Tag Archives: nll

In Support of National Indigenous History Month in Canada NLL Launches ‘Every Child Matters’ Auction

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced its continued and expanded support for the “Every Child Matters” movement during National Indigenous History Month in Canada.

“Every Child Matters” is an initiative bringing awareness to the forcible placement of Indigenous children in residential and boarding schools by the Canadian and United States governments from the 19th century to as recently as 1996 in Canada so that these mistakes are not repeated.

Fans and anyone who wants to support the initiative can bid on team-signed merchandise from NLL teams starting today through Friday, June 30, 2023, at 5pm ET. To bid on the items, fans can visit https://www.nll.com/auctions.

All funds raised from the “Every Child Matters” auction will be split evenly between the NLL’s two non-profit partners, the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund in Canada, and the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition in the United States.

Available items range from team-signed “Every Child Matters” t-shirts to the Vancouver Warriors’ First Nations Night theme jersey.

The “Every Child Matters” logo was designed by Indigenous artist, Justin Gilbert of Kuvua Designs. The Warriors’ uniform, worn during its January 28th game against the Panther City Lacrosse Club, was designed by Heiltsuk artist, K.C. Hall.

The 2022-23 season marked the second consecutive year the NLL prominently featured the “Every Child Matters” movement across North America. For three weeks in January and February, every NLL team wore “Every Child Matters”-themed warmups and added a campaign-branded helmet decal for games. During halftime of each broadcasts, special segments ran discussing this topic and others relating to Indigenous populations across Canada and the United States.

Fans can still purchase “Every Child Matters” t-shirts through the NLL’s official online stores, NLLShop.com and NLLStore.ca powered by Fanatics. For every t-shirt sold, the NLL will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund and The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

About the National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Image Courtesy NLL/Vancouver Warriors

National Lacrosse League Announces Finalists for 2022-23 NLL Awards

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced the finalists for its annual season-end awards honoring the best players, coaches, and executives for the 2022-23 NLL season.

Reigning NLL Most Valuable Player, Buffalo Bandits forward Dhane Smith, looks to repeat against last year’s NLL Rookie of the Year, New York Riptide’s Jeff Teat, and Calgary Roughnecks’ standout goaltender, Christian Del Bianco.

All 11 award categories are based on 2022-23 regular season stats and performances, with voting taking place prior to the start of the 2023 NLL Playoffs. Voters ranked their choices from 1st through 5th place with those votes correlating with a point total (noted below). The top three vote getters for each award are listed as the finalists.

The winners will be announced next week leading into Game 1 of the NLL Finals.

Most Valuable Player
• Christian Del Bianco (Coquitlam, BC) – Goaltender – Calgary Roughnecks
• Dhane Smith (Kitchener, ON) – Forward – Buffalo Bandits
• Jeff Teat (Brampton, ON) – Forward – New York Riptide

Rookie of the Year
• Brett Dobson (Oshawa, ON) – Goaltender – Georgia Swarm
• Jonathan Donville (Oakville, ON) – Forward – Panther City Lacrosse Club
• Jack Hannah (Milford, OH) – Forward – Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Goaltender of the Year
• Christian Del Bianco (Coquitlam, BC) – Calgary Roughnecks
• Nick Rose (Orangeville, ON) – Toronto Rock
• Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, ON) – Buffalo Bandits

Transition Player of the Year
• Reid Bowering (Coquitlam, BC) – Vancouver Warriors
• Zach Currier (Peterborough, ON) – Calgary Roughnecks
• Challen Rogers (Coquitlam, BC) – Toronto Rock

Defensive Player of the Year
• Latrell Harris (St. Catharines, ON) – Toronto Rock
• Graeme Hossack (Port Perry, ON) – Halifax Thunderbirds
• Brad Kri (Acton, ON) – Toronto Rock

Sportsmanship Award
• Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, ON) – Buffalo Bandits
• Tom Schreiber (East Meadow, NY) – Toronto Rock
• Lyle Thompson (Onondaga Nation, NY) – Georgia Swarm

Teammate of the Year
• Kyle Buchanan (Nepean, ON) – Buffalo Bandits
• Dan Dawson (Oakville, ON) – Toronto Rock
• John LaFontaine (Whitby, ON) – Albany FireWolves

Les Bartley Award (Head Coach of the Year)
• Mike Hasen – Rochester Knighthawks
• Tracey Kelusky – Panther City Lacrosse Club
• Curt Malawsky – Calgary Roughnecks

General Manager of the Year
• Mike Board – Calgary Roughnecks
• Dan Carey – Rochester Knighthawks
• Jamie Dawick – Toronto Rock

Executive of the Year
• Melissa Blades – Director of Business Operations, Calgary Roughnecks
• Mark Fine – Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Desert Dogs
• Matt Hutchings – Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, KSE, Governor, Colorado Mammoth 

Tom Borrelli Award (Media Person of the Year)
• Pat Gregoire – TSN/Halifax Thunderbirds color commentator and co-host, “Off the CrosseBar” Podcast
• Teddy Jenner – TSN play-by-play and co-host, “Off the CrosseBar” Podcast
• Adam Levi – Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com contributing writer and host, “Lacrosse Matrix” Podcast

Each NLL team had the opportunity to nominate and vote for each of the awards with the exception of Teammate of the Year, as each NLLPA Player Representative nominated a player from their team for this honor that was voted on by the NLLPA and its 15 Player Representatives.

Once nominations were finalized, each NLL team casted three ballots for each award by three members of its organization. Select media were eligible to vote for all awards except Teammate of the Year and Executive of the Year with the same voting system.

