks are a professional box lacrosse team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Western Division of the National Lacrosse League and play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The team name is derived from the roughnecks who work drilling rigs in... |
Calgary Calgary Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies... , AB Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... |
Scotiabank Saddledome | 2001 | Dave Pym | |
| Colorado Mammoth Colorado Mammoth The Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season.... |
Denver, CO Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... |
Pepsi Center Pepsi Center Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League... |
2003 | 2004 | Bob Hamley Bob Hamley Bob Hamley is the current head coach of the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League. He is also a former head coach and General Manager of the Edmonton Rush, and a former NLL player.... |
|
| Edmonton Rush Edmonton Rush The Edmonton Rush is a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League that started playing in the 2006 NLL season.The NLL announced that Edmonton, Alberta, Canada would receive an NLL franchise on May 5, 2005. They play their home games at Rexall Place... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , AB Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... |
Rexall Place Rexall Place Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL... |
2005 | 2006 | Derek Keenan Derek Keenan Derek Keenan is a former lacrosse player, and current head coach and General Manager of the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League.After a long amateur career, , and appearances with the Canadian National Field team at several... |
|
| Minnesota Swarm Minnesota Swarm Minnesota Swarm is a box lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. The team plays on Treasure Island Field at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.... |
St. Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city... , MN Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... |
Xcel Energy Center Xcel Energy Center The Xcel Energy Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is named for its locally-based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 18,064, the arena has four spectator levels: one suite level and three general seating levels. The arena is owned by the... |
2004 | 2005 | Mike Lines Mike Lines Mike Lines is the current head coach of the National Lacrosse League's Minnesota Swarm.-2010:Despite leading the Swarm to a 5-11 record during the 2010 regular season, it was good enough to earn the fourth playoff spot in the Western Division... |
|
| Washington Stealth Washington Stealth The Washington Stealth are a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America. Based in Everett , the Stealth began play in the 2010 NLL season, with home games played at the 8,513-seat Comcast Arena at Everett.The team was previously known as the... |
Everett Everett, Washington Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and... , WA |
Comcast Arena Comcast Arena at Everett Comcast Arena at Everett is a $83.3 million dollar muti-purpose complex, in Everett, Washington, designed and developed by the City of Everett Public Facilities District. The arena opened in September 2003.... |
2000 | 2010 | Chris Hall | |
Expansion and relocation
In July 2007, the Vancouver RavensVancouver Ravens
The Vancouver Ravens were a member of the National Lacrosse League , from 2002 to 2004. They played their three seasons at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
were conditionally approved for a 2008 return; the conditions included selling at least 2,500 season tickets and finding a suitable arena lease by July 19, 2007. On July 16, 2007, the Vancouver Ravens
Vancouver Ravens
The Vancouver Ravens were a member of the National Lacrosse League , from 2002 to 2004. They played their three seasons at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
announced an agreement with Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to make GM Place (now Rogers Arena) the home venue of the Ravens, if they are able to meet the season ticket sales requirement. However, just a few days later, the NLL announced that the Ravens would not play in the 2008 season
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
. Although a local tabloid made mention of a potential return in 2011 for the team, Commissioner Daniel announced that there would be no expansion in 2011.
A number of cities and potential ownership groups have expressed interest in expansion franchises:
- After high attendance of over 20,000 fans at the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse ChampionshipWorld Indoor Lacrosse ChampionshipThe World Indoor Lacrosse Championship is an international box lacrosse tournament that is held every four years an is sponsored by the Federation of International Lacrosse . First held in 2003, the tournament was sponsored by the International Lacrosse Federation until 2008, when the ILF became...
in Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Jennings says that the league will "definitely consider expanding to Halifax, for sure."
On June 17, 2009, the San Jose Stealth
San Jose Stealth
The San Jose Stealth were a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America from 2004 until 2009. They played at the HP Pavilion at San Jose, which is also the home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks and the AFL's San Jose SaberCats. They relocated to San...
announced their relocation to Everett
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
, Washington, north of Seattle, for the 2010 season
2010 NLL season
The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:...
. The newly renamed Washington Stealth
Washington Stealth
The Washington Stealth are a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America. Based in Everett , the Stealth began play in the 2010 NLL season, with home games played at the 8,513-seat Comcast Arena at Everett.The team was previously known as the...
play their home games at the Comcast Arena at Everett
Comcast Arena at Everett
Comcast Arena at Everett is a $83.3 million dollar muti-purpose complex, in Everett, Washington, designed and developed by the City of Everett Public Facilities District. The arena opened in September 2003....
. In their first season in Everett the Stealth won the league title.
On August 10, 2009, the New York Titans announced the team's move to Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, to become the Orlando Titans
Orlando Titans
The Orlando Titans were a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League that played in the 2010 season. The Titans began as the New York Titans, and played for three seasons in New York before announcing the move to Orlando on August 10, 2009....
.
Commissioner George Daniel announced on March 31, 2010, that there would be no expansion for the 2011 season
2011 NLL season
The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:...
.
In July, 2010 the Orlando Titans announced that they would not participate in the 2011 season due to ownership restructuring.
Media coverage
In 2007, the NLL had a regularly scheduled "Game of the Week" on VersusVersus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
, the network formerly known as OLN and home of the Indycar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
, NHL, Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and PBR
Professional Bull Riders, Inc.
Professional Bull Riders, Inc. is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, USA. PBR events are televised on Versus, Fox, CBS and NBC...
