Editing National Lacrosse League (section)

==Expansion and relocation==
===Name changes/relocations===
* New Jersey Saints (1987–1988) → New York Saints (1989–2003) → Inactive
* New England Blazers (1989–1991) → Boston Blazers (1992–1997) → Inactive
* Baltimore Thunder (1987–1999) → Pittsburgh CrosseFire (2000) → Washington Power (2001–2002) → Colorado Mammoth (2003–current)
* Ontario Raiders (1998) → Toronto Rock (1999–current)
* Syracuse Smash (1998–2000) → Ottawa Rebel (2001–2003) → Inactive (2003–2005) → Edmonton Rush (2005–2015) → Saskatchewan Rush (2016–current)
* Albany Attack (1999–2003) → San Jose Stealth (2004–2009) → Washington Stealth (2010–2013) → Vancouver Stealth (2014–2018) → Vancouver Warriors (2018–current)
* Columbus Landsharks (2001–2003) → Arizona Sting (2004–2007) → Inactive
* Montreal Express (2002) → Inactive → Minnesota Swarm (2004–2015) → Georgia Swarm (2016–current)
* New Jersey Storm (2002–2003) → Anaheim Storm (2004–2005) → Inactive
* New York Titans (2007–2009) → Orlando Titans (2010) → Inactive
* Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014) → New England Black Wolves (2015–2021) → Albany FireWolves (2022–current)
* Rochester Knighthawks (1995–2019) → Halifax Thunderbirds (2020–current)
* New York Riptide (2018–2024) → Ottawa Black Bears (2025–current)

===Franchise timeline by team===

<timeline>

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1500 height:auto barincrement:25
PlotArea = left:20 right:20 bottom:20 top:20
Period = from:01/01/1987 till:06/01/2026
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors =
 id:majorGridColor value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
 id:lineColor   value:gray(0.5)
 id:notpro      value:rgb(0.82,0.80,0.80)
 id:AlbFire     value:rgb(0.482,0.188,0.243)
 id:ColMamm     value:rgb(0.588,0,0.152)
 id:WashWave    value:rgb(0.933,0.156,0.160)
 id:NYSaints    value:rgb(0.003,0.003, 0.411)
 id:DetTurb     value:rgb(0.75,0,1)
 id:BostBlaz    value:rgb(0.015,0.749,0.266)
 id:PittBulls   value:rgb(0.988,0.941,0.211)
 id:BuffBand    value:rgb(1,0.3,0)
 id:HaliThun    value:purple
 id:CharCobr    value:rgb(0.956,0.501,0.474)
 id:TorRock     value:rgb(0.101,0.266,0.603)
 id:VancWarr    value:rgb(0.701,0.631,0.407)
 id:ArizSting   value:claret
 id:AnahStor    value:rgb(0.227,0.607,0.925)
 id:GeorSwar    value:rgb(1,0.705,0)
 id:VancRave    value:rgb(0.94,0.35,0.25)
 id:CalgRoug    value:rgb(0.560,0.568,0.560)
 id:SaskRush    value:rgb(0.466,0.784,0.054)
 id:PortJax     value:rgb(0.654,0.532,0.142)
 id:ChiSham     value:teal
 id:OrlTitans    value:rgb(0.956,0.486,0.188)
 id:BostBlaz2   value:rgb(0.84,0.13,0.16)
 id:PhilWings2  value:rgb(0.96,0.86,0.59)
 id:SDSeals     value:rgb(0.384,0.196,0.584)
 id:NYRipti     value:rgb(0.517,0.803,0.733)
 id:RochKni2     value:rgb(0.294,0.341,0.184)
 id:PanthCity   value:rgb(0.34,0.17,0.51)
 id:LVDesDogs   value:black
 id:PhilWings1  value:rgb(0.898,0.196,0.109)
 id:NEBlaWol    value:rgb(0.8,0.333,0)
 id:BaltThun    value:rgb(0.909,0.815,0.188)
 id:PittCrossF  value:red
 id:WashPowe    value:rgb(0.078,0.137,0.376)
 id:NJSaints    value:rgb(0.248,0.149,0.615)
 id:NEBlazers   value:rgb(0.145,0.451,0.294)
 id:RochKni1     value:rgb(0,0.576,0.698)
 id:OntRaid     value:rgb(0.682,0.6,0.286)
 id:AlbAtta     value:rgb(0.145,0.588,0.745)
 id:SJStealth   value:rgb(0.863,0.118,0.169)
 id:WashStealth value:rgb(0.824,0.827,0.827)'
 id:VancStealth value:black
 id:ColumLandSh value:rgb(0.6,0.603,0.612)
 id:NJStorm     value:rgb(0.133,0.407,0.713)
 id:MontExpr    value:rgb(0.062,0.062,0.760)
 id:MinnSwar    value:rgb(0,0.243,0.435)
 id:SyraSmash   value:rgb(0.043,0.647,0.843)
 id:OttaRebe    value:rgb(0.023,0.208,0.941)
 id:EdmonRush   value:black
 id:NYTitans    value:rgb(0,0.153,0.361)
 id:OttaBlaBe   value:rgb(0.894,0.094,0.216)