Each ballot allowed voting members to select their top five choices for each award among all nominated persons. Points were distributed for each first through fifth place vote as follows:

• 1st Place – 10 points
• 2nd Place – 7 points
• 3rd Place – 5 points
• 4th Place – 3 points
• 5th Place – 1 point

The person that accumulated the most points will be announced as the winner while the top three are the finalists. The All-League and All-Rookie teams are determined by the top vote getters in each correlating award. The All-Rookie team will be made up of six rookies, regardless of position. The All-League First Team and All-League Second Team will be made up of six individuals per team. Each Team will consist of two forwards, one transition player, two defenseman, and one goaltender.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

TSN, TSN+ ESPN+ to Broadcast Every National Lacrosse League Conference Finals Beginning Thursday

National Lacrosse League (@NLL) broadcast partners TSN, TSN+ and ESPN+ will provide live coverage of every game of the best-of-three Conference Finals beginning with Thursday’s West Final Game 1 between Calgary and Colorado at Ball Arena in Denver (9:30 p.m. ET). This year’s format features Games 1 and 2 of both Conference Finals this weekend, followed by Game 3 next week, if necessary.

The broadcast teams for both Conference Final are as follows:

West Finals – (4) Colorado Mammoth vs. (2) Calgary Roughnecks
Game 1 – At Colorado, Thursday, May 11 @ 9:30 p.m. ET, Teddy Jenner, Brad Challoner, John Gallant
Game 2 – At Calgary, Saturday, May 13 @ 9:30 p.m. ET, Teddy Jenner, Brad Challoner, Shantelle Chand
*Game 3 – At Calgary, Saturday, May 20 @ 9:30 p.m. ET, Teddy Jenner, Brad Challoner, Shantelle Chand

East Finals – (2) Toronto Rock vs. (1) Buffalo Bandits
Game 1 – At Buffalo, Friday, May 12 @ 7:30 p.m. ET, Jon Abbott, Pat Gregoire, Ashley Docking
Game 2 – At Toronto, Saturday, May 13 @ 7 p.m. ET, Jon Abbott, Pat Gregoire, Ashley Docking
*Game 3 – At Buffalo, Saturday, May 20 @ 7:30 p.m. ET, Jon Abbott, Pat Gregoire, Ashley Docking

*If necessary

The East and West Conference champions will face off in the best-of-three NLL Finals, with broadcast information for that series to be announced. To view the 2023 NLL Playoffs bracket, visit https://www.nll.com/standings/.

National Lacrosse League Playoffs Begin Friday, May 5; Schedule Features Two Games on TSN and ESPNU

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) closed out its record-setting 2022-23 regular season in dramatic fashion yesterday, as the Halifax Thunderbirds defeated the Georgia Swarm, 17-11, to claim the final spot in the 2023 NLL Playoffs.

The Buffalo Bandits (14-4) and San Diego Seals (14-4) repeated as the East and West Conference regular season champions, respectively, and will have home floor advantage in next week’s single-elimination NLL Quarterfinals game. The Bandits earned the #1 overall seed by virtue of its win over Albany.

Each conference’s second seeds – the Toronto Rock (13-5, East) and Calgary Roughnecks (13-5, West) – will also host games next weekend.

This season’s playoff field features six teams from last year’s postseason, including the defending champion Colorado Mammoth (9-9). New this year are the Rochester Knighthawks (10-8) and Panther City Lacrosse Club (10-8).

TSN will carry two games: Toronto’s home tilt versus Halifax on Friday, May 5, at 7:30pm ET, and the Panther City-Calgary matchup on Saturday, May 6, at 9:30pm ET. ESPNU will also carry the Saturday playoff doubleheader starting with Buffalo hosting Rochester followed by the game at Calgary.

Here is the complete single-elimination NLL Quarterfinals broadcast schedule:
• Friday, May 5
– Halifax (E3) vs. Toronto (E2) at 7:30pm ET, TSN, TSN+, ESPN+
– Colorado (W4) vs. San Diego (W1) at 10pm ET, ESPN+, TSN+
• Saturday, May 6
– Rochester (E4) vs. Buffalo (E1) at 7pm ET, ESPNU, ESPN+, TSN+
– Panther City (W3) vs. Calgary (W2) at 9:30pm ET, TSN, TSN+, ESPNU, ESPN+

Next week’s winners advance to their respective best-of-three Conference Finals, with Games 1 and 2 scheduled for May 12-15, and any necessary Game 3 played between May 19-22. Conference champions will face off in the best-of-three NLL Finals starting the final weekend of May.

Exact dates and broadcast schedules for TSN and ESPN for the Conference Finals and NLL Finals rounds will be announced after the pairings and dates are set. To view the 2023 NLL Playoffs bracket, visit https://www.nll.com/standings/.

National Lacrosse Leagues Takes Home Pair of Cynopsis Sports Media Awards

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, is proud to announce that they were selected as winners in two unique categories at the 2023 Cynopsis Sports Media Awards Tuesday at the Edison Hotel in New York City where industry professionals gathered to recognize and celebrate the ever-evolving industry.

The NLL’s work with “Every Child Matters” won in the category of “Awareness Campaign For Social Good For A League,” while the NLL’s innovative approach to broadcast production was cited as “Most Innovative in Broadcast Production”.

“These two awards exemplify our parallel commitment to honoring the past while also building towards the future,” said Brett Frood, Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. “’Every Child Matters’ is at the core of our social responsibility platform and continues to grow as we work with our Indigenous athletes and communities to expand our connective efforts. The broadcast production award demonstrates our focus on delivering first class, technologically savvy broadcasts to millions across North America. It is humbling to receive this recognition by our peers in the industry as we continue our momentum into the playoffs.”

“It was an honor to be acknowledged by Cynopsis for the work we are doing on the broadcast front. What is most exciting about live sports production right now is the pace and evolution of technology,” added Joel Feld, Executive Vice President, Broadcast & Content for the NLL. “Being at the forefront of bringing these innovations to our fan base is our highest priority.”

“Every Child Matters” is a league-wide initiative that brings awareness to the forcible placement of Indigenous children in residential and boarding schools by the Canadian and United States governments from the 19th century to as late as 1996 in Canada. In the campaign’s second year, all 15 teams participated in the program.

On the broadcast side, the NLL’s remote production plan blends producers, directors, and broadcasters with cloud-based technologies and IP transmission, which allows the league to produce and deliver all its games for TSN, ESPN, team local partners, and several league operations platforms as efficiently and professionally as any major league. It is quickly becoming the standard in live sports broadcast production.

The two awards are the latest pieces of as the NLL heads toward its conclusion of a regular season which will see landmark attendance growth and increased viewership across the board. The NLL’s “March to May” concludes the weekend of April 29, with the playoffs to follow.

