Major League Lacrosse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Major League Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
| Image:MLL.gif | |
| Sport | Lacrosse |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Inaugural season | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country(ies) | Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Philadelphia Barrage |
| Official website | MajorLeagueLacrosse.com |
Major League Lacrosse is a professional outdoor Lacrosse league that is made up of teams within the United States. The league is currently made up of 10 teams in two conferences, Eastern and Western.
Contents |
[edit] History
The MLL began regular season play in June of 2001. The MLL was founded by Jake Steinfeld, Dave Morrow and Tim Robertson in 1999. Steinfeld is well-known for creating the "Body By Jake" line of exercise equipment and videos. Morrow is a former All-American lacrosse player and the president of Warrior Lacrosse.
The season runs from May to August. MLL rules that differ from traditional lacrosse rules include: a two-point goal line 16 yards from each goal, a 60-second shot clock, a limit of three long-stick defensemen per team and the elimination of the restraining box. The 60-second shot clock was changed from a 45-second shot clock in 2005. On January 13, 2001, MLL conducted its first draft. After the league assigned each team three players, goalie Sal LoCascio was the first player selected by Bridgeport.
MLL announced on March 9, 2005, that the league would expand to Los Angeles for the 2006 season; the team will play its home games at The Home Depot Center and will be operated by AEG, Inc. The league announced on July 2 that Denver, Colorado would also be an expansion city with a team playing at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The league later added teams in Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California and created a western conference for these teams, which started in the 2006 season. Since the league's inception it has gained numerous sponsors that have helped the league grow. Current sponsors include New Balance, Warrior, Bud Light, Tommy Hilfiger, Gatorade, Cascade, Brine, Gear-Up Sports, Under Armour, First National Bank of Omaha, Starbucks, The Great Atlantic Lacrosse Company, and Body by Jake.
The league was divided into the American Division — Boston, Bridgeport (moved to Philadelphia in 2004) and Long Island — and the National Division — Baltimore (moved to Washington after the 2006 season), New Jersey and Rochester — from 2001 until 2005. The league played a 14-game regular season its first two years; in 2003, the schedule was cut to 12 games. The playoff format will have the top teams in each division advancing to the New Balance MLL Championship Weekend while the two teams with the best records regardless of division will be the Championship Weekend’s two wildcard entries.
The MLL plans to add two more western expansion teams in the future. Cities under consideration are Cincinnati, Dallas, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis.[1][2][3]
ESPN2 has televised games since the 2003 season. On March 14, 2007 the two agreed to a television contract that will run until the 2016 season.[1]
[edit] Teams
[edit] Eastern Conference
[edit] Western Conference
[edit] Franchise movement
- Bridgeport Barrage (2001–2003) → Philadelphia Barrage (2004–Current)
- Baltimore Bayhawks (2001-2006)→ Washington Bayhawks (2007-Current)
[edit] MLL Championship Games
- See also: Steinfeld Cup
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Location | Game MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Long Island Lizards | 15-11 | Baltimore Bayhawks | Kennedy Stadium | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Paul Gait (Long Island) |
| 2002 | Baltimore Bayhawks | 21-13 | Long Island Lizards | Columbus Crew Stadium | Columbus, Ohio | Mark Millon (Baltimore) |
| 2003 | Long Island Lizards | 15-14 (OT) | Baltimore Bayhawks | Villanova Stadium | Villanova, Pennsylvania | Kevin Lowe (Long Island) |
| 2004 | Philadelphia Barrage | 13-11 | Boston Cannons | Nickerson Field | Boston, Massachusetts | Greg Cattrano (Philadelphia) |
| 2005 | Baltimore Bayhawks | 15-9 | Long Island Lizards | Nickerson Field | Boston, Massachusetts | Gary Gait (Baltimore) |
| 2006 | Philadelphia Barrage | 23-12 | Denver Outlaws | The Home Depot Center | Carson, California | Roy Colsey (Philadelphia) |
| 2007 | Philadelphia Barrage | 16-13 | Los Angeles Riptide | PAETEC Park | Rochester, New York | Matt Striebel (Philadelphia) |
[edit] League Officials
| Name | Years | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Gabby Roe | 1999–2002 | Executive Director |
| Matthew Pace | 2002–03 | Executive Director |
| David Gross | 2003–04 | Chief Operating Officer |
| 2004–present | Commissioner |
[edit] League Office
| Years | City |
|---|---|
| 1999–01 | East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| 2001–04 | Secaucus, New Jersey |
| 2004— | Boston, Massachusetts |
[edit] References
- ^ May, Shaun (2006), Slash Magazine, pp. 5
- ^ MLL Expansion. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
- ^ Overview. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.
- ^ http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/media/storage/paper852/news/2007/12/06/Sports/Pro-Lacrosse.Team.Migrates.To.San.Jose-3135366.shtml
[edit] See also
- Steinfeld Cup
- Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
- Major League Lacrosse MVP Award
- Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Defensive player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Offensive player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Goaltender of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Iron Lizard of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse first overall collegiate draft choice
- Major League Lacrosse Sportsman of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award
- Major League Lacrosse Community Service Award
- List of MLL seasons
- National Lacrosse League - the men's indoor lacrosse league in the United States and Canada
- Sports league attendances
[edit] External links
| Major League Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
| Eastern Conference: Boston Cannons | Long Island Lizards | New Jersey Pride | Philadelphia Barrage | Rochester Rattlers | Washington Bayhawks | |
| Western Conference: Chicago Machine | Denver Outlaws | Los Angeles Riptide | San Francisco Dragons | |
| MLL Articles: Steinfeld Cup | All Star Game | MVP | Rookie of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of Year | Offensive Player of the Year | Iron Lizard Award | Goaltender of the Year | Sportsman of the Year | Most Improved Player | Community Service Award | Collegiate Draft | Expansion Draft | Supplemental Draft | Weekly Awards | Seasons | Team Capsules | Stadiums | |
| | |
Current Stadiums in Major League Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | Georgetown Multi-Sport Field · Harvard Stadium · Mitchel Athletic Complex · PAETEC Park · United Sports Training Center · Yurcak Field |
| Western Conference | The Home Depot Center · INVESCO Field at Mile High · Spartan Stadium · Toyota Park |
| National Lacrosse League | Major League Lacrosse | |
| Canadian Box Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
|
Senior A: Western Lacrosse Association (BCLA) | Major Series Lacrosse (OLA) | |
| Collegiate Lacrosse | |
|
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship | |
| Post-Collegiate Club Lacrosse | |
| Other Leagues | |
| Australian Lacrosse League | |
| Notable Defunct Leagues | |
|
National Lacrosse League (1974-75) | American Lacrosse League | |
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