Premier Lacrosse League: Pro Outdoor Lacrosse on TV
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is the top professional outdoor field lacrosse league in the United States, and if you haven't watched it yet, you're missing some of the best lacrosse on the planet.
What Is the PLL?
The PLL was founded in 2019 and quickly became the dominant force in professional outdoor lacrosse. It operates on a tour model — rather than having teams based in specific cities, the league travels to different host cities each weekend, bringing games to fans across the country.
The league has 8 teams: Atlas, Cannons, Chaos, Chrome, Redwoods, Water Dogs, Whipsnakes, and California (formerly Atlas). Rosters are stacked with NCAA All-Americans, Olympians, and NLL veterans.
The Season
The PLL season runs from late spring through late summer (roughly May through August), with a Championship Weekend in September. Games are played on weekends, typically as doubleheaders at a single venue.
Where to Watch
This is big for Boulder County fans — the PLL has one of the best broadcast deals in lacrosse:
- ABC and ESPN — marquee games on national broadcast and cable
- ESPN2 — regular season games
- ESPN+ — streaming, including full game replays
- PLL app — additional content and live streams
If you have an ESPN subscription or ESPN+, you can watch PLL lacrosse all season from your couch.
Why Watch the PLL
For players and families in Boulder County's lacrosse programs, watching the PLL is genuinely useful. The players are the best in the world at the outdoor game — watching how they move off-ball, handle pressure, and finish in front of goal gives young players a model to study.
8 teams, each with a distinct style. Players naturally develop favorite teams and follow specific players, which deepens engagement with the game.
Olympic-level competition. Many PLL players represent the US or Canada at the World Games and Olympics, so the quality of play is the highest available in outdoor lacrosse.
PLL Coming to Colorado?
The PLL tour occasionally brings games to Colorado and the Denver metro area. Check the PLL schedule each season for tour stops near Boulder.
For indoor pro lacrosse right in Denver, the Colorado Mammoth play all winter at Ball Arena — an easy trip from Boulder County.