The PLL has a scheduling issue that has not been resolved since the league officially began. There is no reason that the league needs to implement a bye week after only three weeks of regular season play. For years, I have struggled to fully understand the decision to put a bye week in this time slot, with the season barely underway. It takes away any buzz that the league has generated in the opening weeks, with fans taking a random weekend in June away from the league.
It is important to understand the typical reason for a bye week: to rest players’ bodies in longer regular seasons. When you look at the other major American sports leagues, the PLL’s bye week makes even less sense.
NFL (18-Week Season): 1 bye week
NBA (82-Game Season): No bye weeks, occasional extended rest periods
MLB (6-Month Season): No bye weeks, occasional off days
MLS (8-Month Season): No formal bye weeks, possible extended breaks
NHL (82-Game Season): 1 bye week
The PLL has one bye week for a 10-week regular season, which stands out as an anomaly compared to the other leagues. PLL athletes typically work full-time jobs, meaning their five-day workweek consists of little training or physical activity. Mind you, the athletes participating in these other leagues are fully employed by the leagues they play for and participate in weekly activities and practices. I understand that these athletes work their tails off for these PLL games on the weekend, but when you look at the other sports leagues and the structure of the athletes’ work week, a bye week just truly seems unnecessary.
For a league that is trying to legitimize itself to gain public attention, a bye week just takes away from any traction the league might be gaining that season. I know many fans that are always surprised when there is a bye week and seemingly lose interest, especially when paired with the All-Star game. Beginning All-Star voting after three weeks of play is diabolical, as the season is only 30% done. Fans seemingly blink and then they already have to cast their votes for the league’s top players.
Following the bye week, there are two more weeks of regular season play before the All-Star game, which in and of itself feels like another bye week. Only a fraction of the league participates in the All-Star game, meaning everyone else gets the week off. However, All-Star games rarely bring out much physical demand, as the effort level is lower compared to most other weeks. This four-week span of bye week, two regular weeks of action, finished off with an All-Star game, hurts the league overall.
Why are we not having the All-Star game at the conclusion of the regular season? This could be followed by a bye week before the start of playoffs. Right now, the PLL has a 15-day period before the start of playoffs following the conclusion of the regular season. Yet another period without action that draws away fan interest. All of these unnecessary breakups of play confuse fans and frustrate them more than anything, and this is all coming from personal experiences of interacting with numerous PLL fans every year.
All of these breaks culminate in the season not ending until mid-September, which is weeks into the college football season. The college football season is a juggernaut that affects PLL viewership and interest every year. If I were the league, I would do everything I could to end the season before the college football season started.
I respect what the PLL does for the sport of lacrosse and how much commitment these athletes put into the league. Professional lacrosse is undoubtedly growing, and that is thanks to the PLL and its athletes. I know everyone involved on and off the field works their tails off and requires some time off, but this structure just falls out of line with the other professional sports leagues and harms the overall growth of the league. They need to move the All-Star game to the conclusion of the regular season, followed by a bye week, leading into playoffs. A 10-week regular season does not warrant a bye week, especially so early on in the season itself.
