Editing Lacrosse (section)

==Lacrosse in the United States==
{{main|Lacrosse in the United States}}

===College lacrosse===
{{Main|College lacrosse}}

===={{anchor|Men's college lacrosse}}Men's college lacrosse====
[[File:Allegheny vs. Baldwin Wallace Lacrosse - 49599713087.jpg|thumb|right|A men's college lacrosse match between the [[Allegheny Gators]] and [[Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets]] in 2020]]
Collegiate lacrosse in the United States is played at the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]], [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] and club levels. There are currently 71 [[NCAA Division I]] men's lacrosse teams, 93 [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] teams, and 236 [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] teams. Thirty-two schools participate at the NAIA level. 184 men's club teams compete in the [[Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association]], including most universities and colleges outside the northeastern United States. The National College Lacrosse League and Great Lakes Lacrosse League are two other lower-division club leagues. In Canada, 14 teams from Ontario and Quebec play field lacrosse in the fall in the [[Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association]].<ref>[http://www.cufla.org Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515224650/http://www.cufla.org/ |date=May 15, 2009 }} Accessed December 14, 2018.</ref>

The first U. S. intercollegiate men's lacrosse game was played on November 22, 1877, between [[New York University]] and [[Manhattan College]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of Lacrosse: The College Game |url=http://sunsetsportsworldwide.com/sports-history/the-history-of-lacrosse-the-college-game/ |website=Sunset Sports |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122064419/https://sunsetsportsworldwide.com/sports-history/the-history-of-lacrosse-the-college-game/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> An organizing body for the sport, the U. S. National Lacrosse Association, was founded in 1879 and the first intercollegiate lacrosse tournament was held in 1881, with [[Harvard]] beating [[Princeton University|Princeton]] 3–0 in the championship game.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://archive.org/details/lacrossetechniqu0000piet|url-access= registration|title= Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition|last1= Pietramala|first1= David G.|last2= Grauer|first2= Neil A.|last3= Scott|first3= Bob|publisher= Johns Hopkins University Press|year= 2006|isbn=0-8018-8371-7}}</ref> Annual post-season championships were awarded by a variety of early lacrosse associations through the 1930s. From 1936 to 1972, the [[United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association]] awarded the [[Wingate Memorial Trophy]] to the best college lacrosse team each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://usila.org/sports/2015/10/27/GEN_1027151106.aspx#Wingate%20Memorial%20Trophy%20Winners%201936-1972|title=National Champions|access-date=August 14, 2019|publisher=USILA|archive-date=May 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529151657/https://usila.org/sports/2015/10/27/GEN_1027151106.aspx#Wingate%20Memorial%20Trophy%20Winners%201936-1972|url-status=live}}</ref>

