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Current season, competition or edition: 2024 NLL season | |
 | |
| Formerly | Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League (1986–1988) Major Indoor Lacrosse League (1988–1997) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Box lacrosse |
| Founded | 1986 |
| First season | 1987 |
| Commissioner | Brett Frood |
| No. of teams | 15 |
| Countries |  Canada(6 teams)  United States(9 teams) |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Most recent champion(s) | Buffalo Bandits (6th title) |
| Most titles | Philadelphia Wings Toronto Rock Buffalo Bandits (6 titles each) |
| TV partner(s) | TSN ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPNews, ESPNU |
| Official website | NLL.com |
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional box lacrosse league in North America. The league is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NLL currently has fifteen teams: nine in the United States and six in Canada.[1] The NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA.[2] Unlike other box lacrosse leagues, which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring, from December to June. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the National Lacrosse League Cup. The NLL has averaged between 8,900 and 10,700 spectators per game each year since 2004.[3][4]
Box lacrosse rules
The NLL plays four 15-minute quarters with 2-minute breaks between quarters and a 15-minute half-time. At the start of the each quarter and after every goal, players "face-off" at the center of the field to determine who will get possession. This is done by the two players pushing the heads of their sticks together with the game ball in the middle. A scrum-like match usually happens when the players on either team try and win the ball.[5]
If a game is tied after regulation, the two teams play sudden death overtime. Each team may take a 45-second timeout per half. Each team dresses 19 players: 2 goaltenders and 17 "runners".[6] NLL goals are 4'9" wide and 4' tall.
The NLL uses a 30-second shot clock, which is similar to a professional or collegiate basketball shot clock. The clock starts its countdown once one team gets possession of the ball. If the offense does not shoot the ball in time, they lose possession. However, if the offense shoots on goal and then retrieves the ball, the shot clock is restarted.[5]
Fighting is a 5-minute major penalty and does not result in an automatic ejection.[7]
Season and playoffs
Each team in the NLL plays eighteen games during the regular season, nine each at home and away. The league has one standings table for its 15 teams. NLL games are typically played on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays while some weekends see teams play twice.
The regular season begins in December and ends in April. Starting in 2018, the league announced that the playoffs would be expanded to eight teams to accommodate expansion.[8]
Beginning with the 2024 season, the playoffs feature the top 8 teams in the standings. The first round is single-elimination, and the Conference Finals and Championship rounds are best-of-three.[9]
Players
The NLL adopted a soft salary cap of US$400,000 per team for the 2013 season. The average base salary as of the 2013 season was $19,135.[10] The maximum salary for a franchise player is approximately $34,000.[11] Most NLL players have full-time jobs off the floor, such as Buffalo's John Tavares, a high school teacher in Mississauga, Ontario.[12] As of 2018, the NLL salary cap was $415,000, with Buffalo Business First reporter Paul Lane citing the following pay scale:[13]
- Rookies: $10,208
- Second-year players: $12,196–$16,631
- Veteran minimum: $15,165
- Veteran maximum: $30,132
- Franchise player: $37,664
- Average salary: $19,375.21
Although nine of the fifteen teams are based in the U.S., less than 7% of players are American. Approximately 83% are Canadian and 10% are Haudenosaunee, from either Canada or the U.S.[14]
Teams
Current teams
Beginning with the 2024 NLL season, the league eliminated its East and West Conferences that existed during the 2023 NLL season and all teams play in a single division with every team playing every other team at least once.[15] Beginning in the 2025 Season, the New York Riptide will relocate to Ottawa, Canada and rename themselves to the Ottawa Black Bears.[16]