National Lacrosse League
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- For the National Lacrosse League of 1974-75, see: National Lacrosse League (1974-75)
Image:NLL.gif Image:MILL.gif The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is the professional league of men's indoor lacrosse in North America. The differences between indoor lacrosse rules and the rules of box lacrosse, an older game on which indoor lacrosse is based, have decreased over the years; the chief difference now is that indoor lacrosse continues to allow only hollow sticks. Unlike other lacrosse leagues, which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Champion's Cup.
The NLL was formed in 1997 from the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL), with the decision to move from league ownership of all teams to individual team ownership. The MILL was created in 1986 as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. The first season started in January 1987 as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. It changed its name to Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1988. The MILL formed into the NLL. Five of the MILL teams played in the NLL in the 1998 season. The National Lacrosse League recognizes the MILL history as its own.
On February 15, 2005 the NLL announced that Activision would produce a NLL video game. The game will probably be released for the Christmas 2006.
On May 5, 2005, the NLL announced that the dormant Ottawa Rebel franchise had been purchased and moved to Edmonton, Alberta where they begun play in the 2006 season. On May 11, the NLL also announced a new franchise in Portland, Oregon, who also begun play in 2006.
The 2005/06 season marks the 20th season of play in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League/MILL/NLL.
On February 16, 2006, the NLL announced a new franchise, which will play in Chicago, Illinois starting in the 2007 season. The team will play in the new 11,000-seat Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The team is owned by Kevin Loughery Jr., Kevin Loughery Sr. (former NBA player and coach), Donald Salle, and Concept Entertainment Group LLC.
Contents |
Teams in the NLL
East Division
Image:SwarmLacrosse02-10-06.jpg
West Division
2007 expansion
Current Arenas
- Arizona Sting: Glendale Arena
- Buffalo Bandits: HSBC Arena
- Calgary Roughnecks: Pengrowth Saddledome
- Chicago expansion team: Sears Centre
- Colorado Mammoth: Pepsi Center
- Edmonton Rush: Rexall Place
- Minnesota Swarm: Xcel Energy Center
- Philadelphia Wings: Wachovia Center
- Portland LumberJax: Rose Garden Arena
- Rochester Knighthawks: Blue Cross Arena
- San Jose Stealth: HP Pavilion
- Toronto Rock: Air Canada Centre
Defunct teams
- Boston Blazers (1992-1997) [Ownership License Expired in 2000 following a prolonged period of inactivity, entity presumed defunct]
- Charlotte Cobras (1996)
- Detroit Turbos (1989-1994)
- Pittsburgh Bulls (1990-1993)
- Washington Wave (1987-1989)
Inactive teams
- Anaheim Storm (2003-2005)
- New York Saints (1989-2003)
- Vancouver Ravens (2001-2004)
Franchise movement and name changes
- Baltimore Thunder (1987-1999) → Pittsburgh CrosseFire (2000) → Washington Power (2001-2002) → Colorado Mammoth (2002-current)
- New Jersey Saints (1987-1988) → New York Saints (1989-2003) → Inactive
- New England Blazers (1989-1991) → Boston Blazers (1992-1997)
- Ontario Raiders (1998) → Toronto Rock (1999-current)
- Syracuse Smash (1998-2000) → Ottawa Rebel (2000-2003) → Inactive → Edmonton Rush (2005-current)
- Albany Attack (1999-2003) → San Jose Stealth (2003-current)
- Columbus Landsharks (2001-2003) → Arizona Sting (2003-current)
- Montreal Express (2002) → Inactive → Minnesota Swarm (2004-current)
- New Jersey Storm (2002-2003) → Anaheim Storm (2003-2005)
MILL championship results
- 1987 Baltimore Thunder 11-10 Washington Wave
- 1988 New Jersey Saints 17-16 Washington Wave
- 1989 Philadelphia Wings 11-10 New York Saints
- 1990 Philadelphia Wings 17-7 New England Blazers
- 1991 Detroit Turbos 14-12 Baltimore Thunder
- 1992 Buffalo Bandits 11-10 Philadelphia Wings (OT)
- 1993 Buffalo Bandits 13-12 Philadelphia Wings
- 1994 Philadelphia Wings 26-15 Buffalo Bandits
- 1995 Philadelphia Wings 15-14 Rochester Knighthawks (OT)
- 1996 Buffalo Bandits 13-12 Philadelphia Wings
- 1997 Rochester Knighthawks 15-12 Buffalo Bandits
NLL championship results
- 1997-98 Philadelphia Wings 2-0 Baltimore Thunder ( Best of 3 Games Series)
- 1998-99 Toronto Rock 13-10 Rochester Knighthawks
- 1999-00 Toronto Rock 14-13 Rochester Knighthawks
- 2000-01 Philadelphia Wings 9-8 Toronto Rock
- 2001-02 Toronto Rock 13-12 Albany Attack
- 2002-03 Toronto Rock 8-6 Rochester Knighthawks
- 2003-04 Calgary Roughnecks 14-11 Buffalo Bandits
- 2004-05 Toronto Rock 19-13 Arizona Sting
Commissioners
- Darrel Russell..........1987-1997
- John Livsey Jr.......... 1997-2000
- Jim Jennings........... 2000-
League offices
- Buffalo, NY......... 1997-2000
- Lyndhurst, NJ....... 2000-2001
- New York, NY........ 2001-
See also
- Lacrosse
- Indoor lacrosse
- National Lacrosse League All-Star Game
- NLL Hall of Fame
- Major League Lacrosse - the men's outdoor lacrosse league in the United States
- Sports league attendances
- List of Lacrosse players