The NCAA began sponsoring a men's lacrosse championship in 1971, when [[Cornell Big Red men's lacrosse|Cornell]] took the first title over [[Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse|Maryland]], 12–6. [[Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse|Syracuse]] has 10 Division I titles, [[Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse|Johns Hopkins]] 9, and [[Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse|Princeton]] 6.<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship History|url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/lacrosse-men/d1|publisher=NCAA|access-date=November 14, 2017|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506002958/https://www.ncaa.com/history/lacrosse-men/d1|url-status=live}}</ref> The NCAA national championship weekend tournament draws over 80,000 fans.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Edward|title=Attendance increased for NCAA men's lacrosse championships in Philadelphia|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/lacrosse-blog/bal-attendance-numbers-for-ncaa-men-s-lacrosse-championships-in-philadelphia-rose-this-past-weekend-20160603-story.html|access-date=November 14, 2017|work=Baltimore Sun|date=June 3, 2016|archive-date=November 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115083207/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/lacrosse-blog/bal-attendance-numbers-for-ncaa-men-s-lacrosse-championships-in-philadelphia-rose-this-past-weekend-20160603-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Women's college lacrosse====
There are currently 112 Division I women's lacrosse teams, 109 Division II teams, and 282 Division III teams. There are 36 NAIA women's lacrosse teams. The NCAA started sponsoring a women's lacrosse championship in 1982. [[Maryland Terrapins women's lacrosse|Maryland]] has traditionally dominated women's [[College athletics|intercollegiate play]], producing many head coaches and U.S. national team players. The Terrapins won seven consecutive [[NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship|NCAA championships]] from 1995 through 2001. [[Princeton Tigers women's lacrosse|Princeton's]] women's teams have made it to the final game seven times since 1993 and have won three NCAA titles, in 1993, 2002, and 2003. In recent years, [[Northwestern Wildcats women's lacrosse|Northwestern]] has become a force, winning the national championship from 2005 through 2009. Maryland ended Northwestern's streak by defeating the Wildcats in the 2010 final, however, Northwestern won the next two titles in 2011 and 2012. Maryland again claimed the national championship in 2014, 2015, and 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship History|url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/lacrosse-women/d1|publisher=NCAA|access-date=November 14, 2017|archive-date=November 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115082740/http://www.ncaa.com/history/lacrosse-women/d1|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates]] (WCLA) is a collection of over 260 college club teams that are organized by [[US Lacrosse]]. Teams are organized into two divisions and various leagues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uslacrosse.org/players/college|title=College|access-date=August 14, 2019|publisher=USLacrosse|archive-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514020045/https://www.uslacrosse.org/players/college|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Professional lacrosse===

==== Active leagues ====

===== National Lacrosse League =====
{{main|National Lacrosse League}}
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's semi-professional [[box lacrosse]] league in North America. The NLL currently has fifteen teams, ten in the United States and five in Canada. The 18-game regular season runs from December to April; games are always on the weekends. The champion is awarded the [[National Lacrosse League Cup]] in early June.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 30, 2018 |title=NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE UNVEILS ITS NEW CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY |url=https://www.nll.com/news/national-lacrosse-league-unveils-its-new-championship-trophy/ |access-date=August 14, 2019 |publisher=[[National Lacrosse League]] |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814152145/https://www.nll.com/news/national-lacrosse-league-unveils-its-new-championship-trophy/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Games are played in ice rinks with artificial turf covering the ice. Venues range from NHL arenas seating 19,000 to smaller arenas with under 10,000 capacity. In 2017, average attendance ranged from 3,200 per game in [[Vancouver Stealth|Vancouver]] to over 15,000 in [[Buffalo Bandits|Buffalo]]. Overall, the league averaged 9,500 people per game.<ref>{{cite web |title=League Attendance |url=http://d15k3om16n459i.cloudfront.net/prostats/attendance.html?leagueid=230&seasonid=15914 |publisher=National Lacrosse League |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909142801/http://d15k3om16n459i.cloudfront.net/prostats/attendance.html?leagueid=230&seasonid=15914 |url-status=live }}</ref>

With an average salary around $20,000 per season, players have regular jobs, mostly non-lacrosse related, and live in different cities, flying into town for games.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Flaherty |first1=Ryan |date=March 18, 2016 |title=Professional sports life more than just lacrosse for Rush players |work=Global News |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/2585168/professional-sports-life-more-than-just-lacrosse-for-rush-players/ |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110230359/https://globalnews.ca/news/2585168/professional-sports-life-more-than-just-lacrosse-for-rush-players/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Canadians and Native Americans make up over 90% of the players.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stamp |first1=Stephen |date=May 13, 2015 |title=Box lacrosse participation in the US is limited from grass roots to NLL level; can ALL help growth? |work=Inside Lacrosse |url=http://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/box-lacrosse-participation-in-the-us-is-limited-from-grass-roots-to-nll-level-can-all-help-growth/32098 |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111041728/http://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/box-lacrosse-participation-in-the-us-is-limited-from-grass-roots-to-nll-level-can-all-help-growth/32098 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The NLL started in 1987 as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. Teams in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Baltimore and Washington, DC, played a 6-game season. The league operated as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997, when there were six teams playing a 10-game schedule. The current NLL name began in the [[1998 NLL season|1998 season]], which included the first Canadian team.<ref name="nll">{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.nll.com/about/history/ |publisher=National Lacrosse League |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225201/http://www.nll.com/about/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The most successful franchises have been the [[Toronto Rock]] and the former [[Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014)|Philadelphia Wings]] (now the [[Albany FireWolves]]), each has won six championships.<ref name="nll" />

