Rabil's Premier Lacrosse League Debuts With Cautious Optimism

Paul Rabil's Premier Lacrosse League officially debuts Saturday and Sunday at Gillette Stadium, with games "airing all summer long on NBC." The PLL "poached many of MLL’s greatest players and are pursuing a totally new approach to teams," and Rabil "knows he's up against a lot." But with the "backing of investors, and nationwide exposure, he’s plotting a big future for his up-and-coming company" (ENTREPRENEUR.com, 5/30). 

The league will be "under a microscope during its inaugural season." Players are "being treated as full-time employees," meaning they have "more freedom to put lacrosse first." Some competitors "cite the increased wages for players and anticipation of increased exposure as incentives for players to perform at higher levels than in the past" (SI.com, 5/31).

Meanwhile, MLL announced a partnership with U.S. Lacrosse focused on growing the game through community initiatives, including the national organization's TryLax clinics (MLL).