Photo Credit: John Harrison/NLL

NLL Begins ‘The March to May’ as Teams Vie for Eight Playoff Spots in Season’s Final Weeks

With its teams battling for playoff berths and seeds in the remaining weeks of the regular season, “The March to May” is on in the National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league. Every matchup down the stretch will influence the eight-team NLL Playoffs that begin May 5-7.

“The March to May” begins with every NLL team in action during an eight-game slate this weekend, including seven contests on Saturday. The new campaign will be incorporated across all NLL channels, including broadcasts, NLL.com, social networks, and in-venue by all teams to promote their remaining regular season contests and push towards the playoffs.

“’The March to May’ clearly defines how the run up to the NLL Playoffs is an exciting time for fans, players, teams, and league partners as we collectively march towards the postseason played through the month of May,” said Kurt Hunzeker, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations. “The campaign easily communicates the importance of every game as teams pursue the ultimate prize, the NLL Championship.”

As previously announced, the 2023 NLL Playoffs format will again feature the top four teams from the East Conference and top three from the West Conference, plus a “wild card” entry with the best record between the fourth-place team in the West standings and the fifth-place finisher in the East. This “wild card” will play in the West Conference side of the bracket as the fourth seed. The unique qualifying format gives fans in nearly every NLL market a chance to earn a spot in the postseason tournament.

Last year, the final week of the regular season featured 32 possible playoff seeding and qualifying combinations, and the final NLL Playoffs bracket wasn’t settled until the final game of the regular season was completed.

The first round will be single elimination, while the East and West Conference Finals and NLL Finals will each be a best-of-three series. Game 1 and 2 of the NLL Finals will be played during Memorial Day Weekend, while Game 3 of the NLL Finals, if necessary, is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4. The complete broadcast TSN and ESPN broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.

NLL Announces League-Wide Activation for ‘Every Child Matters’ Initiative

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced its expanded support and awareness schedule for “Every Child Matters.” It is a league-wide initiative that brings awareness to the forcible placement of Indigenous children in residential and boarding schools by the Canadian and United States governments from the 19th century to as late as 1996 in Canada.

In the campaign’s second year, all 15 teams will participate in the program, which will run from Week 9 (Jan. 23-29) through Week 11 (Feb. 6-12) of the 2022-2023 season. Then for the remainder of the season, players will wear specially designed helmet decals supporting “Every Child Matters.”

All 15 NLL teams will be involved, either as host or as a road participant, with a planned home activity later in the season for some teams. Players will sport the NLL’s “Every Child Matters” logo on a specially designed warmup shirt, along with the helmet decal. The league will also produce audio and video messaging for broadcasts on TSN and ESPN. Additional content will be incorporated into NLL.com and league social channels, as well as into game presentations.

“Our continued work with Indigenous athletes and communities is a major priority for the National Lacrosse League, and the ‘Every Child Matters’ education process and activations are key components of that platform,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “This program presents an opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations about the atrocities perpetrated by the residential and boarding school systems, continue the journey toward reconciliation, and honor survivors and their families.”

The “Every Child Matters” initiative is a part of the league’s ever-growing participation and awareness programs tied to Indigenous culture, which is at the core of the league’s values and the history of the sport of lacrosse. The work includes educational programs for athletes, coaches, staff and fans, land acknowledgment ceremonies, and charitable and social responsibility programs to strengthen and enhance the ties between league stakeholders and the Indigenous community.

Several NLL teams played games and conducted youth programs on Indigenous reservations earlier this season, with Philadelphia facing off against Georgia on Nov. 26 at Tsha’ Thoñ’nhes (Where They Play Ball) Arena at Onondaga Nation. Meanwhile, Las Vegas, San Diego and Halifax played a mini tournament in Akwesasne at the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena (colloquially called the Turtle Dome). This was the first of more in-person events ranging from clinics to other happenings that are currently in the planning stages and will be announced later in the season.

For “Every Child Matters,” the league created a new logo for this season with designer Justin Gilbert of Kuvua Designs. Justin was selected due to his work in support of Indigenous organizations and his connection to the cause, being born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation. The logo contains the silhouette of an Indigenous child wearing a ribbon shirt and holding a traditional wooden lacrosse stick. The text “Every Child Matters” appears next to the image with a heart and feather.

“In this logo, I wanted to celebrate the culture we as Native Americans endured to keep. Since there are so many tribes that were affected by residential schools, my goal was to represent the vast collective of tribes who were affected,” Gilbert said.

Fans will be able to purchase cotton shirts through the league’s online stores, NLLShop.com and NLLStore.ca. For every shirt sold, the NLL will donate to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund in Canada and The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition in the United States.

“With support from third-party fundraisers like the National Lacrosse League, we are reaching even more people throughout Canada, building cultural understanding, and creating a path to-ward reconciliation,” said Sarah Midanik, CEO and President of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. “Thank you for answering Gord’s call to ‘Do Something’ to improve relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.”

“We are grateful for the National Lacrosse League’s willingness to partner with us and use its platform to bring awareness to the atrocities forced upon Indigenous children, families and sovereign nations across Canada and the United States,” added Deborah Parker (Tulalip), CEO of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. “As we continue to work with boarding school survivors, educate the public, and advocate for policies that promote truth, justice and healing, partnerships like this will make our work more impactful.“

National Lacrosse League, San Diego Seals Announce First-Ever Outdoor NLL Game March 4

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, and the San Diego Seals today announced that the Seals’ March 4th game against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs will be staged outside at San Diego’s new Snapdragon Stadium, the first regular season outdoor game in the history of the NLL. The game will be played at 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PT and will be distributed live on ESPN+, TSN.ca and the TSN app. Additionally, the game will re-air the same day on ESPNU at 11:00 pm ET/8:00 pm PT.

“Our goal for the NLL and for the sport of lacrosse is to continue to increase awareness, enthusiasm and enterprise value well beyond where it exists today. This epic setting gives us another unique opportunity to showcase our world class athletes and on-field product, and not only engage with our core audience but attract diverse sports’ fans in search of new entertainment passions,” said Brett Frood, NLL Commissioner. “We are looking forward to working with the Seals and all our supporters in Southern California to making this an event to remember.”

