Professional Box Lacrosse Association
{{short description|Minor professional indoor lacrosse league}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox sports league
| logo = File:Professional Box Lacrosse Association - Logo 2022.png
| pixels = 180px
| title =
| sport = Lacrosse
| founded = {{Start date and age|2022}}
| formerly =
| inaugural =
| current =
| teams = 9
| countries = {{USA}}
| TV = lacrosse tv (only game of the week)
| champion =
| most_champs =
| website = https://pbla.com/
| commissioner = Steve Donner
| coo = Brian Mankameyer
| headquarters =
| ame = yes
}}
The Professional Box Lacrosse Association (PBLA) was a men's professional box lacrosse league in the United States. The league was announced on June 29, 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://pbla.com/news/pbla-announces-professional-box-lacrosse-league/|title=PBLA Announces New Professional Box Lacrosse League • PBLA|first=Katie|last=Raymon|date=June 29, 2022}} with the first seven (of nine) team locations announced on July 19.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/new-league-pbla-announces-seven-cities-where-it-intends-to-play-starting-this-december/60027|title=New League, PBLA, Announces Seven Cities Where It Intends to Play Starting This December | Inside Lacrosse}} The league intended to focus on growing the sport in the United States, drawing players, coaches, and other personnel primarily from there.{{Cite web |last=Walls |first=Dave |date=2023-01-15 |title=Salem Mayhem growing game of indoor lacrosse in Virginia |url=https://wset.com/sports/content/salem-mayhem-growing-game-of-indoor-lacrosse-in-virginia |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=WSET |language=en}}
Full league operations were suspended just weeks into their first season. {{Cite web|url=https://www.mytwintiers.com/williams-sportsdesk/sources-pbla-lacrosse-season-put-on-hold/|title=Sources: PBLA lacrosse season put on hold|date=January 31, 2023}}
Teams
The league started out with a single-ownership structure, with all teams being league-operated. Nine teams were planned for the inaugural season. Names for each team were nominated and voted on by fans from the host cities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stargazette.com/story/sports/2022/07/19/professional-box-lacrosse-association-announces-league-teams-in-elmira-binghamton-syracuse/65377206007/|title=New pro lacrosse league to include teams in Elmira and Binghamton. What you need to know|website=Star-Gazette}}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Team
!City !Arena !Capacity !Founded |
|---|
| Binghamton Bombers
|Visions Veterans Memorial Arena | align="center" | 4,710 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Charlotte Bootleggers
| align="center" | 8,600 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Elmira Renegades
| align="center" | 3,784 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Hampton Hammerheads
| align="center" | 10,147 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Jim Thorpe All-Americans
| align="center" | | align="center" | 2022 |
| New England Chowderheads
|Portland, Maine; |Cross Insurance Arena; | align="center" | 6,206 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Salem Mayhem
| align="center" | 6,820 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Syracuse Spark
|Upstate Medical University Arena | align="center" | 5,800 | align="center" | 2022 |
| Trenton Terror
| align="center" | 7,605 | align="center" | 2022 |
All teams whose names had been announced were decided by a name-the-team contest. The winners were announced on August, 14th, 2022. The Syracuse Spark were originally going to be called the "Sparkle Muffins" however due to the mouthful that this name would be it was shortened to Spark, the logo and mascot were still a spider.{{cite web | url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/pbla-announces-jim-thorpe-pa-as-9th-team/n-5892322 | title=PBLA Announces Jim Thorpe, PA as 9th Team | date=October 22, 2022 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://pbla.com Official website]
{{Box lacrosse leagues}}
{{Lacrosse topics}}
Category:Sports leagues established in 2022
Category:Sports leagues in the United States
Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States
{{US-sport-org-stub}}