2018 Major League Lacrosse season


The 2018 Major League Lacrosse season is the 18th season of Major League Lacrosse. The season began on Saturday, April 21 with three games. For the third straight year, the league consists of nine teams playing 14 games each. However, the league announced on November 16, 2017 that the Rochester Rattlers, one of the league's four remaining charter franchises, would relocate to Frisco, Texas and become the Dallas Rattlers. The reigning champions for the first time are the Ohio Machine, who would take a hard fall and finish 3-11 in 2018. The season culminated on Saturday, August 18 with the Denver Outlaws hoisting their third Steinfeld Trophy in Charleston, South Carolina at MUSC Health Stadium after defeating the Rattlers, 16-12.

Milestones and events

On November 16, 2017, the league announced at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas that the Rochester Rattlers would be relocating to the Dallas market to become the Dallas Rattlers.

Coaching changes

In June, the MLL and upstart Women's Professional Lacrosse League, the second pro women's lacrosse league in the United States, will play three doubleheaders. On June 2, the Baltimore Brave took the field in the afternoon before the Bayhawks hosted the Ohio Machine. On June 28, the New England Command hosted the Philadelphia Fire at Harvard Stadium in Boston before the MLL All Star Game. On June 30, the New York Lizards will play a host a doubleheader with the New York Fight.

Teams


Atlanta BlazeBoston CannonsCharlotte HoundsChesapeake Bayhawks
Fifth Third Bank StadiumHarvard StadiumAmerican Legion Memorial StadiumNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 8,318Capacity: 30,323Capacity: 21,000Capacity: 34,000



Dallas RattlersDenver OutlawsFlorida LaunchNew York LizardsOhio Machine
The Ford Center at The StarSports Authority Field at Mile HighFAU StadiumJames M. Shuart StadiumFortress Obetz
Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 76,125Capacity: 29,419Capacity: 11,929Capacity: 6,500

Standings

Attendance

For the seventh straight year, league attendance dropped. Only the Rattlers and Machine posted better attendances in 2018 than the year prior. The Outlaws' Fourth of July game was the only contest all season that drew a five-digit attendance figure.
TeamTotalAverageChange
Denver54,3087,758-16%
Dallas33,4564,779118%
New York32,9124,701-9%
Chesapeake29,1834,169-13%
Boston26,1763,739-23%
Ohio18,6592,6659%
Florida12,0992,016-12%
Atlanta11,6601,665-18%
Charlotte9,5481,364-14%
League228,0013,677-4%

Collegiate Draft

The 2018 MLL Collegiate Draft was held on Wednesday, April 18 at the U.S. Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland. With the first overall pick, the Boston Cannons selected prolific faceoff specialist, Trevor Baptiste, from the University of Denver.

All Star Game

On February 13, the league announced the 2018 All Star Game would be held in Boston at Harvard Stadium on Thursday, June 28. The game featured the MLL All-Stars facing Team USA in preparation of the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championship from July 12-21 in Netanya, Israel. On June 27, the league announced that the ESPN family of networks would be airing the game. The next day in front of 6,589 fans, the MLL All Stars defeated Team USA for the first time thanks to seven unanswered goals resulting in a 15-14 overtime victory.

Playoffs

Four teams will make the Major League Lacrosse playoffs. Two semifinal games were played on August 11 at Frisco, Texas and Annapolis, Maryland. The winners, the Dallas Rattlers and Denver Outlaws, advanced to the championship game on August 18 in Charleston, South Carolina at MUSC Health Stadium. The matchup resulted in the Outlaws claiming their third championship in five years after a 16-12 defeat of the Rattlers.