PLL Events: Fan Experiences and Community Engagement
Record ticket sales, a pre-game fan zone, a 21+ field-side lounge and an app that keeps you in the game all week. What a PLL weekend is really like.
Over the first 2 weeks vs. the PLL's 2019 ticket high.
With many games on ABC or the ESPN networks.
Premier Lacrosse League tickets sold at record numbers in 2023, growing 93% over the first 2 weeks from the 2019 ticket high, with a few weekends even selling out (PLL league growth).
It's clear the PLL is attracting a lot of new fans, including a variety of famous athletes and influencers. That makes the PLL game day experience all the more important for the growth of the sport and the league. I've coached kids who'd never seen a pro game until a PLL weekend rolled through, and whether you're from Virginia Beach, upstate New York, or you drove down from Ontario, a weekend like this is the best way to hook a young player on the sport for life.
Premier Zone
The Premier Zone is where everything happens before the games! This is the place to hang out and do fun stuff before games. The PLL has tents for the PLL Academy and the Fan Experience.
There's tons more to do in the Premier Zone, like cornhole, fiddle stick lax, and even meeting a PLL player in the LAX World Zone!
LAX World Zone
The LAX World Zone was a brand-new addition to the Premier Zone in 2023. LAX World is a rejuvenation of the old LAX World “with a new brand and a new vision,” as RJ Kaminski puts it, now focused on premium lacrosse apparel and equipment. They gave fans an incredible area to relax and have a little competition.
In the LAX World Zone, there is a lounge and an awesome virtual lacrosse game. The lounge has PLL players taking pictures and signing autographs every game day, plus some couches to relax on between games.
The virtual lacrosse game is an accuracy challenge on an interactive wall, much like a golf simulator. You face Chrome LC goalie Sean Sconone, trying to score on him as targets pop up on the screen that you need to hit to score points. There's a leaderboard each week with the top players (with potential giveaways for the winners). PLL players and some of your favorite YouTubers also test out the wall, so you get to compete against them as well!
You face a PLL goalie on a virtual wall, hit the targets, and climb the weekly leaderboard.
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RebounderChampion Deluxe Rebounder$270.00 at BattleLaxBar Down Club (21+)
The Bar Down Club is a fan experience for fans 21 and up. This field-side lounge is a great place to hang out and have a specialty drink! The field-side action is awesome to witness, as you really get to see how amazing the athletes actually are. There's also cornhole and Jenga to get your own competitive spirit going.
PLL app
The PLL app offers fans an immersive experience outside of the weekend games. You can make a profile and start earning XP right away! They have pick'ems every week on who will win, plus a variety of other questions to answer.
Fantasy is one of my favorites, as I get to compete against friends to see who has the best team (see the post I made about PLL Fantasy tips and strategies).
In addition to all of those fun weekly games, there are articles on a variety of PLL topics and live stats for games every weekend. Each game day weekend, there's a QR code at the site for PLL app users to scan and earn a boatload of XP and a badge for that weekend. Each level you reach offers different rewards, so check out the app to see what they are!
ABC & ESPN deal
The PLL has a deal with ABC and ESPN where every game is streamed on ESPN+, with many of the games also on ABC or one of the ESPN networks. That means every game is available to watch on ESPN+, and many new fans are made when games are shown on the bigger networks.
Themed weekends
The PLL has a few themed weekends, including a kids weekend, an Indigenous heritage weekend, and more. These weekends exist to engage different communities and promote inclusivity in lacrosse, a game with deep roots in Indigenous communities across the Northeast and Canada (it's a big part of why lacrosse is the best sport).
The kids weekend had the PLL junior championships, while the Indigenous heritage weekend featured special jerseys. Be on the lookout for these weekends, because they have limited-time PLL gear.
What's changed since
This post was written during the 2023 season. Since then, the PLL moved to a city-based model in 2024, giving all eight teams a home city (like the Boston Cannons and Utah Archers), while still traveling to tour stops. The fan experience details above may look a little different by now, so check the PLL's site and app before you go.
Read more: How much do pro lacrosse players make? · When is lacrosse season? · Lacrosse gift ideas
See it live
Want a look at the Premier Zone before you go? Here's the PLL's own preview on YouTube.
People also ask
What is the PLL Premier Zone?
The Premier Zone is the pre-game fan area at PLL events, with tents for the PLL Academy and Fan Experience, cornhole, fiddle stick lacrosse and chances to meet PLL players.
What is the Bar Down Club at PLL games?
The Bar Down Club is a 21+ field-side lounge at PLL games with specialty drinks, cornhole and Jenga, and an up-close view of the action.
Where can I watch PLL games?
Through the PLL's deal with ABC and ESPN, every game streams on ESPN+, with many also airing on ABC or one of the ESPN networks.
The PLL does a great job promoting the game of lacrosse. Their socials and events draw new fans every weekend. With so much access to players, the PLL is unique in giving fans an immersive experience. Try to get to a weekend this summer, but if you can't, the PLL is here to stay, and there will be plenty of opportunities to get to a game!