Latest news with #PremierLacrosseLeague
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Who Is Vanessa Kirby's Fiancé Paul Rabil? All About Their Ship
We're back in our Vanessa Kirby era (NOT that we ever left) thanks to Fantastic Four: First Steps coming to theaters this week, so please settle in for a lesson on all things Paul Rabil. Who, if you weren't aware, is Vanessa's fiancé! In other words they're about as serious as you can get, so here's everything you need to know about Paul and Vanessa's relationship (plus some quick intel on Paul in general in case you're new here). He's the founder of the U.S.-based Premier Lacrosse League! Sounds fancy, and if you want a full blown documentary of his career, you can check out 2022's Fate of a Sport. Though FYI, Paul is technically retired from playing as of 2021: "I say this with unending gratitude and the heaviest of hearts, my time has come. After 23 years of playing this beautiful game, I've decided to retire," he said in a statement. "I finally learned that it was never about the outcome. It was always about the game. The game is meant to be played, not won. There is no winning, as there is no end. So I'll continue to compete, win, lose, sprint, fall, and get back up again. I hope you can do that with me." Paul and fellow lacrosse player Kelly Berger were married from 2014 until 2017. He also briefly dated Eiza Gonzalez before falling for Vanessa. At least, that's when news of their relationship first broke thanks to The Daily Mail publishing photos of them walking around NYC. While they've yet to show up on a red carpet together (patiently waiting), Vanessa and Paul recently went on vacation and there are a ton of cute pics in this roundup: And let's not forget about this photo Paul posted, which he captioned "from the very minute we first met in des moines, around the world and back, life is far better, more purposeful and more beautiful with you ❤️." A source told Page Six that the pair had made it official after two years together. Vanessa revealed the news while at a Fantastic Four: First Steps photocall in Mexico: Meanwhile, Paul wrote on Instagram "Some greatest adventure is beginning soon. We're very grateful for your love and support. Especially the advice. Mum's a superhero. I'm just really lucky." Can't wait to see what's next for these two (other than the arrival of their baby, obviously).
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
How to Watch New York Atlas vs Boston Cannons: Live Stream Premier Lacrosse League, TV Channel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On Friday in Chicago, the New York Atlas (3-2) and Boston Cannons (3-2) are set to meet in Week 7 of the Premier Lacrosse League. Friday's Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) game will air on ESPN2. Tune in to catch all the action and see which team comes out on top. Brad Smith #27 of Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club attempts a shot against Ian MacKay #55 and Blaze Riorden #0 of Chaos Lacrosse Club in the fourth quarter during the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League Championship at Audi... Brad Smith #27 of Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club attempts a shot against Ian MacKay #55 and Blaze Riorden #0 of Chaos Lacrosse Club in the fourth quarter during the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League Championship at Audi Field on September 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. More Photo byHow to Watch New York Atlas vs Boston Cannons Date: Friday, July 11, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM EDT Channel: ESPN2 Stream: Fubo (Try for free) Both teams have had comparable performances this season, each averaging 12.2 goals per game on offense. Defensively, the Atlas has a slight edge, allowing 11.4 goals per game compared to Boston's 12.0. With such evenly matched stats on both ends of the field, Friday night's game has all the makings of a tightly contested and entertaining showdown. Last time out in San Diego, the Cannons lost 14-12 against the Carolina Chaos while the Atlas took a 10-8 win over the Utah Archers. Can New York's momentum from that last win carry over, or will the All-Star break have served as a kind of reset? This is one of four games this weekend, as the Archers and Philadelphia Waterdogs play Friday, the Chaos face the California Redwoods, and the Denver Outlaws face the Maryland Whipsnakes on Saturday. However, this is the only PLL game this weekend on national television, so don't miss out on your chance to watch lacrosse action on Friday, July 11. Start a free trial of Fubo now to start watching. Live stream the New York Atlas vs Boston Cannons on Fubo: Start your free trial now! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Lacrosse. On the Chicago River. Yes, on a boat. Premier Lacrosse players hit the river
Along white boundary lines, onlookers watched closely through their sunglasses. Lacrosse sticks in hand, players readied themselves as a remix of Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September' blared over speakers. Skyscrapers crept by slowly. Down below, neon green kayaks paddled along. The whistle sounded. Athletes moved. So did the field. Downtown Chicago doubled as an arena Thursday for a series of afternoon lacrosse games along the Chicago River. The catch? Game play was on — yes, on — the river, moving over gentle currents, under drawbridges and parallel with touring architecture boats. Situated on a retrofitted Chicago River Boat, the stunt acted as a welcome event for a Premier Lacrosse League series taking place at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston on Friday and Saturday. The league previewed the series skipper-style in partnership with Whirlpool, the home appliance company headquartered in Chicago. 