“The Seals have been working on this event for a long time now, and we’re very excited to see this idea come to life. It’s crazy that in the 36-year history of the league this has never been done before,” said Seals President Steve Govett. “We can’t wait to build our box on the field of Snapdragon and play in the San Diego sunshine. Let’s take this outside!”

“We’re honored to host the Seals first ever outdoor NLL game,” added Adam Millar, General Manager of Snapdragon Stadium. “Looking forward to seeing another amazing San Diego team out on our field, and excited to welcome a whole new set of fans to the stadium!”

In addition to the Seals-Desert Dogs game on Saturday, Snapdragon Stadium will also be hosting an NCAA Women’s lacrosse tournament with two games on Friday and two on Sunday. Teams include: San Diego State University, Stanford University, Kent State University, and UC Davis.

This will be a weekend celebration of lacrosse in San Diego that lacrosse fans around southern California will not want to miss. Broadcast talent and other events connected to the game will be announced in the coming weeks.

Snapdragon Stadium will be scaled for 10,100 seats for the special event. A limited number of tickets for the Snapdragon Showdown are now available at SealsLax.com. If you are interested in a group outing for game, please contact the Seals at 619-375-3755 or email [email protected].

The Seals will open their home season this Friday against the Saskatchewan Rush at 7:00 pm at Pechanga Arena, available to watch on ESPN+, TSN.ca and the TSN app.

National Lacrosse League Announces Playoff Format and Playoff Schedule For 2022-23 Season

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, today announced its eight-team playoff format for the 2022-23 season. The format will again feature the top four teams from the East Conference and top three from the West Conference, plus a “wild card” entry with the best record between the fourth-place team in the West standings and the fifth-place finisher in the East. This “wild card” will play in the West Conference side of the bracket as the fourth seed.

The first round of the 2023 NLL Playoffs, beginning the weekend of May 5-7, will be single elimination, while the Conference Finals and NLL Finals will each be a best-of-three series. Game 1 and 2 of the NLL Finals will be played during Memorial Day Weekend, while Game 3 of the NLL Finals, if necessary, is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4.

“The NLL will have a regular season that every fan and every team in any sport desires, one where every regular season game will have meaning and relevance, “said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “We saw last year how the new playoff system drove interest and excitement down the stretch and are confident that this format will again maintain that season-long momentum, with the intensity reaching a crescendo with our playoffs.”

The full NLL regular season schedule, which begins this Friday when the Philadelphia Wings take on the Halifax Thunderbirds on TSN, ESPNews and ESPN+ at 6pm ET, is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/. All games will be carried on ESPN+, TSN.ca and the TSN app.

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

National Lacrosse League, ESPN Announce 2022-23 Linear Broadcast Schedule

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, and ESPN today announced the schedule of 10 regular season games to be broadcast on its linear networks during the upcoming 2022-23 season. The slate, which will feature games on ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews, begins with a matchup between Philadelphia and Halifax on Friday, December 2, on Face Off Weekend. On Friday, December 16, ESPN2 will showcase the Las Vegas Desert Dogs in their inaugural home game when they face Panther City at 10:30 p.m. ET.

“Our expanded relationship with ESPN continues to provide added exposure for our teams and our athletes across all platforms, which will again help expose not just the NLL, but the sport of lacrosse to a larger audience of fans throughout the winter and spring,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “This schedule, along with our larger schedule on TSN across Canada, will keep helping us raising the bar, and the enterprise value, for all. We can’t wait to get the season started.”

The ESPN TV schedule is as follows (all times ET, schedule subject to change):

· Friday, December 2, Philadelphia at Halifax, 6 p.m., ESPNews
· Friday, December 16, Panther City at Las Vegas, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2
· Friday, January 6, Philadelphia at Las Vegas 10:30 p.m., ESPNews
· Saturday, January 7, Calgary at Colorado, 10 p.m., ESPNU
· Saturday, March 25, Buffalo at San Diego, 10 p.m., ESPNews
· Friday, March 31, New York at Georgia, 7 p.m., ESPNews
· Saturday, April 1, Buffalo at Toronto, 7 p.m., ESPNU
· Friday, April 14, San Diego at Colorado, 9 p.m., ESPNU
· Saturday, April 22, Toronto at Buffalo, 8 p.m., ESPNU
· Saturday, April 29, TBA, TBA, ESPNU

Other highlights of the ESPN linear broadcasts include:

· American born, Joe Resetarits (Hamburg, NY) and his new team, the Philadelphia Wings open the season at Halifax, December 2 on ESPNews. Resetarits holds the record for most points scored in a single season by an American with 111 which he set last season with the Albany FireWolves. He was also tied for the league lead in goals with 47 a year ago.
· The 2022 NLL Champion Colorado Mammoth raise their championship banner in their first home game on January 7 on ESPNU against the Calgary Roughnecks who they defeated in the quarterfinals on their way to the championship.
· The Buffalo Bandits travel to San Diego for an East/West showdown, March 25 on ESPNews.
· Reigning Rookie of the Year, Jeff Teat and the New York Riptide, take on 2017 MVP, Lyle Thompson and the Georgia Swarm, on March 31.
· A rematch of last season’s thrilling East Conference Finals between Buffalo and Toronto on April 1 on ESPNU, is also being featured as the NLL Game of the Week on TSN for Canadian viewers. These two teams will also play on April 22.
· Seals’ free agent acquisitions Curtis Dickson and Kevin Crowley will play the Colorado Mammoth on April 14 on ESPNU in what could decide the top seed in the West Conference.

The NLL has also announced the two broadcast teams for the season. Back on the call will be play-by-play voice Brendan Glasheen (@BrendanGlasheen) and analyst Mitch Belisle (@MBelisle85). The second broadcast team will be Cooper Perkins on play-by-play and Nick Ossello on color. Devan Kaney and Tabitha Turner return to report between the benches.

For the second straight year, all NLL regular season games will be distributed on ESPN+, the largest number of live televised games in the history of the league.