ScaleMajor = start:01/01/1987 increment:2 gridcolor:majorGridColor

# – Text Positions

Define $Up = shift:(,1)
Define $Center = anchor:from align:left shift:(300,)
Define $Left = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,)
Define $LeftIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(35,)
Define $LeftInIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(50,)
Define $LeftInInIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(65,)
Define $LeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(3,)
Define $UpLeft = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,1)
Define $UpLeftIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(-1,1)
Define $UpLeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(1,1)
Define $Right = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,)
Define $RightMargin = anchor:till align:right shift:(-2,)
Define $RightIn = anchor:till align:right shift:(-0,)
Define $UpRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,1)
Define $UpRightMargin = anchor:till align:right shift:(-2,1)
Define $UpRightIn = anchor:till align:right shift:(-25,1)
Define $UpUpRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,10)
Define $Down = shift:(,-7)
Define $Downx2 = shift:(,-20)
Define $DownRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,-10)
Define $DownLeft = anchor:from align:right shift:(-2,-10)
Define $DownLeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(1,-10)
Define $t = textcolor
Define $champ = text:"*" $t:white fontsize:XL shift:(-1,-10)
Define $I = text:"(I)"

TextData = 
  pos:(80,200)
  tabs:(40-left)
  fontsize:M
  text:
  text:
  text:
  text:
  text:"* indicates championship winning season"

BarData =
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves
  bar:ColoradoMammoth
  bar:WashingtonWave
  bar:NewYorkSaints
  bar:DetroitTurbos
  bar:BostonBlazers1
  bar:PittsburghBulls
  bar:BuffaloBandits
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds
  bar:CharlotteCobras
  bar:TorontoRock
  bar:SaskatchewanRush
  bar:VancouverWarriors
  bar:ArizonaSting
  bar:AnaheimStorm
  bar:GeorgiaSwarm
  bar:VancouverRavens
  bar:CalgaryRoughnecks
  bar:PortlandLumberJax
  bar:ChicagoShamrox
  bar:OrlandoTitans
  bar:BostonBlazers2
  bar:SanDiegoSeals
  bar:PhiladelphiaWings
  bar:OttawaBlackBears
  bar:RochesterKnighthawks
  bar:PantherCityLacrosseClub
  bar:LasVegasDesertDogs

PlotData = 
  color:notpro
  $t:black
  width:20
  fontsize:S
  mark:(line, black)
  anchor:middle # other options are anchor:from anchor:till
  align:center  # other options are align:left  align:right
  shift:(0,-7)

# – Albany FireWolves
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves from:start till:06/01/2014 color:PhilWings1 $t:black $LeftIn text:"Philadelphia Wings"
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves from:06/01/2014 till:06/01/2020 color:NEBlaWol $t:black $LeftMargin text:"New England Black Wolves"  
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves from:06/01/2020 till:end color:AlbFire $t:white $LeftMargin text:"Albany FireWolves"

  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/07/1989 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/13/1990 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/16/1994 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/08/1995 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/28/1998 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/13/1990 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)
  bar:AlbanyFireWolves at:04/27/2001 $champ mark:(line, PhilWings1)