===== Premier Lacrosse League =====
{{main|Premier Lacrosse League}}
In October 2018, former MLL player [[Paul Rabil]] branched away from the MLL and created the Premier Lacrosse League. The PLL focuses on being a traveling lacrosse league that will bring the best players in the world to different cities in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Premier Lacrosse League |url=https://www.premierlacrosseleague.com/ |website=PremierLacrosseLeague |access-date=October 30, 2018 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208042648/https://www.premierlacrosseleague.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Each player has a minimum salary of $25,000, equity in the league, and medical benefits. The average salary is $35,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Adrian |date=January 12, 2022 |title=How Much Do Professional Lacrosse Players Make [2022 Update] |url=https://lacrossepal.com/how-much-do-lacrosse-players-make/ |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=Lacrosse Pal |language=en-US |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805011909/https://lacrossepal.com/how-much-do-lacrosse-players-make/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The most successful team is [[Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club]] which has two championships.

Since its inaugural season in 2019, the PLL has expanded to eight teams and merged with the MLL.

Beginning with the 2022 season, the PLL has had a broadcasting deal with ESPN.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ufnowski |first=Amy |date=March 23, 2022 |title=The Premier Lacrosse League and ESPN Announce Multi-Year Media Rights Agreement |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2022/03/the-premier-lacrosse-league-and-espn-announce-multi-year-media-rights-agreement/ |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S. |language=en-US |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404101936/https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2022/03/the-premier-lacrosse-league-and-espn-announce-multi-year-media-rights-agreement/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Prior to the 2023 season the PLL announced that they would be assigning home-cities to each team for the 2024 season. The touring model would not cease, however, with each team hosting one regular season weekend where they play a doubleheader. There will also be two neutral site weekends.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Kevin |date=May 25, 2023 |title=It's Official: PLL Clubs To Move To Host Cities in 2024 |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/it-s-official-pll-clubs-to-move-to-host-cities-in-2024/61594 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=Inside Lacrosse |archive-date=August 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803063303/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/it-s-official-pll-clubs-to-move-to-host-cities-in-2024/61594 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kinnear |first=Matt |date=July 23, 2023 |title=PLL Announces 26 Finalists For Host Cites — a Mix of Familiar Spots With a Few Surprises |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/pll-announces-26-finalists-for-host-cites-a-mix-of-familiar-spots-with-a-few-surprises/61879 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=Inside Lacrosse |archive-date=August 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803084004/https://www.insidelacrosse.com//article/pll-announces-26-finalists-for-host-cites-a-mix-of-familiar-spots-with-a-few-surprises/61879 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Defunct leagues ====

===== Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse =====
{{Main|Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse}}

[[Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse]] was a women's lacrosse league that operated from 2021-2024. Rather than having set teams, at the end of each week, the top four players are determined by a point system and named captains of next week's teams. They then draft their team for the next week. The champion of the league is the player that scores the most points. There were 56 players in the league in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A League of Their Own: Women's Lacrosse Enters New Era with Athletes Unlimited |url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athletes-unlimited/a-league-of-their-own-womens-lacrosse-enters-new-era-with-athletes-unlimited |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=www.usalaxmagazine.com |language=en |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804221250/https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athletes-unlimited/a-league-of-their-own-womens-lacrosse-enters-new-era-with-athletes-unlimited |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Athletes Unlimited Adds Women's Pro Lacrosse as Third Sports League |url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/women/athletes-unlimited-adds-womens-pro-lacrosse-as-third-sports-league |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=www.usalaxmagazine.com |language=en |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804221331/https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/women/athletes-unlimited-adds-womens-pro-lacrosse-as-third-sports-league |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===== Major League Lacrosse =====
{{main|Major League Lacrosse}}
Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a semi-professional field lacrosse league started in 2001 with six teams in the [[Northeastern United States]]. The leagues final year had six teams, playing a week long round-robin regular season. MLL rules were based on NCAA men's rules with several exceptions, such as a 16-yard 2-point line and a 60-second shot clock.<ref>{{cite web|title=About MLL|url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/about-mll/|publisher=Major League Lacrosse|access-date=January 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129115012/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/about-mll/|archive-date=January 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