The full NLL regular season schedule is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

National Lacrosse League, TSN Announce 2022-23 ‘NLL Game of The Week on TSN’ Schedule

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league, and TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, today revealed the schedule of the “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” broadcasts on its linear channels for the upcoming 2022-23 regular season. The slate of 20 marquee matchups begins with Philadelphia at Halifax (Friday, December 2, 6 p.m. ET) and Vancouver at Toronto (Saturday, December 3, 5 p.m. ET) during Face Off Weekend next month. In addition to the NLL Game of the Week broadcasts, TSN will continue to provide live streaming coverage of every game of the NLL regular season and postseason for fans across Canada on TSN’s digital platforms, TSN.ca and the TSN app.

Each of the five Canada-based franchises will make numerous appearances on the “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” schedule, and all 20 games will be played on the home floor of one of the Canadian teams. Eight of the games will feature two Canadian teams and 12 will pit a U.S. based club vs. a Canadian side. Eight of the 10 U.S. franchises are scheduled to appear.

“Reaction to last year’s NLL Game of the Week on TSN broadcasts was tremendous, and we’re pleased to again partner with TSN to provide a stellar lineup of games, starting with Face Off Weekend,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “In addition to showcasing the tremendous home venues and passionate fan bases of our five Canadian clubs, we are excited to present the game’s most intense rivalries and a cross-section of the league’s top talent to our audiences throughout the country.”

The NLL and TSN have also announced the broadcast teams for this season. Back on the call will be Jon Abbott, Pat Gregoire and Ashley Docking on most of the eastern based games, while the team of Teddy Jenner, Brad Challoner and Shantelle Chand will handle the majority of the western games.

The “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” schedule is as follows and is available on the NLL and TSN official websites (schedule subject to change, all times ET).

• Friday, December 2, Philadelphia @ Halifax, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, December 3, Vancouver @ Toronto, 5 p.m.
• Saturday, December 10, Vancouver @ Calgary, 9:30 p.m.
• Friday, December 16, Calgary @ Vancouver, 10 p.m.
• Friday, December 30, San Diego @ Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Friday, January 13, Albany @ Halifax, 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, January 28, Toronto @ Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Saturday, February 4, New York @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, February 4, Saskatchewan @ Vancouver, 10 p.m.
• Friday, February 10, Saskatchewan @ Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Friday February 17, Calgary @ Vancouver, 10 p.m.
• Saturday February 25, Vancouver @ Saskatchewan, 8 p.m.
• Friday, March 3, Buffalo @ Halifax, 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 11, Albany @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 1, Buffalo @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 8, Panther City @ Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Friday, April 14, Las Vegas @ Calgary, 9 p.m.
• Saturday, April 15, Philadelphia @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 22, New York @ Halifax OR Colorado @ Saskatchewan, (TBD Flex) 
• Saturday, April 29, New York @ Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Other highlights of the 2022-23 NLL Game of the Week on TSN schedule include:
• Long-time Roughneck Curtis Dickson will make his anticipated return to Calgary on December 30 after leaving in free agency this offseason for San Diego.
• A Saturday doubleheader will see several of the best stars in the NLL play all in the same day on February 4 as 2022 NLL Rookie of the Year Jeff Teat and the Riptide will play Tom Schreiber and the Rock. Following that game, Mark Matthews and the Rush will take on Keegan Bal and the Warriors.
• In a rematch from last season’s thrilling East Conference Finals, the Bandits will play the Rock on April 1 in what could decide the top spot in the conference as the league enters the last month of the regular season.
• The NLL’s 15th and newest franchise playing in their inaugural season, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, will play in front of a national Canadian audience against the Roughnecks on April 14.

The full NLL regular season schedule is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

National Lacrosse League Announces 2022-23 Schedule; Face Off Weekend Set for December 2-3

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) today announced the largest schedule in its history – 135 games – as the 2022-23 regular season gets underway with Face Off Weekend on December 2-3, 2022. The NLL’s 36th year opens with six games, three matchups in Canada and three in the U.S., as part of a 22-week schedule through April 29. Fans can view the entire slate at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

Face Off Weekend will include two TSN Game of the Week contests on Friday, December 2 (Philadelphia Wings at Halifax Thunderbirds, 6 p.m. ET) and Saturday, December 3 (Vancouver Warriors at Toronto Rock, 5 p.m. ET). All 135 games during the regular season are available on ESPN+ and through TSN’s platforms, including TSN.ca and the TSN app. The complete national broadcast schedules for TSN and ESPN and the League’s playoff schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Our fans have been eagerly anticipating Face Off Weekend since our sensational Final’s series capped an incredible season and playoffs in the spring,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “We expect that the passionate fan bases at the six venues opening the 2022-23 regular season will pillar momentum for the rest of the year, and the broad reach of TSN and ESPN ensures that fans across North America can join in the celebration.”

The Las Vegas Desert Dogs, the NLL’s 15th and newest franchise, open Week 2 at Panther City, and will play their inaugural home game on Friday, December 16, at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The game at Las Vegas will be televised on ESPN2 at 10:30pm ET. The defending champion Colorado Mammoth will hoist their 2022 NLL Championship banner on Saturday, January 7, 2023, against the Calgary Roughnecks.

Some other highlights of the 2022-23 NLL schedule include:
• Four other Face Off Weekend games will be contested on December 3, including the Albany FireWolves at Buffalo Bandits, San Diego Seals at New York Riptide, Rochester Knighthawks at Georgia Swarm and defending champion Colorado Mammoth at Saskatchewan Rush
• Each team will play 18 games (nine home and nine away) over the 22 weeks
• There are five weeks in which all 15 NLL teams will be in action (Week 9, Jan. 27-28; Week 10, Feb. 3-4; Week 16, March 17-19; Week 17, March 24-25, Week 18, March 31-April 2

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

ESPN, TSN To Provide Most Extensive Coverage of National Lacrosse League Entry Draft

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) today announced the broadcast coverage plan for the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, which will be held on Saturday, September 10 beginning at 2 p.m. ET at the historic The Carlu in downtown Toronto. This year’s first round will be available for the first time on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and ESPN+ in the United States, with additional rounds covered in real time on NLL social channels. It marks the most extensive live coverage of the NLL Draft in the league’s history.