# – Colorado Mammoth
  bar:ColoradoMammoth from:start till:06/01/1999 color:BaltThun $t:black $LeftIn text:"Baltimore Thunder"
  bar:ColoradoMammoth from:06/01/1999 till:06/01/2000 color:PittCrossF $t:black $RightIn text:"Pittsburgh CrosseFire"  
  bar:ColoradoMammoth from:06/01/2000 till:06/01/2002 color:WashPowe $t:white $LeftMargin text:"Washington Power"  
  bar:ColoradoMammoth from:06/01/2002 till:end color:ColMamm $t:white $LeftInIn text:"Colorado Mammoth"

  bar:ColoradoMammoth at:03/21/1987 $champ mark:(line, BaltThun)
  bar:ColoradoMammoth at:05/13/2006 $champ mark:(line, ColMamm)
  bar:ColoradoMammoth at:06/18/2022 $champ mark:(line, ColMamm)

# – Washington Wave
  bar:WashingtonWave from:start till:06/01/1989 color:WashWave $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Washington Wave"

# – New York Saints
  bar:NewYorkSaints from:start till:06/01/1988 color:NJSaints $t:white $LeftMargin text:"New Jersey Saints"
  bar:NewYorkSaints from:06/01/1988 till:06/01/2006 color:NYSaints $t:white $LeftInInIn text:"New York Saints"  
 
  bar:NewYorkSaints at:03/20/1989 $champ mark:(line, NYSaints)

# – Detroit Turbos
  bar:DetroitTurbos from:06/01/1989 till:06/01/1994 color:DetTurb $t:white $LeftIn text:"Detroit Turbos"

  bar:DetroitTurbos at:12/29/1991 $champ mark:(line, DetTurb)

# – Boston Blazers (original)
  bar:BostonBlazers1 from:06/01/1989 till:06/01/1991 color:NEBlazers $t:black $RightMargin text:"New England Blazers"
  bar:BostonBlazers1 from:06/01/1991 till:06/01/1997 color:BostBlaz $t:black $Leftin text:"Boston Blazers"

# – Pittsburgh Bulls
  bar:PittsburghBulls from:06/01/1990 till:06/01/1993 color:PittBulls $t:black $LeftIn text:"Pittsburgh Bulls"

# – Buffalo Bandits
  bar:BuffaloBandits from:06/01/1991 till:end color:BuffBand $t:black $LeftIn text:"Buffalo Bandits"

  bar:BuffaloBandits at:04/11/1992 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)
  bar:BuffaloBandits at:04/10/1993 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)
  bar:BuffaloBandits at:04/12/1996 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)
  bar:BuffaloBandits at:05/17/2008 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)
  bar:BuffaloBandits at:06/03/2023 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)
   bar:BuffaloBandits at:05/18/2024 $champ mark:(line, BuffBand)

# – Halifax Thunderbirds
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds from:06/01/1995 till:06/01/2019 color:RochKni1 $t:black $LeftIn text:"Rochester Knighthawks"
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds from:06/01/2019 till:end color:HaliThun $t:white $LeftMargin text:"Halifax Thunderbirds"

  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds at:04/12/1997 $champ mark:(line, RochKni1)
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds at:05/12/2007 $champ mark:(line, RochKni1)
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds at:05/19/2012 $champ mark:(line, RochKni1)
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds at:05/11/2013 $champ mark:(line, RochKni1)
  bar:HalifaxThunderbirds at:05/31/2014 $champ mark:(line, RochKni1)

# – Charlotte Cobras
  bar:CharlotteCobras from:06/01/1995 till:06/01/1996 color:CharCobr $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Charlotte Cobras"

# – Toronto Rock
  bar:TorontoRock from:06/01/1997 till:06/01/1998 color:OntRaid $t:black $RightMargin text:"Ontario Raiders"
  bar:TorontoRock from:06/01/1998 till:end color:TorRock $t:white $LeftIn text:"Toronto Rock"

  bar:TorontoRock at:04/23/1999 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)
  bar:TorontoRock at:05/06/2000 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)
  bar:TorontoRock at:04/13/2002 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)
  bar:TorontoRock at:05/03/2003 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)
  bar:TorontoRock at:05/14/2005 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)
  bar:TorontoRock at:05/18/2011 $champ mark:(line, TorRock)

# – Saskatchewan Rush
  bar:SaskatchewanRush from:06/01/1997 till:06/01/2000 color:SyraSmash $t:black $LeftIn text:"Syracuse Smash"
  bar:SaskatchewanRush from:06/01/2000 till:06/01/2003 color:OttaRebe $t:white $LeftMargin text:"Ottawa Rebel"
  bar:SaskatchewanRush from:06/01/2006 till:06/01/2015 color:EdmonRush $t:white $LeftIn text:"Edmonton Rush"
  bar:SaskatchewanRush from:06/01/2015 till:end color:SaskRush $t:black $LeftIn text:"Saskatchewan Rush"

  bar:SaskatchewanRush at:06/05/2015 $champ mark:(line, SaskRush)
  bar:SaskatchewanRush at:06/04/2016 $champ mark:(line, SaskRush)
  bar:SaskatchewanRush at:06/09/2018 $champ mark:(line, SaskRush)