'It's awesome to be immersed in (the city) right now,' player Kylie Ohmiller said before the action started Thursday. '(We're) literally in the middle of the river right now.' Ohmiller was one of eleven professional lacrosse players who went mobile with their sport for the afternoon. Athletes represented both the Premier Lacrosse League and the Women's Lacrosse League. Ohmiller plays for the New York Charging in the women's league. From Long Island, New York, the 28-year-old has played lacrosse since the third grade. Always on land, though. 'It's crazy. … I've been playing lacrosse for 20 years now, and I've never done it on a boat,' she said. 'This is a first.' Boat play took shape in the form of three-by-three exhibition games. The players' field for the day was a slab of turf placed on the deck of a riverboat. Black netting bordered the makeshift field, just as a precaution for any rogue lacrosse balls. But players, for the most part, deftly avoided the watery out-of-bounds, a testament to their athletic prowess. Games were condensed, fast-paced and despite taking place on a moving target, competitive. 'It's unbelievable,' said Trevor Baptiste, who plays for the New York Atlas in the Premier Lacrosse League. Asked how he prepared for the exhibition series, Baptise said nothing specific. If anything, just adopting the mindset of 'aim small, miss small,' he said. Two brothers — Paul and Mike Rabil — launched the Premier Lacrosse League seven years ago. This week marked the first time the league has come to the Chicago area since its first season in 2019. Paul Rabil said the Premier Lacrosse League has been working to get back to Chicago for years. And what better way than a quintessential Chicago boat tour. 'To do something as big as … playing lacrosse on a boat? That impact, I think, will ripple through the city,' Paul said. For Premier Lacrosse's first few seasons, the league operated on a touring model where teams didn't have geographic affiliations. But for the last couple of years, the league has reconfigured gameplay around a few major 'home' markets, including Boston, Philadelphia and California. Chicago isn't on that list but Paul hopes that someday, it will be. 'It's a matter of when, not if,' he said. After a few rounds of games, Josh Barrow with the Premier Lacrosse League, who moonlit as referee for the afternoon, stood at the edge of the field. 'We've had some close games,' Barrow said, clad in a white and black striped jersey. Barrow, who has worked with Premier Lacrosse since the league's founding, called the event 'epic.' 'This is one of those kind of pinch-me moments,' he said. He did admit, though, that there were a few calls he made that could have gone the other way. One standing rule: Any balls that went into the river counted as a lost point. '(There were) a few goals that were argumentative,' he said. If only there was instant replay.
Axios
25-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
ESPN takes minority stake in Premier Lacrosse League
ESPN has renewed its media rights deal with Premier Lacrosse League, and also made a minority investment in the league. Why it matters: This marks a shift in ESPN's strategy as it looks to invest in growth areas outside of traditional television. A strategic investment in PLL gives ESPN more incentive to work with the the league on effective distribution. Between the lines: While it's not the first time ESPN has taken a stake in a small league, it is the first time it's made one public. That suggests ESPN is trying to signal to the market that it's looking to get more creative with its dealmaking in the streaming era. Zoom in: The new five-year media distribution agreement begins in 2026 and includes rights to all of the PLL's regular season, all-star, playoff, and championship games. It also includes rights to games for the Maybelline Women's Lacrosse League, currently in its debut season, plus future PLL and WLL Drafts. Zoom out: Momentum is building around lacrosse. The PLL has seen record viewership across Disney and ESPN platforms over the past few years, and the sport returns to the Olympic Games in 2028. "This is an incredible moment for lacrosse ... and we felt this was an incredible for us," says Matt Kenny, ESPN's VP of programming and acquisitions.
CNBC
25-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
ESPN renews media deal with professional lacrosse, takes an equity stake in the league
ESPN is renewing its media deal with the Premier Lacrosse League and taking an equity stake in the organization. The five-year deal will begin with the 2026 season and include all PLL regular-season games as well as All-Star, playoff and championship games. The deal comes as pro lacrosse has seen gains across broadcast, partnerships and attendance. It will also be added to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As part of the deal, Disney-owned ESPN said it will take a minority stake in the league. A person familiar with the terms, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details, said the investment gives ESPN a 3% stake. "ESPN are not only experts in their understanding sports fans, but they are also great predictors of audience and growth," PLL co-founder and president Paul Rabil told CNBC. "It's validating that they came in to invest in what we're building, and then as a partner, in addition to the expansion of coverage that they'll be giving." Rabil said the media deal with ESPN has been critical to the sport's growth. He said the network has been investing in lacrosse for roughly three decades. The partnership also seems to be paying off for ESPN. During the 2024 season, viewership on ABC for the PLL's championship game was up 9% year over year. The league also had its most-viewed All-Star game in its history, which aired on ESPN. The PLL is also seeing growth in nearly all metrics. Since 2019, paid tickets are up 34%, attendance is up 13%, ticket revenue is up 149% and sponsor dollars are up more than 100%, Rabil said. The league, now in its seventh season, has financial backing from the likes of Joe Tsai, the Chernin Group, Arctos, the Kraft Group and CAA. Last year, PLL announced it was starting a Women's Lacrosse League, which is currently in its inaugural season.