“We are proud to be able to work with our North American broadcast partners ESPN and TSN to be able to provide in-depth, wide ranging coverage of the 2022 NLL Draft for the first time,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood, who officially assumes the fulltime position September 1. “Being able to showcase the personalities of these elite athletes on such a special day to a passionate and engaged fan base is essential to the continued growth of the league and sport. We look forward to utilizing the draft as a catapult to foster authentic and meaningful connections between our players, teams, fans and communities throughout the 2022-23 season and beyond.”

The 2022 NLL Draft coverage will be hosted by Devan Kaney with TSN’s Teddy Jenner and Pat Gregoire providing analysis. TSN’s Ashley Docking will report from the floor of the Draft adding analysis and interviews with the decision makers, influencers and prospects and their families in attendance. The live broadcast starts at 2 p.m. ET and will include a 10-minute pre-show prior to the first pick. Following the conclusion of Round 1 (23 picks), continuing coverage of Rounds 2-6 will be published, in real time, on the league’s social media channels with supporting video.

The Draft will be open to the public, free of charge, with initial seating for up to 200 at The Carlu. More seats may become available as the draft nears. Fans interested in attending can reserve their seat by registering at this link. The NLL Entry Draft was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 following a two-year run at Philadelphia’s Xfinify Live! in 2018 and 2019.

Media who are interested in attending should fill out this form to request a credential.

The Rochester Knighthawks will make the first overall selection in the draft followed by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs making their inaugural selection.

The full first round NLL Entry Draft order, as of August 30, pending pre-Draft transactions, is as follows:

1. Rochester (from Las Vegas)
2. Las Vegas (from Rochester)
3. Vancouver
4. Albany (from New York)
5. Panther City
6. Saskatchewan
7. Albany (from Georgia)
8. New York (from Philadelphia via Albany)
9. Panther City (from Albany via Halifax)
10. Calgary
11. Georgia (from San Diego)
12. Halifax
13. Buffalo (from Toronto)
14. Buffalo
15. Colorado
16. Las Vegas (additional compensatory selection)
17. Albany (compensatory selection)
18. Las Vegas (from Calgary) (compensatory selection)
19. Buffalo (compensatory selection)
20. Georgia (compensatory selection)
21. Panther City (from Albany) (compensatory selection)
22. San Diego (compensatory selection)
23. Philadelphia (from Saskatchewan) (compensatory selection)

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

National Lacrosse League Announces Information For 2022 Entry Draft

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced that the 2022 NLL Entry Draft will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 2 p.m. ET at the historic The Carlu in downtown Toronto.

Information about live broadcast coverage and details surrounding how fans can consume the 2022 NLL Draft on social media will be announced at a later date. The Draft will be open to the public, free of charge, with seating for 400 at The Carlu.

After a blockbuster trade following the 2022 Expansion Draft, the Rochester Knighthawks will make the first overall selection in the draft followed by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs making their inaugural selection. Vancouver, New York, and Panther City will make the following picks, respectively.

The full first round NLL Entry Draft order, as of August 23, pending pre-Draft transactions, is as follows:

  1. Rochester (from Las Vegas)
  2. Las Vegas (from Rochester)
  3. Vancouver
  4. New York
  5. Panther City
  6. Saskatchewan
  7. Georgia
  8. Albany (from Philadelphia)
  9. Halifax (from Albany)
  10. Calgary
  11. Georgia (from San Diego)
  12. Halifax
  13. Buffalo (from Toronto)
  14. Buffalo
  15. Colorado
  16. Las Vegas (additional compensatory selection)
  17. Albany (compensatory selection)
  18. Las Vegas (from Calgary) (compensatory selection)
  19. Buffalo (compensatory selection)
  20. Georgia (compensatory selection)
  21. Panther City (from Albany) (compensatory selection)
  22. San Diego (compensatory selection)
  23. Philadelphia (from Saskatchewan) (compensatory selection)

The NLL Entry Draft was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 following a two-year run at Philadelphia’s Xfinify Live! in 2018 and 2019. Draft eligibility requirements are available at https://www.nll.com/combine/draft-eligibility/.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Brett Frood Named Commissioner of National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the top professional indoor lacrosse league in North America, today named Brett Frood as Commissioner. Frood joins the NLL from Stewart-Haas Racing, where he has served as President of the NASCAR team since its inception in 2008, leading all business initiatives for the championship-winning organization co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas. Frood, who will begin his new role on September 1, becomes just the fifth Commissioner for the NLL since its relaunch in 1997. CAA Executive Search assisted the NLL Board of Governors in the search process.

“Brett Frood has known success at every turn of his career, from playing lacrosse at a championship level at Brown to building out one of the most successful properties in sports at Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Matt Hutchings, COO and EVP at Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, owner of the NLL Champion Colorado Mammoth, speaking as Chairman of the NLL Board of Governors. “That combination is both unique and perfect to lead the National Lacrosse League in the accelerated growth period that we are currently in and will now continue and expand under his leadership.”

“I am humbled and energized to be able to work alongside a group of motivated and sophisticated owners and organizations to continue to cultivate the best product in professional sports,” Frood explained. “The NLL provides such a unique opportunity to marry my professional and personal passions and grow enterprise value amongst all its constituents.”

“We conducted a thorough search process and spent time with an extremely deep pool of candidates from multiple areas of our industry,” said Erik Baker, Board member of New York Riptide owner GF Sports and Entertainment, and Jamie Dawick, owner of the Toronto Rock, co-chairs of the search committee of the NLL Board of Governors. “Brett is everything we were looking for. He brings an amazing track record of business success, a passion and deep understanding of lacrosse and a clear vision of where we want to go as a league. He will be the perfect leader for the NLL and a welcome difference maker in taking the sport of lacrosse to the next level.”

A native of Elbridge, N.Y., Frood played lacrosse at his undergraduate alma mater, Brown University, where he was a multi-year starter, team captain, Final Four member, and two-time Ivy League Champion at Attack/Midfield for the Bears. He also led the team in scoring his senior season.