# – Vancouver Warriors
  bar:VancouverWarriors from:06/01/1999 till:06/01/2003 color:AlbAtta $t:black $LeftIn text:"Albany Attack"
  bar:VancouverWarriors from:06/01/2003 till:06/01/2009 color:SJStealth $t:black $LeftIn text:"San Jose Stealth"
  bar:VancouverWarriors from:06/01/2009 till:06/01/2013 color:WashStealth $t:black $LeftIn text:"Washington Stealth"
  bar:VancouverWarriors from:06/01/2013 till:06/01/2018 color:VancStealth $t:white $LeftIn text:"Vancouver Stealth"
  bar:VancouverWarriors from:06/01/2018 till:end color:VancWarr $t:black $LeftIn text:"Vancouver Warriors"

  bar:VancouverWarriors at:05/15/2010 $champ mark:(line, WashStealth)

# – Arizona Sting
  bar:ArizonaSting from:06/01/2000 till:06/01/2003 color:ColumLandSh $t:black $RightMargin text:"Columbus Landsharks"
  bar:ArizonaSting from:06/01/2003 till:06/01/2007 color:ArizSting $t:white $LeftIn text:"Arizona Sting"

# – Anaheim Storm
  bar:AnaheimStorm from:06/01/2001 till:06/01/2003 color:NJStorm $t:black $RightMargin text:"New Jersey Storm"
  bar:AnaheimStorm from:06/01/2003 till:06/01/2005 color:AnahStor $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Anaheim Storm"

# – Georgia Swarm
  bar:GeorgiaSwarm from:06/01/2001 till:06/01/2002 color:MontExpr $t:black $Left text:"Montreal Express"
  bar:GeorgiaSwarm from:06/01/2004 till:06/01/2015 color:MinnSwar $t:white $LeftIn text:"Minnesota Swarm"
  bar:GeorgiaSwarm from:06/01/2015 till:end color:GeorSwar $t:black $LeftIn text:"Georgia Swarm"

  bar:GeorgiaSwarm at:06/10/2017 $champ mark:(line, GeorSwar)

# – Vancouver Ravens
  bar:VancouverRavens from:06/01/2001 till:06/01/2004 color:VancRave $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Vancouver Ravens"

# – Calgary Roughnecks
  bar:CalgaryRoughnecks from:06/01/2001 till:end color:CalgRoug $t:black $LeftIn text:"Calgary Roughnecks"

  bar:CalgaryRoughnecks at:05/07/2004 $champ mark:(line, CalgRoug)
  bar:CalgaryRoughnecks at:05/15/2009 $champ mark:(line, CalgRoug)
  bar:CalgaryRoughnecks at:05/29/2019 $champ mark:(line, CalgRoug)

# – Portland LumberJax
  bar:PortlandLumberJax from:06/01/2005 till:06/01/2009 color:PortJax $t:black $LeftIn text:"Portland LumberJax"

# – Chicago Shamrox
  bar:ChicagoShamrox from:06/01/2006 till:06/01/2008 color:ChiSham $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Chicago Shamrox"

# – Orlando Titans
  bar:OrlandoTitans from:06/01/2006 till:06/01/2009 color:NYTitans $t:white $LeftIn text:"New York Titans"
  bar:OrlandoTitans from:06/01/2009 till:06/01/2010 color:OrlTitans $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Orlando Titans"

# – Boston Blazers (new)
  bar:BostonBlazers2 from:06/01/2008 till:06/01/2011 color:BostBlaz2 $t:black $LeftMargin text:"Boston Blazers"

# - San Diego Seals
  bar:SanDiegoSeals from:06/01/2018 till:end color:SDSeals $t:White $LeftIn text:"San Diego Seals"

# - Philadelphia Wings (new)
  bar:PhiladelphiaWings from:06/01/2018 till:end color:PhilWings2 $t:black $LeftIn text:"Philadelphia Wings"

