DALLAS — Editor's note: The video above is a WFAA report when Panther City Lacrosse Club came to Fort Worth.
Beginning in the 2024 season, Premier Lacrosse League clubs will be assigned home cities for the first time in the league's history, and it's likely Dallas-Fort Worth will be one of the eight.
“Moving our eight teams into home cities will mark the biggest investment in the league since its inception,” said Paul Rabil, co-founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. “This move will unlock deeper, more connected relationships between our fans, teams and players. Continuing to build a global presence around lacrosse and driving our mission forward will remain core to our approach. We’re giving the PLL local love and global awareness.”
The professional lacrosse league started its inaugural season in 2019, but the eight clubs within the league have never been associated with a team city. Rather, the league travels to cities and plays its entire league schedule at that venue for the week.
For example, in the 2023 season, the PLL will play Week 7 (July 29-30) at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.
It is opening weekend for the PLL, which airs its games on ABC and ESPN's platforms, and the league said the list of PLL home cities for fans to vote on will be released during halftime of the PLL Redwoods vs. PLL Atlas game.
Fans will have the opportunity to vote on team locations at pllvote.com and through the PLL app. Three of the options include Texas or Texas cities:
- Dallas
- Austin
- Texas
PLL said it would keep the "traveling venue" model of its schedule, but the home team would play a double header during the week that the league visits its affiliated home city.
It makes sense for DFW to be one of the cities for a PLL franchise given its working relationship with the Ford Center. Professional lacrosse is no stranger to the DFW area, either.
The National Lacrosse League (NLL), an indoor professional lacrosse league, has the Panther City Lacrosse Club, which plays its games at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
And prior to its merger with the PLL, the Major Lacrosse League (MLL) had the Dallas Rattlers, which played its games in Frisco. The Dallas Rattlers relocated to Frisco in 2018 after spending 15 years in Rochester, New York, as the "Rochester Rattlers."
You can buy tickets to Week 7 of the 2023 PLL season online here. Here is the schedule to be played at the Star:
Saturday, July 29
- Atlas vs. Chrome
- Cannons vs. Redwoods
Sunday, July 30
- Waterdogs vs. Archers
- Whipsnakes vs. Chaos
PLL officials said each teams’ location is set to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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