Frood joined Stewart, the championship-winning INDYCAR and NASCAR driver, 18 years ago after graduating from Harvard Business School to manage and expand all of Stewart’s business interests, including, but not limited to, Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, Tony Stewart Racing, The Tony Stewart Foundation, the introduction of Tony Stewart’s Original food line, the All-Star Circuit of Champions, and the 2021 launch of Superstar Racing Experience, a primetime racing series airing on CBS.

As President of Stewart-Haas Racing, Frood managed all aspects of the racing and commercial operations of the $100M+ enterprise that won two NASCAR Cup Series championships (2011 and 2014) and a NASCAR Xfinity Series title (2018) while totaling more than 90 victories. During his tenure at Stewart-Haas Racing, Frood led an organization with 350 employees and negotiated over $600 million in corporate partnerships. He also represented Stewart-Haas Racing on the Race Team Alliance, an organization consisting of all NASCAR Cup Series teams with the goal of promoting, marketing and expanding commercial opportunities of the teams and drivers as well as working with NASCAR in the collective growth of the industry.

Prior to business school, Frood worked in equity capital markets on Wall Street and pursued entrepreneurial interests in Europe before enrolling at Harvard Business School. During his time at business school, he was the Co-President of the Business of Sports Club and a marketing intern for the New York City Olympic Organizing Committee, which attempted to bring the 2012 Summer Olympic Games to New York, in 2003.

Brett has continued his involvement in lacrosse, where he has been a youth lacrosse coach since 2010, while also coaching the Cannon School Varsity team, the 2022 NCISAA Division I State Champion in North Carolina. He is also the Head Coach and College Recruiting Director for the Carolina Miner’s 2024 Boys Elite Team.

Frood was a 2012 Forty Under 40 honoree by The Sports Business Journal, and currently lives in Davidson, N.C., with his wife Robin, and their children, Cole, Quinn and Charlotte.

Colorado Mammoth Edges Buffalo Bandits, 10-8, To Win NLL Cup

Zed Williams scored four goals, Chris Wardle added five assists and Dillon Ward recorded 55 saves in net as the visiting Colorado Mammoth took the decisive Game 3 of the National Lacrosse League Finals, 10-8, to claim the NLL Cup in front of a sellout crowd of 19,070 at KeyBank Arena and nationwide television audiences in the U.S and Canada on ESPNU, ESPN+ and TSN on Saturday night. For his efforts, Ward was named NLL Finals MVP.

With the triumph, Colorado claims its third NLL title, winning the series, two games to one; the franchise also won NLL championships in 1987 (when located in Baltimore) and 2006.

Colorado took the lead for good in the second quarter, erasing a 3-2 deficit with five goals in the period by five different scorers (Brett McIntyre, Sam Firth, Dylan Kinnear, Tyson Gibson and Anthony Joaquin) for a 7-5 halftime advantage. After Buffalo tied the game on a power play tally by Chris Cloutier for the only marker of the third period and a goal by Connor Fields in the first 30 seconds of the fourth, consecutive goals by Williams and Wardle re-established the two-goal lead for Colorado. Williams tossed in an empty-netter with 26 seconds left before Kyle Buchanan’s blast with seven ticks remaining provided the final margin.

Buffalo, the overall No. 1 seed at 14-4 during the regular season, got three goals from Buchanan and three assists from Josh Byrne. Matt Vinc made 29 saves in defeat.

With the announced sellout crowd, the overall attendance for the Finals totals a cumulative record of 42,246. The three game Finals average of 14,475 is second only to 16,393 for the 2019 Finals between Calgary and Buffalo, and surpasses the average 14,052 from the two game Finals in 2016 between Saskatchewan and Buffalo.

Colorado, which finished 10-8 in the regular season, qualified for the NLL Playoffs as the No. 3 West seed. They proceeded to win at No. 2 West Calgary in the first round, upended the top West seed San Diego, 2-1 in the best-of-three West Conference Finals, then after dropping the first game of the NLL Finals won the last two to take the crown.

The decisive third game marked the third time since 2014 that the NLL Finals have gone the distance, and the first time that two U.S. based clubs met in the Finals since 2013 (Rochester d. Washington, 11-10 in a single-game Finals).

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Las Vegas Desert Dogs to Select 14 Players In Expansion Draft July 7

As the club prepares for its inaugural NLL season, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs will take the first major step in building their roster via the league’s Expansion Draft. General Manager and Head Coach Shawn Williams will oversee the team’s 14 selections from among the available players not protected by the other 14 NLL teams. The Desert Dogs’ selections will be announced July 7.

The league’s 14 other franchises must submit their respective lists of protected players by Thursday, June 23 by 12pm ET. No team can lose more than one player via the Expansion Draft.

“The Expansion Draft will not only help in stocking the Las Vegas Desert Dogs with exciting, talented players from among the deep reserves of the best lacrosse stars in the world, but it will also serve as a further introduction of the new, vibrant franchise to the lacrosse community,” said Brian Lemon, NLL Executive VP, Lacrosse Operations. “We know from the experience of last year’s Panther City Lacrosse Club Expansion Draft that there are many outstanding players in the NLL that a team can quickly become a contender through these selections even in its first year.”

Additional ways for Las Vegas to build its roster prior to its inaugural game this fall include, signing free agents starting on August 1st, the NLL Entry Draft, and player trades with other teams.

For the latest scores and developments about the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information visit NLL.com.

National Lacrosse League, USA Lacrosse Announce Strategic Partnership

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, and USA Lacrosse, the governing body for lacrosse in the United States, today have announced a strategic partnership agreement to unify efforts to help the sport grow with a specific focus on box lacrosse.

“We’re committed to expanding our presence in the box game and this agreement is a significant step in that direction,” said Marc Riccio, president and CEO of USA Lacrosse. “We’ve enjoyed a long and healthy relationship with the NLL over the years. This new agreement formalizes that relationship and helps us align our efforts to ensure that we’re maximizing our value to the lacrosse community.”