# - Ottawa Black Bears
  bar:OttawaBlackBears from:06/01/2019 till:06/01/2024 color:NYRipti $t:black $LeftIn text:"New York Riptide"
  bar:OttawaBlackBears from:06/01/2024 till:end color:OttaBlaBe $t:black $rightmargin text:"Ottawa Black Bears"

# - Rochester Knighthawks (new)
  bar:RochesterKnighthawks from:06/01/2019 till:end color:RochKni2 $t:White $LeftIn text:"Rochester Knighthawks"

# - Panther City Lacrosse Club
  bar:PantherCityLacrosseClub from:06/01/2021 till:08/30/2024 color:PanthCity $t:Black $Left text:"Panther City Lacrosse Club"

# - Las Vegas Desert Dogs
  bar:LasVegasDesertDogs from:06/01/2022 till:end color:LVDesDogs $t:White $LeftIn text:"Las Vegas Desert Dogs"
</timeline>

=== NLL Unboxed program ===
In November 2023, ahead of the 2024 season, the NLL launched an initiative known as "NLL Unboxed" (stylized as "NLL unBOXed"). It is designed to help promote the sport of lacrosse via youth and school programs in strategic markets that do not currently have NLL franchises, and build interest in the sport in the lead-up to [[Lacrosse at the Summer Olympics|lacrosse]] at the [[2028 Summer Olympics]]. Each market in the program receives a team brand as a "lacrosse community", which is used as part of promotion for the program and related activities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Genetti |first=Dominic |title=St. Louis Rhythm could be a reality if NLL's youth initiative works |url=https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/st-louis-rhythm-lacrosse-league-unboxed-18488389.php |access-date=2024-05-23 |work=The Edwardsville Intelligencer |language=en}}</ref>

As part of the program, the league began to hold "NLL Unboxed Series" games in the 2024 season, which are played in the market of one of the lacrosse communities in the program. The first of these games was hosted by Castors de Montréal in February 2024, with the Toronto Rock playing the New York Riptide at [[Place Bell]] in [[Laval, Quebec]]. It marked the first NLL game played in the Montreal area since the [[Montreal Express]]' first and only season in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-16 |title=NLL returns to Montreal area for regular season game |url=https://www.tsn.ca/lacrosse/nll-returns-to-montreal-area-for-regular-season-game-1.2036504 |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=TSN |language=en-CA}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|-
!Lacrosse community
!City
!Years
|-
|Tampa Bay Snowbirds
|[[Tampa, Florida]]
|2023
|-
|St. Louis Rhythm/Howlers
|[[St. Louis, Missouri]]
|2023
|-
|Baltimore Ghost Crabs
|[[Baltimore, Maryland]]
|2023
|-
|Charlotte Cobras
|[[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
|2023
|-
|Minnesota Lake Dragons
|[[Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota]]
|2023
|-
|Castors de Montréal
|[[Montréal, Québec]]
|2023
|-
|Utah Spikes
|[[Salt Lake City, Utah]]
|2023
|-
|Seattle Shipwrecks
|[[Seattle, Washington]]
|2023
|-
|Dallas OilCats<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nll.com/news/panther-city-lacrosse-club-to-cease-operations-effective-immediately/ |title=PANTHER CITY LACROSSE CLUB TO CEASE OPERATIONS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY |website=[[National Lacrosse League]] |date=August 30, 2024}}</ref>
|[[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]]
|2024
|-
|Indianapolis Checkers
|[[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|2024
|-
|New Jersey Humpbacks
|[[Newark, New Jersey]]
|2024
|-
|Nashville Drumsticks
|[[Nashville, Tennessee]]
|2024
|-
|Portland Undercutters
|[[Portland, Oregon]]
|2024
|-
|Chicago Shamrocks
|[[Chicago, Illinois]]
|2024
|-
|Columbus Redtails
|[[Columbus, Ohio]]
|2024
|-
|Los Angeles Ligers
|[[Los Angeles, California]]
|2024
|-
|Miami Tormentas
|[[Miami, Florida]]
|2024
|-
|London Mounties
|[[London, Ontario]]
|2024
|-
|Edmonton Juice
|[[Edmonton, Alberta]]
|2024
|-
|Québec Harfangs
|[[Quebec City, Québec]]
|2024
|-
|Boston Wickies
|[[Boston, Massachusetts]]
|2024
|-
|Providence Vampires
|[[Providence, Rhode Island]]
|2024
|}