LOS ANGELES — March 7, 2024 — The Premier Lacrosse League powered by Ticketmaster today announced a new strategic initiative to expand youth lacrosse programming nationwide. PLL Play will establish community based, recreation-level programming to grow the game at the grassroots through PLL team-branded programming and partnerships with leading youth lacrosse organizations nationwide. 

“Trailblazing the future of professional sports requires a commitment to growing the game at the participatory level. PLL Play will be key to the relationships we build in our teams’ home markets,” said Mike Rabil, co-founder and CEO of the Premier Lacrosse League. “Paul and I got our start in lacrosse playing for our town recreational team using our neighbor’s passed down equipment. Building high-quality, accessible youth lacrosse programming is core to our DNA and will fuel the next boom of lacrosse participation in the US. We can’t wait to get more sticks-in-hands alongside our partners nationwide.”

As part of PLL Play, the PLL has launched new partnerships with youth lacrosse organizations in each of its eight teams’ home markets, which will operate as PLL Junior programs, focused on expanding access to lacrosse at the recreational level. PLL Junior programs will have access to exclusive ticketing discounts, team experiences at PLL games, and trainings with PLL trained coaches and their teams’ pros.  

• Boston | Massachusetts Youth Lacrosse (MYL) 
• New York | Atlas Juniors Lacrosse
• Philadelphia | South Eastern Pennsylvania Lacrosse Association
• Maryland | The St James
• Carolina | Piedmont Community Lacrosse Association
• Denver | Arapahoe Youth League affiliates
• Utah | IMLAX
• California | Los Angeles Youth Lacrosse League

In addition to programs in PLL teams’ home cities, the PLL has partnered with Minnesota Athletic Club to expand community lacrosse programming across the state and region through PLL team branded sixes leagues and trainings, where youth lacrosse players across the region will represent their favorite PLL team. PLL Play will also work with, PLL Assists, a 501(c)(3) centered on expanding access to the sport through equipment grants, scholarships, and expanded clinic programs in historically marginalized communities. 

“Put simply, we want more people to play lacrosse – and we’re showcasing our commitment through grassroots resourcing, recreational programming, advanced training, and tournaments,” said Ashley Gersuk Murphy, SVP of Youth for the PLL. “As we introduce more kids to lacrosse and make the game more accessible, we believe that a fun-focused, experience oriented approach will build lifelong players and fans of the game.”

PLL Play will also operate the league’s newly added tournament portfolio through its acquisition of Summit Lacrosse Ventures, including the hallmark Lake Placid Summit Classic, going on its 35th year of operations, bringing together generations of mens and womens lacrosse players from across the country.

“We created the Lake Placid Summit Classic back in 1990 as a getaway lacrosse experience for families to experience and share in our love for our sport,” said George Leveille, founder of the Lake Placid Summit Classic. “To watch it expand over the last 34 years, and now to shepherd its next phase of growth, and expand experience-based tournaments like it nationwide, is a dream come true.”

PLL Academy will continue to operate its premium training programs – Rabil Overnight, Unleashed Overnight, Northstar Lacrosse, the PLL Junior Championships, as well as regional camps and clinics as part of PLL Play. PLL Academy is marked by direct training from PLL professionals across the country, in addition to the PLL’s eight home markets, and will expand through 2024 and beyond, following record revenue growth in 2023.

Organizations interested in partnering with PLL Play to bolster youth lacrosse programming should contact Kevin Leveille, VP of Youth Strategy at kleveille@premierlacrosseleague.com. To learn more about PLL Play and find a team near you, visit premierlacrosseleague.com/play.

About the Premier Lacrosse League
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster is a men’s professional lacrosse league in North America, composed of eight teams rostered by the best players in the world. Co-founded by lacrosse superstar, philanthropist, and investor Paul Rabil and his brother, serial entrepreneur and investor, Mike Rabil, the PLL is backed by an investment group composed of Joe Tsai Sports, The Chernin Group, Arctos Sports Partners, Brett Jefferson Holdings, The Raine Group, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), The Kraft Group, Bolt Capital and other top investors in sports and media. The PLL is distributed through an exclusive media rights agreement with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+. The PLL was named 2020 Sports Breakthrough by the Sports Business Journal, and recognized as a 2021 Best Employer in Sports by  Front Office Sports. For more on the league, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com and follow on social media: Instagram (@PLL), Twitter (@PremierLacrosse), Facebook (@PremierLacrosseLeague), YouTube (YouTube.com/PLL) and TikTok (@pll).