“This partnership will help expand the scope and breath of every level of lacrosse and introduce thousands of people to the stories and skills of our athletes,” said Matt Hutchings, Chairman of the NLL Board of Governors and COO and EVP at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment “We want to thank Marc and his team for helping spearhead this partnership and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.’

Using its expertise in the box game, the NLL will assist USA Lacrosse in developing box coaches and officials by supplementing the curriculum in USA Lacrosse coach and official development programs with box-specific content. The league will also provide its coaches and players to present at the annual USA Lacrosse National Convention.

The two entities will also explore options related to talent identification and player development with the goal of expanding the player pool for U.S. national teams and increasing the number of Americans positioned to play in the NLL including opportunities such as the National Collegiate Box Series.

Diversity and inclusion initiatives are a central part of the agreement. The league will collaborate with NLL Indigenous athletes and the USA Lacrosse Native American Advisory Council to create ongoing historical and cultural Native resources. The NLL will also support additional USA Lacrosse efforts in diversity and inclusion, such as the “We Stand Initiative” and incorporate elements of the USA Lacrosse cultural competency course into its player and staff education program. The league will also look for opportunities to engage with USA Lacrosse Urban Lacrosse Alliance programs that are located in NLL home markets.

The agreement includes the opportunity for USA Lacrosse members to have access to discounted tickets from their local NLL franchises. That’s part of a robust effort between the NLL and USA Lacrosse to share marketing platforms and assets to generate additional interest in box lacrosse.

Under the agreement, USA Lacrosse will align its playing rules for box lacrosse to NLL rules as closely as reasonably feasible, with the mutual understanding that modifications to USA Lacrosse rules will be necessary due to varying facility requirements, age-appropriate development, player safety, and equipment. The two entities will evaluate potential rule changes on an annual basis.

National Lacrosse League Playoff Pairings, Schedule Set As Buffalo, San Diego Win Conference Titles

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) regular season is complete, with Saturday’s results completing the expanded playoff format as eight teams have advanced to the NLL “Chase for the Championship,” beginning on Friday, May 6. Buffalo (14-4) and San Diego (10-8) are the East and West Conference regular season champions, respectively, and will have home floor advantage in Quarterfinal single-elimination games, along with Conference runners-up Toronto (13-5, East) and Calgary (10-8, West).

In the new NLL postseason format, the top four teams in the East (Buffalo, Toronto, Halifax, Albany) and top three in the West (San Diego, Calgary, Colorado) and one wild card team (Philadelphia) qualified. The Wings’ thrilling 11-10 victory in OT over Georgia last night gave them the final slot over the Swarm. Albany also secured its berth with a win over New York.

The Quarterfinal matchups are as follows:

(E3) Halifax at (E2) Toronto, Friday, May 6, 7:30 p.m. ET, Sports Interaction Game of the Week on TSN, ESPN+
(W3) Colorado at (W2) Calgary, Friday, May 6, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca, Altitude
(E4) Albany at (E1) Buffalo, Saturday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca
(WC) Philadelphia at (W1) San Diego, Saturday, May 7, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN.ca, WPSG, FOX5

The Quarterfinal winners will meet in best-of-three Conference Finals: the first games are set for May 12-16), with Game 2 (May 19-23) and Game 3 (if necessary, May 26-30) set to close out the month (dates subject to change). The best-of-three NLL Finals will take place June 2-6, June 9-13, and June 16-20 (if necessary). Exact dates and broadcast schedules for media partners TSN and ESPN for the Conference Finals and NLL Finals rounds will be announced once the pairings and dates are set.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

New Las Vegas Lacrosse Team Named ‘Desert Dogs’

The National Lacrosse League’s (“NLL”) 15th expansion team, located in Las Vegas, announced that the team will be known as the “Las Vegas Desert Dogs.” The Desert Dogs will begin their first season in December 2022, and the team will play home games at Michelob ULTRA Arena located inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

The team’s ownership group includes Wayne Gretzky, Dustin Johnson, Steve Nash and Joe Tsai – and oversaw a comprehensive naming process dating back to the franchise’s official introduction in June 2021. The team considered over 2,000 fan submissions and conducted surveys throughout Las Vegas to identify Desert Dogs as the name and brand that would best represent the local community.

“We could not be more excited to officially introduce the Desert Dogs to Las Vegas,” said Mark Fine, CEO of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. “We are so appreciative of this community’s support and patience as we prepared our name announcement. The ‘Desert Dog’ represents all that Las Vegas Lacrosse embodies – scrappy and cunning, friendly but fierce, and powerful alone but unstoppable as a pack. We aspire to create an environment here for lacrosse to thrive, and everyone involved in the Desert Dogs organization – whether it’s our owners, players, front office, business staff or supporters – will play an integral part in making that mission a reality.”

The team will begin assembling players in July when the NLL holds its 2022 expansion draft. The franchise will add additional players in August during the league’s entry draft before holding its first training camp in November.

Fans interested in learning more about season tickets can visit LasVegasDesertDogs.com or by calling 702-818-DOGS.

Shawn Williams, one of the most accomplished players in NLL history, has been selected to lead the Las Vegas Desert Dogs as the franchise’s first General Manager and Head Coach.

Williams brings a wealth of experience to Las Vegas, having played 17 seasons in the NLL from 1998-2014 before being inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame as a first ballot honoree in 2021. The Scarborough, Ontario native ranks eighth all-time in NLL points scored, seventh in assists, and ninth in games played. Williams made the transition to coaching in 2015 as a Scout for the Buffalo Bandits before becoming an Assistant Coach / Offensive Coordinator with the Colorado Mammoth from 2018-20.

“I want to thank our owners for entrusting me to lead this franchise and introduce the game of box lacrosse to the great fans of Las Vegas,” said Williams, “and I want to build a team and culture of excellence that this city will be proud of. Desert Dogs lacrosse will be gritty, hard-working, and community-first. We will bring the best players in the world to Las Vegas to become engaged members of this community who are committed to growing the game. My wife, Tamara, and I can’t wait to move our family here and experience all that Las Vegas has to offer.”

In the coming months, Williams will lead the launch of a local and regional camps and clinics program to support the growth of youth lacrosse in Las Vegas, Southern Nevada, and the Pacific Southwest.