Utah Archers Midfielder Tre Leclaire (44) carries the ball throughout the Premier Lacrosse League Money App Championship between the Maryland Whipsnakes and the Utah Archers at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 15, 2024.
Terence Lewis | Icon Sportswire | Getty Photos
ESPN is renewing its media cope with the Premier Lacrosse League and taking an fairness stake within the group.
The five-year deal will start with the 2026 season and embody all PLL regular-season video games in addition to All-Star, playoff and championship video games. The deal comes as professional lacrosse has seen good points throughout broadcast, partnerships and attendance. It can even be added to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
As a part of the deal, Disney-owned ESPN mentioned it’s going to take a minority stake within the league. An individual accustomed to the phrases, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate nonpublic particulars, mentioned the funding offers ESPN a 3% stake.
“ESPN aren’t solely specialists of their understanding sports activities followers, however they’re additionally nice predictors of viewers and progress,” PLL co-founder and president Paul Rabil advised CNBC. “It is validating that they got here in to spend money on what we’re constructing, after which as a accomplice, along with the enlargement of protection that they will be giving.”
Rabil mentioned the media cope with ESPN has been important to the game’s progress. He mentioned the community has been investing in lacrosse for roughly three many years.
The partnership additionally appears to be paying off for ESPN. Throughout the 2024 season, viewership on ABC for the PLL’s championship sport was up 9% yr over yr. The league additionally had its most-viewed All-Star sport in its historical past, which aired on ESPN.
The PLL can be seeing progress in almost all metrics. Since 2019, paid tickets are up 34%, attendance is up 13%, ticket income is up 149% and sponsor {dollars} are up greater than 100%, Rabil mentioned.
The league, now in its seventh season, has monetary backing from the likes of Joe Tsai, the Chernin Group, Arctos, the Kraft Group and CAA.
Final yr, PLL introduced it was beginning a Women’s Lacrosse League, which is at present in its inaugural season.
— CNBC’s Alex Sherman contributed to this report.
Disclosure: CNBC mother or father NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports activities and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer time and Winter Video games by means of 2032.
