Editing Lacrosse (section)

==== 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>