The PLL has done a decent job hitting multiple different lacrosse hotbeds across the country when it comes to scheduling, however I don’t think it is perfect. Paul and Mike Rabil have the difficult task of picking locations that are most likely to turn a profit which sometimes means picking a safe location with little to no risk. This is my letter to the PLL containing a proposed 2023 schedule.
Dear Paul and Mike,
Excellent choice going to ESPN for the 2022 season! Lacrosse has finally found its home. The commentators we love in the Spring (Quint, Carc, Cotter, Stanwich-Bursch) have helped connect the college and professional game.
Let’s build on that momentum generated from 2022 by going Back to School for 2023.
When deciding where to go for 2023. I wanted to think about how we could maximize the experience for the PLL, the colleges, and the fans. Here are the criteria that I used to decide.
- No Football Stadiums: Sorry, Maryland. Let’s focus our efforts on lacrosse (and soccer)-only facilities. This may mean smaller venues but could lead to fuller stands and more of a festival-like atmosphere. Homewood only seats 8500 and I don’t hear anyone complaining
- Capitalize on emerging markets or schools. The women’s game and MCLA teams are growing. Let’s see if the PLL can push the number of D1 teams past 75 by trying to draw interest.
- Have the college host lacrosse alumni, showcases, and/or tournaments to draw people in for the entire weekend. This is a great opportunity for the PLL Academy to grab its foothold across the country.
Week 1 Princeton
📍Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium
📣4,000
Princeton was the team of the 90s winning six championships. Sherrerd FIeld was rocking in 2022 and would get the PLL party started at New Jersey’s private school.
Scenes From Sherrerd Field.#ThankYouChrisSailer pic.twitter.com/N447yuS0lK
— Princeton Women's Lax (@princetonwlax) April 30, 2022
Week 2 UVA
📍Klöckner Stadium
📣8,000
A great facility to watch a game in person or on the grass. The PLL would have the option to play during the day or under the lights.
Tomorrow is the 2⃣0⃣0⃣th UVA Men's Lacrosse game at Klöckner Stadium … #GoHoos 🔶⚔️🔷
— Virginia Men's Lacrosse (@UVAMensLax) April 23, 2021
"𝙄𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 …"
(🎥 courtesy of @JalbertFilms) pic.twitter.com/Zff942R5EV
Week 3 Rutgers
📍Yurcak Field
📣5,000
Rutgers gave us a preview of what an excitable crowd looks like during their opening-round win against Harvard. A visit by the PLL in 2023 may convince the Jersey boys that Yurcak should be on the schedule every year.
It's time to get your tailgating supplies ready and head over to Yurcak Field for the NCAA Tournament! #PackYurcak pic.twitter.com/8azzVE8oKU
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) May 15, 2022
Week 4 Yale
📍Reese Stadium
📣3,000
Joe Tsai built a beautiful new facility for the Bulldogs. I think the PLL players would enjoy making use of the facilities before the game.
Home Sweet Home 🏠
— Yale Men's Lacrosse (@YaleLacrosse) June 8, 2021
Yale Athletics presents: The Tsai Lacrosse Field House. #ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/lmUdkaib1l
Week 5 Texas
📍Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium
📣20,000
Everything is bigger in Texas. Kyle Hartzell welcomes the boys to the Long Horn State.
Current PLL player Kyle Hartzell (@Khartzell81) has been named the new Head Coach for University of Texas pic.twitter.com/lsnU28KDZz
— Varsity Club Lacrosse (@VarsityLacrosse) September 3, 2021
Week 6 UNC (All-Star Game)
📍Dorrance Field
📣5,025
Once of the best venues for college lacrosse. The newly renovated Dorrance field would make an ideal place for fans in the stands and other festivities in the commons area.
The 2021 College Sporting Grounds Field of the Year goes to Dorrance Field @UNC.