. For the 2008 season
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
, due to dispute between the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association
Professional Lacrosse Players' Association
The Professional Lacrosse Players' Association is the trade union of players in indoor lacrosse's National Lacrosse League....
and the NLL owners in completing the collective bargaining agreement, the "Game of the Week" on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
was cancelled. Previously, the NLL has had its All-Star Games and Championship games on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 2005 and ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
in 2006. In the early 2000s, CNN Sports Illustrated aired NLL games regularly. For the 2011 season, the NLL would return to Versus, beginning with coverage of the 2011 All-Star Game, followed by 6 weekly games, and two playoff games, one of these being the championship game. Beginning with the 2012 NLL season
2012 NLL season
The 2012 National Lacrosse League season, the 26th in the history of the NLL, will begin on January 8, 2012 and end with the Championship game in May.-Team movement:...
, U.S. broadcast rights will shift to CBS Sports Network, which will carry eight regular season games, all of them live. In Canada, TSN2
TSN2
TSN2 is a secondary feed of the Canadian English language Category C specialty channel TSN, owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc., a joint venture of Bell Media and ESPN...
also airs NLL games, however their game coverage is primarily focused on the Toronto Rock.
Also in 2007, the NLL signed an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
, who has been named "Official Satellite Radio Partner". The pact includes a "Game of the Week" as well as weekly highlight show.
Since the 2009 season, all NLL games have been carried on the streaming video platform and web site Livestream
Livestream
Livestream, formerly known as Mogulus, is a live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content using a camera and a computer through the internet...
Video games
In May 2001, Blast LacrosseBlast Lacrosse
Blast Lacrosse is an indoor lacrosse video game released on May 23, 2001 for Sony's PlayStation. It is officially licensed by and based on the National Lacrosse League and includes all nine teams of their 15th season, including mascots. It is also licensed by the Professional Lacrosse Players'...
, a video game based on the NLL, was released. It was the first lacrosse video game ever and included all nine teams of their 15th season
2001 NLL season
-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.-Statistics Leaders:...
, including mascots.
On February 15, 2005, the NLL announced that Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
would produce a new video game. The game was slated to be released for the 2007 season. In an online chat held on NLL.com with commissioner Jim Jennings, it was noted that the game would be out in 2009, however the game was never released.
On March 31, 2010, the NLL announced it had partnered with Crosse Studio and Triple B Games to develop NLL Lacrosse 2010 presented by Reebok Lacrosse
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
. The game was released exclusively on the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
as an Indie Game
Xbox Live Indie Games
Xbox Live Indie Games are user created video games released on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace for the Xbox 360. The games are developed using Microsoft XNA, and developed by one or more independent developers that are registered with App Hub...
on April 23, 2010. Crosse Studio and Triple B Games developed Inside Lacrosse's College Lacrosse 2010 in 2009 before approaching the NLL to license their next game.
The NLL game won Kotaku's Indie Sports video game of the year for 2010.
Player origin
Although six of the league's nine teams are based in the United States, over 75% of the players are CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Approximately half of the league's players originate within 75 miles (125 km) of Toronto.
The remainder of the players are either American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, with a select few Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
ns.
Awards
- National Lacrosse League Weekly AwardsNational Lacrosse League Weekly AwardsIn the 1994 season, the National Lacrosse League began naming a Player of the Week. The first recipient was Buffalo Bandits legend John Tavares....
- National Lacrosse League Monthly AwardsNational Lacrosse League Monthly AwardsIn the 1994 season, the National Lacrosse League began naming a Player of the Month. The award is determined by a vote of the general managers and head coaches of the NLL teams....
- MVP AwardNational Lacrosse League MVP AwardThe Reebok National Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player Award is given annually to the NLL player who is considered to have contributed most to his team's success...
- Rookie of the Year Award
- Les Bartley AwardLes Bartley AwardThe Les Bartley Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League head coach of the year. The award was simply called the Head Coach of the Year award until 2004, when the award was renamed in honour of Les Bartley, the winningest coach in NLL history....
(coach of the year) - GM of the Year AwardNational Lacrosse League GM of the Year AwardThe General Manager of the Year Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League general manager who has done the best job of ensuring his team's success.-Past winners:...
- Executive of the Year AwardNational Lacrosse League Executive of the Year AwardThe Executive of the Year Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League executive who is chosen as having the most positive impact on his or her team.-Past winners:...
- Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Transition Player of the Year AwardNational Lacrosse League Transition Player of the Year AwardThe Transition Player of the Year Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League player who is chosen as the best transition player. This award debuted after the 2007 NLL season.-Past winners:...
- Goaltender of the Year AwardNational Lacrosse League Goaltender of the Year AwardThe National Lacrosse League Goaltender of the Year Award is given annually to the best NLL goaltender of the year.In the 2008 season, the award was sponsored by the US Navy and was known as the "US Navy Goaltender of the Year award". In the 2007 season, it was the "Progressive National Lacrosse...
- Sportsmanship AwardNational Lacrosse League Sportsmanship AwardThe National Lacrosse League Sportsmanship Award is given annually to a NLL player. It "honors the combination of character and performance" shown by a player.-Past winners:...
- Tom Borrelli AwardTom Borrelli AwardThe Tom Borrelli Award is presented by the National Lacrosse League to "the league's most outstanding newspaper writer or columnist". The award is named for Tom Borrelli , a writer for The Buffalo News who covered the Buffalo Bandits from the team's inception in 1992 to his death in 2008...
(writer of the year)
See also
- North American Lacrosse LeagueNorth American Lacrosse LeagueThe North American Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league based in the United States, set to begin play in January 2012. The league will be North America's third professional lacrosse league, after Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League...
, a new secondary box lacrosse league in the United States set to begin play in 2012 - Major League LacrosseMajor League LacrosseMajor League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
, the professional men's field lacrosseField lacrosseField lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
league in North America - List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada