Paul Rabil’s stake in the professional lacrosse landscape is about to get much bigger.
Rabil, the all-time leading scorer in Major League Lacrosse and two-time MLL MVP, is starting his own professional outdoor league with the backing of the Raine Group and other sports and media investors, according to a report published Tuesday by Bloomberg. Rabil declined to comment when reached by US Lacrosse Magazine.
The Premier Lacrosse League will launch next summer as a six-team touring league that employs players full-time and provides health benefits, according to Bloomberg. The report states that the PLL has “secured the participation of a number of well-known players,” which could at least partially explain why some notable names are missing from MLL’s list of 51 players contracted for the 2019 season. MLL recently announced that it was expanding its salary cap, schedule and game-day active roster.
The PLL reportedly will operate from June to September, avoiding any overlap with the National Lacrosse League and NCAA seasons, and will play its games on Saturdays and Sundays — with all six teams descending on the same city for the weekend. There will be a regular season, all-star game and playoffs. The league is finalizing contracts with players, broadcast partners and venues, according to Bloomberg.