ESPN has renewed its media rights deal with the Premier Lacrosse League and plans to take an equity stake in the organization.
The five-year deal, which will begin in the 2026 season, encompasses all PLL regular season, all-Star, playoff and championship games, as well as Maybelline鈥檚 Women Lacrosse League games and future PLL and WLL drafts.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to continue our relationship with the Premier Lacrosse League and expand our commitment to the ascendant sport by bringing the recently launched Women鈥檚 Lacrosse League to ESPN,鈥 Rosalyn Durant, the network鈥檚 vice president of programming and acquisitions, said in a statement. 鈥淭his renewal reflects our dedication to showcasing the best in lacrosse, growing the game across all levels and delivering world-class competition to fans year-round.鈥
Alongside the pact, ESPN has also made a minority equity investment in PLL. Representatives for PLL did not immediately return TheWrap鈥檚 request for comment on how much the stake is worth, while ESPN declined to comment.
Premier Lacrosse League co-founder and CEO Mike Rabil said the renewal is a 鈥渕ajor milestone for the continued rise of both the PLL and WLL.鈥
鈥淚t underscores the momentum behind both our men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 leagues and the demand from a growing, passionate fanbase 鈥 unlocking new opportunities for our players, partners and fans alike,鈥 he added.
Fellow PLL co-founder and president Paul Rabil also noted how the renewal and minority investment 鈥渟peaks volumes about the future of lacrosse.鈥
鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e not only bringing the best in professional lacrosse to more fans, more often, but we鈥檙e building a model for how modern sports leagues can grow 鈥 with equity, innovation and access at the center,鈥 he said.
All PLL and WLL games will stream on ESPN+, with select games also presented across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.