National Lacrosse League Opens Friday with NLL Faceoff Weekend: Ten Things to Know
The 2023 “NLL Faceoff Weekend” is nearly here. National Lacrosse League (@NLL), begins their 37th box season with five matches to include three games this Friday, Dec. 1 and two more on Saturday. The largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world has a scheduled doubleheader Friday starting off a 20-game TSN schedule. The Dec. 2 second matchup on Saturday between the Philadelphia Wings at the New York Riptide (7:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN2 begins the ESPN linear broadcast partnership component. The Sports Techie community blog acknowledges last season’s momentum building, record-breaking attendance and all-time high for the league, signifying intense fan interest in the NLL and the exciting sport of lacrosse. To meet the growing demand across the U.S. and Canada, every regular season and playoff game will be streamed on both ESPN+ and TSN+, respectively. This past off-season was an exciting one for the NLL, with compelling storylines sure the heighten the anticipation for 2023-24. A list of 10 things to know about the NLL is ready to build up the hype.
‘NLL Game of the Week on TSN’ Doubleheader Friday Opens 20-Game TSN Slate; ESPN Schedule Begins with Saturday Philadelphia-New York Contest; Every Regular Season and Playoff Game to be Streamed Live on ESPN+, TSN+
The following are 10 things to know about the NLL entering Week 1:
- Fans can watch three of the five NLL Faceoff Weekend contests on linear broadcasts, beginning with the “NLL Game of the Week on TSN” doubleheader on Friday featuring the Saskatchewan Rush at Halifax Thunderbirds (7 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. AT), with broadcasters Pete Dalliday, Pat Gregoire, and Ashley Docking) followed by Panther City Lacrosse Club at Vancouver Warriors (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT), with Teddy Jenner, Brad Challoner, and Shantelle Chand).
- In the “NLL Saturday Night Showcase on ESPN,” the Philadelphia Wings visit the New York Riptide (7:30 p.m. ET). The Albany FireWolves vs. Las Vegas Desert Dogs contest (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT) will also be seen locally in both markets (My4 in Albany, Fox 5 in Vegas).
- The Buffalo Bandits, who open play on Dec. 9 at Albany, will be looking to repeat as NLL Champions, a feat that is rare in League history. The Rochester Knighthawks (now the Halifax Thunderbirds) were the last, pulling a threepeat with titles from 2012-14. The only other title defenses in League history were by the Toronto Rock (1999-2000) and (2002-03).
- The Bandits’ championship last season was their 12th trip to the NLL Finals, the most in League history. The current Halifax Thunderbirds made ten appearances during their time as the original Rochester Knighthawks, and the Rock have made nine NLL Finals appearances.
- All 135 regular season games and every playoff contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ and TSN+. The full schedule is available at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.
- TSN will broadcast 20 Game of the Week contests, including at least one at each of the League’s five Canadian-based franchises. The schedule, subject to change, is available here: https://www.nll.com/news/2023-24-nll-game-of-the-week-on-tsn-schedule-announced/
- In October, the NLL unveiled NLL UnBOXed™, the League’s new continent-wide grassroots campaign designed to bring the League’s fast-paced game to boys and girls in more communities across North America. The League also revealed the cities and branding for the nine non-NLL markets, available at https://www.nll.com/UnBOXed/.
- The new NLL UnBOXed series will debut with the Toronto Rock and New York Riptide playing at Place Bell in Laval, Québec on Friday, February 16, 2024 in the first regular season game to be held in the province since 2002.
- In September, the League unveiled new branding, including a refined primary logo, stylized wordmark, and for the first time, a French language “Ligue Nationale de Lacrosse” family of marks.
- The 2023-24 NLL season will be the first under a new unified standings format and playoff structure which will feature a more balanced schedule across its 15 teams and a single-table, eight-team playoff qualification system that eliminates the geographical conferences.
- Monday marked the debut of “War on the Floor: A Season with the San Diego Seals” on Prime Video, an all-access series that follows the expansion franchise throughout the 2021-2022 season. Search “War on the Floor” to watch the five episode series.
- NLL.com’s news bureau has been busy with numerous features every week. The latest series is the “NLL Top 50,” counting down the league’s best at each position. Next up, the forwards. See links to the other positions at the bottom of that article.
Schedule – Week 1 (All Times Eastern)
Friday
- Saskatchewan Rush at Halifax Thunderbirds, 7 p.m., TSN, TSN+, ESPN+
- Panther City Lacrosse Club at Vancouver Warriors, 10 p.m., TSN, TSN+, ESPN+
- Albany FireWolves at Las Vegas Desert Dogs, 10 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, My4, Fox 5
Saturday
- Calgary Roughnecks at Rochester Knighthawks, 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+
- Philadelphia Wings at New York Riptide, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2, ESPN+, TSN+
National Lacrosse League
A record 1,165,528 fans attending NLL games in 2022-23.
Founded in 1986, the NLL is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (Fort Worth, Texas), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.
For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
Sports Techie, look for players using StringKing heads, mesh kits and shafts on their sticks during NLL Faceoff Weekend, and then into the regular season and playoffs, as an Official Equipment Provider.
Sixes is an now official sport of the summer Olympics beginning with the LA28 Games.
The NLL is promoting both lax and sixes through a new UnBoxed program designed for youth across North America to build excitement for the fastest game on two feet.
I’ve been a part of lacrosse since first playing in high school in the 1980s. It gives me great joy to know that new generations of participants have the NLL as a prominent developmental player and positive force, ensuring the game is in good hands into the future.
See you later sportstechie in Seattle, Atlanta and around the world!
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