By PLL | Mar 3, 2023
LOS ANGELES – March 3, 2023 – The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster today announced it is partnering with World Crosse to hold exhibition matches between U.S. men’s and women’s professional lacrosse players, the Japan men’s national team and a specially selected team of Japanese women’s lacrosse players. Games will be held on March 12 at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki in Kanagawa, Japan, with clinics and skills challenges to be held on March 11 and 13.
“Hosting world-class lacrosse players to compete in emerging countries like Japan will continue to showcase the growth of lacrosse internationally, and is an essential part of our bid to return to the Olympics,” said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. “Coming off of Japan’s bronze medal performance at the World Games last summer, we anticipate that our exhibitions will highlight the talent in the men’s and women’s game globally.”
Sixteen professional men’s players will represent team PLL, with 15 professional women’s players representing team Unleashed. Launched by the PLL in 2020, Unleashed is a media and event platform designed to support the growth and visibility of girls and women in the sport of lacrosse. Team Unleashed will face Cross Crosse All Stars, a specially selected team of Japanese women’s lacrosse players, with team PLL facing the Japan men’s national team on March 12. The event will also feature cultural exchanges among the teams, and skills competition like fastest shot and an accuracy challenge. Players from all four teams will also host clinics with local youth players on March 11 and 13.
“The opportunity to bring some of the best PLL and women’s players from the US to support the growth of the game in Japan and globally is an important moment for our sport,” said Sachiyo Yamada, founder of World Crosse. “We’re excited to showcase Olympic sixes and world class lacrosse talent to lacrosse fans in Japan and around the globe.”
The international exhibition comes as lacrosse continues its bid for Olympic inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Games will be played in both the six-on-six format under consideration by the International Olympic Committee, and 10-on-10 field lacrosse format. The Premier Lacrosse League recently hosted its inaugural Championship Series showcasing the six-on-six format, with games broadcast across ESPN platforms.
Fans interested in attending can purchase tickets here. Games will be broadcast on Gaora, with live updates available across PLL social media platforms.
ABOUT THE PREMIER LACROSSE LEAGUE
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster is a men’s professional lacrosse league in North America, composed of eight teams rostered by the best players in the world. Co-founded by lacrosse superstar, philanthropist, and investor Paul Rabil and his brother, serial entrepreneur and investor, Mike Rabil, the PLL is backed by an investment group composed of Joe Tsai Sports, The Chernin Group, Arctos Sports Partners, Brett Jefferson Holdings, The Raine Group, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), The Kraft Group, Bolt Capital and other top investors in sports and media. The PLL is distributed through an exclusive media rights agreement with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+. The PLL was named 2020 Sports Breakthrough by the Sports Business Journal, and recognized as a 2021 Best Employer in Sports by Front Office Sports. For more on the league, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com and follow on social media: Instagram (@PLL), Twitter (@PremierLacrosse), Facebook (@PremierLacrosseLeague), YouTube (YouTube.com/PLL) and TikTok (@pll).
ABOUT WORLD CROSSE
World Crosse is an annual tournament aimed to grow the game of lacrosse founded by professional player Sachiyo Yamada (Former World Lacrosse Board Member/Women’s rule sub-committee Chair). The tournament provides an opportunity for audiences of all ages to experience the greatness of lacrosse by showcasing the exhibition played by the top Japanese and American players. World Crosse broadcasts through GAORA SPORTS (Japanese TV and web Media) to give everyone in Japan the opportunity to watch the sport. Entering its third year, World Crosse works with local communities to promote international exchange and to grow the game with children unfamiliar with lacrosse.
Below are the respective rosters for both the PLL and Women's teams:
