As the world slowly progresses against a mysterious pandemic, there has never been a better time for the return of sports we know and love. A new and exciting league known as the PLL (Premier Lacrosse League) has just concluded its second regular season. Created by former Team USA all-star midfielder Paul Rabil and his brother Mike, the PLL has taken the lacrosse world by storm in its first two seasons.
The PLL’s first season operated as a 14 week tour-based schedule around 12 cities, while their second season was adjusted to fit the health precautions surrounding Covid-19. Teams and personnel checked into a quarantined “bubble” just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah and have played their games at Zions Bank Stadium. The complex is seemingly surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, providing breathtaking views from every angle on the field. The 2020 regular season revolved around each team playing four games from July 25th through August 2nd, rotating opponents each match.
With seven flashy-colored teams sporting unique mascots, fans have options on who to root for. The PLL is made up of the Atlas, Archers, Chaos, Chrome, Redwoods, Whipsnakes, and Waterdogs. The Waterdogs are the PLL’s first expansion team, while the Whipsnakes are the league’s reigning champions. Each team has superstar players at every position, with veteran legends like Tom Schreiber, Rob Pannell, Brodie Merrill, and Kyle Harrison still putting up highlights. Teams also get their pick of the top college graduates in a pre-season draft, adding talented rookies to already stacked rosters.
As the regular season has concluded, the 2019 champion Whipsnakes have sealed the number one seed and a first round bye. Will former MVP attackman Matt Rambo be able to lead the Whipsnakes to another trophy? Fans can catch the three playoff matches on August 4th through NBC Sports Gold (subscription required) and NBCSN. The semifinals will follow on August 6th, with the championship game on August 9th.
Check out the PLL’s YouTube channel for highlights, video logs, and epic Mic’d up compilations.