Major Series Lacrosse & Western Lacrosse Association statement regarding PLL

MEDIA RELEASE May 3, 2022

Major Series Lacrosse and the Western Lacrosse Association respectfully ask that the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) leadership engage in good-faith discussions with its Canadian players and our leagues to find a solution preventing Canadian players from participating with their community amateur teams that compete for the Mann Cup, the Canadian senior A indoor lacrosse championship..

The PLL has added a provision to its standard player agreements that would prohibit any PLL player from competing in non-PLL sponsored lacrosse events and other sporting events during its season. Unfortunately, this would prevent Canadian players from competing for the Mann Cup. 

With the considerable overlap between the PLL and Canada’s two major summer lacrosse leagues, this new provision in the PLL standard player agreement unfairly restricts the ability of Canadian players to play in both the PLL and the Canadian leagues. Over the past several seasons, approximately 50 Canadian players played in both the PLL and the Canadian summer leagues. If this restriction is put in place this season, they will be unable to do so. 

Lacrosse occupies a truly unique and historical place in Canadian sport. Identified as the Creator’s Game, lacrosse is wholly a product of North American Indigenous peoples, and is Canada's official national summer sport. Canadian athletes of all races and origins play lacrosse with passion and pride, and for the past 110 years, the best senior A lacrosse teams in Canada have battled for the Mann Cup, one of the most significant and prestigious championships in Canadian sport.

Doug Luey - Commissioner, Major Series Lacrosse

905.925.5839

dluey@rogers.com

Paul Dal Monte - Commissioner, Western Lacrosse Association

604.862.6863

commissioner@wlalacrosse.com