Major League Lacrosse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Major League Lacrosse | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sport | Lacrosse |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Inaugural season | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country |  United States |
| Current champions | Philadelphia Barrage |
| Official website | MajorLeagueLacrosse.com |
Major League Lacrosse is a professional field lacrosse league played in the United States. MLL began regular season play in June of 2001. 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 15 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.
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 MLL plans to add two more western expansion teams in 2008. Cities under consideration are Columbus, 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]
Contents |
[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 | 21-12 | 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) |
[edit] League Officials
- 1999-2002 - Gabby Roe (Executive Director)
- 2002-03 - Matthew Pace (Executive Director)
- 2003-04 - David Gross (Chief Operating Officer)
- 2004- - David Gross (Commissioner)
[edit] League Office
- 1999-01 - East Rutherford, NJ
- 2001-04 - Secaucus, NJ
- 2004-present - Boston, MA
[edit] References
- ^ May, Shaun (2006), Slash Magazine, pp. 5
- ^ MLL Expansion. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2006-11-30.
- ^ Overview. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2006-12-02.
[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
- List of professional lacrosse players
- 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 | |
| Related articles: Steinfeld Cup | All Star Game | Most Valuable Player | 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 | First draft selections | MLL Seasons | Stadiums | |
| Current Stadiums in Major League Lacrosse |
||
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference | |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown Multi-Sport Field | Harvard Stadium | Mitchel Athletic Complex PAETEC Park | Villanova Stadium | Yurcak Field |
The Home Depot Center | INVESCO Field at Mile High | Kezar Stadium | Toyota Park |
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| National Lacrosse League | Major League Lacrosse | |
| Canadian Box Lacrosse | |
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Senior A: Western Lacrosse Association (BCLA) | Major Series Lacrosse (OLA) |
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| Collegiate Lacrosse | |
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US Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates |
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| Post-Collegiate Club Lacrosse | |
| Other Leagues | |
| Australian Lacrosse League | |
| Notable Defunct Leagues | |
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National Lacrosse League (1974-75) | American Lacrosse League |
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