MLL venues ranged from small stadiums with under 10,000 capacity to an [[Sports Authority Field at Mile High|NFL stadium in Denver]] that seats 76,000. Overall league average attendance is around 4,000 per game, although the leagues [[Denver Outlaws]] had averaged around 10,000 per game since their founding in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=2017 League Attendance |url=http://pointstreak.com/prostats/attendance.html?leagueid=323&seasonid=16530 |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224090303/http://pointstreak.com/prostats/attendance.html?leagueid=323&seasonid=16530 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The rookie salary was $7,000 per season and most players made between $10,000 and $20,000 per season. Therefore, the players had other jobs, often non-lacrosse related, and travel to games on the weekends.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Ahiza |title=The pro athletes with full-time day jobs |url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/09/28/smallbusiness/major-league-lacrosse-salaries/index.html |work=CNN Money |date=September 28, 2015 |access-date=August 3, 2020 |archive-date=October 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022191721/https://money.cnn.com/2015/09/28/smallbusiness/major-league-lacrosse-salaries/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Chesapeake Bayhawks]], who had played in the Annapolis&ndash;Baltimore&ndash;Washington, DC area since 2001, were the most successful franchise with six championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bayhawks.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/2016/3/21/team-history_00000153-9a91-def8-a7f7-fad9ef8e0000.aspx|title=Bayhawks History|access-date=August 14, 2019|date=May 21, 2016|publisher=[[Chesapeake Bayhawks]]|archive-date=August 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814151750/https://bayhawks.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/2016/3/21/team-history_00000153-9a91-def8-a7f7-fad9ef8e0000.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On December 16, 2020, it was announced that the MLL was merging all operations with the Premier Lacrosse League. The PLL added the Boston Cannons and rebranded them to "Cannons Lacrosse Club". No other MLL teams were added into the PLL.

===== United Women's Lacrosse League =====
{{main|United Women's Lacrosse League}}
The United Women's Lacrosse League (UWLX), was a four-team women's lacrosse league, was launched in 2016. The teams are the [[Baltimore Ride]], [[Boston Storm (UWLX)|Boston Storm]], [[Long Island Sound (UWLX)|Long Island Sound]] and [[Philadelphia Force (UWLX)|Philadelphia Force]]. Long Island won the first two championships.<ref>{{cite news|last1=DaSilva|first1=Matt|title=Long Island Sound Repeat as UWLX Champions|url=https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/pro/uwlx/long-island-sound-repeat-as-uwlx-champions|access-date=November 14, 2017|work=US Lacrosse Magazine|date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=November 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115083121/https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/pro/uwlx/long-island-sound-repeat-as-uwlx-champions|url-status=dead}}</ref> The league closed in 2020.

===== Women's Professional Lacrosse League =====
{{Main|Women's Professional Lacrosse League}}
The [[Women's Professional Lacrosse League]] was a professional women's lacrosse league with 5 teams that started in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Berri|first1=David|author-link1=David Berri|title=The Women's Professional Lacrosse League Takes Off|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidberri/2018/06/04/the-womens-professional-lacrosse-league-takes-off/#47c384bc2287|access-date=June 9, 2018|work=[[Forbes]]|date=June 4, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144304/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidberri/2018/06/04/the-womens-professional-lacrosse-league-takes-off/#47c384bc2287|url-status=live}}</ref> It closed in 2020.