— SFMA (@FieldExperts) November 29, 2021
Congratulations to STMA Member, Casey Carrick and his team! pic.twitter.com/TAA6548wX9
Week 7 Oregon
📍Papé Stadium
📣1,000
Go west young man to the land of Nike. Sure capacity will be limited, but maybe we could do something about those giant Champion patches? The Ducks have a women’s lacrosse program, could a men’s program follow?
HUGE shout out to @GoDucks facilities crew for working tirelessly to get Pape Field cleared! @OregonWLAX is ready for GAMEDAY!! Stop by at 1pm to see the ducks face off vs. UC Davis pic.twitter.com/Mto0xLRYJB
— Chelsea Hoffmann (@coach_hoffmann) March 2, 2019
Week 8 Utah
📍Ute Field
📣2,500
The Utes are fresh off their inaugural season in the ASUN. The PLL can make their return to Salt Lake City, this time with fans.
We finished the season ranked 1⃣st in the @ASUNLacrosse and 1⃣3⃣th in the NCAA in average attendance in 2022‼️
— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) May 17, 2022
Thank U Utah Fans 🙌#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/msXj0mTs1C
Week 9 Arizona State
📍Reese Stadium
📣1,051
Arizona is an emerging lacrosse market and the Sun Devils have a women’s team. Like Oregon, here is an opportunity to expose the administration to the game and add to the number of men’s D1 teams.
The final seconds from Sun Devil Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium as @SunDevilWLax defeats USC for the first time this season, advancing to Championship Saturday against Stanford at 12 pm for the first time in program history. They have also earned an automatic berth to the NCAA tourney pic.twitter.com/G6coOBtCkW
— Anthony Remedios (@ARSports20) May 6, 2022
Week 10 Notre Dame
📍Arlotta Stadium
📣2,500
Bring on the bagpipes and Touchdown Jesus. The PLL wraps up the season by hitting the first of two major college football markets.
Tommy McNamara and our walkout is featured on tonight's episode of Yard Sale on the @USLacrosse YouTube page at 8 PM!
— Notre Dame Lacrosse (@NDlacrosse) March 23, 2021
Catch the episode here at 8: https://t.co/tJdxsUCqrs#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/OyEMCwWVQ2
Week 11 Ohio State
📍Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium
📣2,000
It was a toss-up between Michigan and Ohio State here. The Buckeyes get the nod with the more competitive football schedule that may draw a few more walk-ups to the PLL games in their final weekend of the regular season.
⭐️ The new lacrosse stadium will be in the heart of the athletics district and feature a heated and lighted field, press box with broadcast facilities, indoor shooting room & fan observation deck.
— Ohio State Men's Lacrosse (@OhioStateMLAX) August 19, 2021
It has a planned completion date of November 2022. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9mSBVdfnsA
Week 12 Albany
📍Tom & Mary Casey Stadium
📣8,500
Albany showed they are ready for the big time with a lively crowd during the opening weekend of 2022.
What a day here at Peter Barton Stadium! Let’s go @DU_MLAX! pic.twitter.com/BxqMKQKSqE
— Warrior Lacrosse (@warriorlax) April 28, 2018
Week 13 Hofstra (Semifinals)
📍James M. Shuart Stadium
📣11,929
You have to end in the hotbeds, Long Island and Baltimore. Baltimore looked like they had more fans in Week 4. Long Island gets the semifinals in this 2023 PLL schedule.
https://t.co/eb3ckxLsgJ pic.twitter.com/w81gGs6fRk
— Hofstra Men's Lacrosse (@HofstraMLAX) April 8, 2021
Week 14 Johns Hopkins (Championship)
📍Homewood Field
📣8,500
Why not crown a champion where Paul won a national championship! Maybe he can bring the band too!
Thank you for your time. It was tough breaking this down to 12 and also not using football stadiums. Let me know in the comments if you think I missed anywhere.
The attendance here is 8,500, a sellout. It’s the sixth-highest crowd in WDI lacrosse championship history pic.twitter.com/6oSR5O3Mz0
— Matt Kinnear (@mattkinnear) May 29, 2022