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Saskatchewan to play all 14 teams during 2023/24 season

Sep 26, 2023

The National Lacrosse League has shifted its scheduling for the 2023/24 season! 

 

Saskatchewan will open the season on December 1st in Halifax, before battling every team in the NLL during the season, a part of the league’s attempt to balance the schedules. 

 

Another change lacrosse fans will see is the launch of one unified division, meaning east and west conferences will cease to exist, allowing the top eight teams to make the playoffs. 

 

“The revamped standings, schedule and playoff formats provide a streamlined, easy-to-follow, and fiercely competitive method of determining our playoff teams and, ultimately, our champion,” said Brett Frood, NLL Commissioner. “This also affords us flexibility in matching up teams to sustain lasting rivalries, create new ones, and maximize fan and partner engagement across the league.”

 

The Rush schedule is highlighted by key matchups including the hope opener on December 9th against Connor Fields and the Rochester Knighthawks, the return of Marshall Powless and the Albany FireWolves on New Years Eve, Ryan Dilks and the Vancouver Warriors on January 20th, Jeff Teat’s New York RipTide are in town on March 16th, San Diego and Kyle Rubisch in April and the season finale, Mark Matthews, Chris Corbeil and the Toronto Rock on April 20th.  

 

A full schedule can be found here.

 

In addition to the Unified Standings model, notable features of the transition include:

 

  • Scheduling will be rooted in competitive equitability and schedule parity, with each team playing every other team once, plus four additional “flex” games that preserve established rivalries and fan interest, showcase games with impactful storylines, and highlight star player matchups.
  • The schedule and standings format allows the NLL to definitively showcase its continental reach as a truly North American league; for example, San Diego and Vancouver competing against Toronto and New York for regular season superiority.
  • Every single game, every weekend, will have playoff atmosphere and implications on the path to the Championship, while guaranteeing that the best eight teams at the end of the regular season have an opportunity to win the NLL Cup.
  • Each fan base in every city will have the opportunity to see every team and player visit their home arena at least once every other year.
  • The “NLL March to May” playoff format will feature the regular season #1 seed vs. #8; #2 vs. #7; #3 vs. #6; and #4 vs. #5 in the Quarterfinals, with a “bracket” style advance through to the NLL Finals. The Quarterfinal round will be single elimination. The Semi-finals and Finals will continue to be best-of-three.
  • NLL Faceoff Weekend is set for December 1-2, 2023. Buffalo will begin its defense of its 2022-23 NLL title on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Albany, then will raise its Championship banner at home on Dec. 16.
  • For the third consecutive year, every NLL game will be distributed on ESPN+ and TSN+. The schedule of national broadcast games on TSN and ESPN linear networks will be announced soon.

 

Season tickets are on sale now and single game tickets will go on sale later in October. 

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