• Loading stock data...
Sunday, August 24, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Buy tickets now!

Premier Lacrosse League Lands Kraft Investment

  • The PLL has closed an additional round of funding.
  • It includes investments from Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Nets owner Joseph Tsai.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

The Premier Lacrosse League continues to attract new fans and investors. 

Ahead of its third season, which begins on Friday, the PLL announced that it has closed an additional round of funding that includes new investments from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Brooklyn Nets owner and Alibaba co-founder Joseph Tsai, an early investor in the league.  

“Bringing in folks like the Kraft family into our business can provide help where we have blind spots and provide us value in the long run,” PLL co-founder and CEO Michael Rabil told Front Office Sports.  

Led by Arctos Sports Partners, the round follows the league’s merger with Major League Lacrosse in December. The merger allowed the PLL to retain rights to former MLL teams for future expansion considerations. 

That will come into play when the MLL’s former Cannons franchise joins the PLL’s seven other clubs in an 11-week traveling schedule that ends with a championship game on Sept. 19 at Audi Field in Washington D.C. 

Viewers have more opportunities than ever to watch PLL as the league expands its footprint. 

  • In May, the league announced an exclusive streaming partnership with Peacock as part of the league’s three-year media rights deal with NBCUniversal.
  • The league has also revealed plans for the Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame, which will induct its inaugural class during championship weekend.

“Having investors that actually roll their sleeves up to take organizations to where they are now is a reason why we are excited to bring them onto our ownership group,” PLL co-founder and Cannons midfielder Paul Rabil told FOS.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20) returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium.

‘Fauxbacks’ Throw Back to a Retro Uniform That Never Existed

Many throwback jerseys are brand-new designs or “Franken-Unis.”
Coco Gauff at New York Liberty

How the New York Liberty Became the Hottest Ticket in Town

Once banished to the burbs, the Libs are now Brooklyn’s marquee attraction.

Cattle Dermatitis Outbreak Forces Tour de France Route Change

The Tour cut two climbs and shortened the stage by 35 km.

Broadcasting With Benefits: Networks Gaining League Equity Is Now the Norm

ESPN gained an equity stake in the PLL as part of a rights deal.

Featured Today

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
August 23, 2025

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Nov 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks at quarterback Drew Allar (15) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium.
August 22, 2025

Private Equity Enters College Sports—Without the Equity

As college football starts, lending agreements have become PE’s best way in.

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
June 24, 2025

Timberwolves’ 4-Year Ownership Saga Ends As A-Rod, Lore Take Over

The unanimous approval brought a clean end to a long-disputed transaction.
Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) before game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
June 25, 2025

Rockets Get $20 Million in Wiggle Room From New VanVleet Deal

VanVleet first signed with the Rockets in 2023.
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
April 20, 2025

Max Verstappen Linked to $300M Aston Martin Deal Ahead of Miami GP

Aston Martin is currently seventh in the constructors championship.
March 27, 2025

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Gets PE Boost

The Hall of Famer’s company gains another prominent backer.
March 20, 2025

High School Sports Power Signs Eight-Figure Rights Deal in First

The deal pays roughly $1 million annually, FOS has learned.
March 20, 2025

Maxx Crosby’s Agent: Edge Rushers Set to Dominate NFL’s Non-QB Market

Maxx Crosby just signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension.