The Heartbeat of the PLL: Celebrating our Fan Community

By Evan Mok-Lamme | Oct 22, 2023

Since our inception in 2018, the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) has been led by a vibrant community of passionate fans. As a fan-focussed league, these supporters are an integral part of the PLL’s growth and evolution. In honor of PLL Day 2023, we shine a light on three fans and the meaning they have found within the PLL fan community. All three of these fans were recognized at the 2023 Championship Game in Philadelphia for their commitment to the PLL and our fans.

Lauren Schuman

In 2018, Lauren’s nephew Liam started playing lacrosse at the age of 10. Despite never playing or watching lacrosse, she remembers wanting to get involved. “He was so passionate about it, so I wanted to be, too.” When Paul Rabil (Liam’s new hero) founded the PLL the same year, Lauren felt like it was “magical” timing. Lauren and Liam attended their first game in New York City and have been fans ever since, attending a game each season.

In 2022, Lauren was one of the first to join the PLL’s “Game Day Channel” on Discord, where fans tune-in the PLL games together and share their reactions. Lauren felt the channel “made games even more entertaining.” She’s continued supporting this online community and was eventually selected by fans to be a moderator of the PLL’s Discord server.

Offline, Lauren says that one of her favorite ways to connect with other fans is wearing and sharing PLL merch. “I get really excited when I'm wearing PLL gear and someone stops me to say they are a fan. It's like this club we are all part of; even if we don't root for the same team, you know that person understands how special the PLL is, and it's an instant bond.”

In a full-circle moment, they bumped into Liam’s hero at the Championship Game.

Lauren (left) and Liam (right) at the 2023 Championship Game with Liam's brother, Colin and a friend.

Liam (second from left) meets Paul Rabil at the 2023 Championship Game.

James (third from left), his father JB, with James' teammates at the 2023 Championship Game.

James Henderson with PLL All-Star Tom Schreiber at a lacrosse camp this summer.

The Henderson Family

Claire and JB Henderson learned about the PLL in 2018 after their son, James, took up lacrosse. The next year, James participated in a PLL Academy event and attended two PLL games in Harrison, New Jersey, and their family began tuning in to PLL games. "That first year helped reinforce my family’s love of lacrosse, and then in 2020, when the world shut down, we got our lacrosse fix by watching the bubble season," Claire recalls.

Since 2020, Claire says her family has discovered new ways to connect around the PLL. "We have found lots of enjoyment from the PLL app and Weekly Fantasy. My son and his friends keep up with their favorite teams and challenge each other in fantasy every weekend." This friendly competition brought Claire to PLL Nation, where fans compete for rewards and PLL access. She commented, "The strength of the PLL is the community. The live games are a celebration of the sport"

After reaching level 8 in PLL Nation this season, Claire’s family entered an exclusive ticket giveaway and won tickets to the PLL Championship game in Philadelphia. James and JB attended the game with James' teammates from the Cranford Lacrosse Club, a PLL Verified partner.

"The PLL will continue to be a part of his journey, and he finds motivation and creativity in his game by watching his idols."

Braeden Peer

In 2019, Braeden’s lacrosse coach recommended watching a PLL game as a way to improve as a player. After tuning in, Braeden says he was hooked, “I wanted to learn more about the sport after watching the pros, and I got more and more into the league as the season went on.” As his love for the sport grew, so did his dedication to the PLL. This season, he started playing fantasy lacrosse on the PLL App and connected with fellow fans on the PLL's Discord server.

What struck Braeden most was the PLL fan community's inviting nature. “They welcome everyone,” he remarked, “Whether you’re new to the sport or you have been following the league since it started.” Braeden has actively contributed to our fan community's growth by inviting his family and friends to join him in watching games. In September, Braeden attended the PLL Championship in Philadelphia, where he met up with several others from the PLL Discord community.