National Lacrosse League

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The NLL originated as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League (EPBLL), incorporated on March 13, 1986, by Russ Cline and Chris Fritz. The 'Eagle League' moniker was inspired by a meeting with Iroquois leaders. The EPBLL opened play for the 1987 season with four teams based in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first game saw the Philadelphia Wings defeat the New Jersey Saints 11–8. The Baltimore Thunder were crowned the EPBLL's first champion, defeating the Washington Wave 11–10. In 1988, the league renamed itself the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL), as the spiritual implications of its original name proved too cryptic for most people to understand. The MILL expanded to Detroit and Boston for the 1989 season. The league later became the NLL. The NLL plays four 15-minute quarters with a 30-second shot clock. If a game is tied after regulation, the two teams play sudden death overtime. Fighting is a 5-minute major penalty and does not result in an automatic ejection. Each team dresses 19 players: 2 goaltenders and 17 runners.

Reader's Guide

The National Lacrosse League is the premier professional box lacrosse league in North America, with a unique winter-spring schedule from December to June that distinguishes it from summer box lacrosse leagues. Its attendance figures, averaging between 8,900 and 10,700 per game since 2004, place it third among pro indoor sports worldwide, after the NHL and NBA. The league's player demographics are notably Canadian and Haudenosaunee: approximately 83% are Canadian, 10% are Haudenosaunee, and less than 7% are American, despite six of the thirteen teams being based in the U.S. Most NLL players have full-time jobs off the floor, such as former Buffalo Bandits player John Tavares, who is a high school teacher in Mississauga, Ontario. The NLL's rules, including a 30-second shot clock and sudden death overtime, create a fast-paced game. The league has evolved from its 1987 origins as the EPBLL, expanding to 13 teams and adopting a single-division format beginning with the 2024 season. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the National Lacrosse League Cup.

Did You Know?

• The NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA.
• The league originated as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League (EPBLL), incorporated on March 13, 1986.
• Approximately 83% of NLL players are Canadian, and less than 7% are American.
• Most NLL players have full-time jobs off the floor; former player John Tavares is a high school teacher.
• Fighting in the NLL results in a 5-minute major penalty and does not cause an automatic ejection.