2019 Major League Lacrosse season


The 2019 Major League Lacrosse season was the 19th season of Major League Lacrosse. The regular season began on Friday, May 31 and ended on Sunday, September 22. It was the first time the league would ever begin its season after Memorial Day, allowing all players selected in the collegiate draft to play a full season. 2019 also marks the first time each team would play 16 games. The league has played a 14-game schedule since 2012. Additionally, the league returned to a Championship Weekend format instead of a two-week postseason for the first time since 2013. Championship Weekend was hosted in Denver with two semifinal games on Friday, October 4 and the 19th Steinfeld Cup was hosted at Dick's Sporting Goods Park October 6 on ESPN2..
For the third time in five years, the Denver Outlaws enter the season as defending Steinfeld Cup champions. They defeated the Dallas Rattlers 16–12 in the 2018 championship game in Charleston, South Carolina.
On April 1, the league announced that the Charlotte Hounds, Florida Launch, and Ohio Machine would not be participating in the 2019 season, with Charlotte set to return in 2021 and Florida and Ohio folding. An updated league schedule was released April 3. The league competed with only six teams, the fewest since 2011.

Milestones and events

Along with the league's schedule release on November 29, 2018, MLL announced it will continue its partnership with ESPN and Lax Sports Network for the 2019 season. ESPN+ will broadcast a Game of the Week. The All Star Game in Annapolis will be broadcast on ESPN2 while the 2019 Steinfeld Cup will be broadcast on ESPNEWS.
On May 30, the league announced that 12 games and a weekly studio show would be broadcast on Stadium.
On June 14, the league announced a partnership expansion with ESPN, as ESPN Player will broadcast 18 games on an international streaming platform.

Teams


Atlanta BlazeBoston CannonsChesapeake Bayhawks
Atlanta Silverbacks ParkVeterans Memorial StadiumNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 5,000Capacity: 5,000Capacity: 34,000



Dallas RattlersDenver OutlawsNew York Lizards
The Ford Center at The StarEmpower Field at Mile HighJames M. Shuart Stadium
Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 76,125Capacity: 11,929

Standings

Attendance

For the first time since 2011, the league's average attendance per game would see an increase. Half of the six teams would see a boost in attendance, although the Denver Outlaws would record their worst attendance in team history. The Chesapeake Bayhawks would become the first attendance champion not named the Denver Outlaws since the Boston Cannons in 2012, and would draw 16,124 for their last regular season game on September 21. The Boston Cannons saw a 9% growth and announced two sellouts at their new home in Quincy, Massachusetts. The Atlanta Blaze, despite having to change stadiums midseason, would see a slight growth in attendance for the first time in their young history.
TeamTotalAverageChange
Chesapeake57,1657,14571%
Denver46,4975,812-25%
New York36,4244,553-3%
Dallas33,4854,185-12%
Boston32,6964,0879%
Atlanta13,9161,7394%
League220,1834,58725%

Collegiate Draft

The league hosted its collegiate draft on Saturday, March 9 in Charlotte at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. This was announced on January 23. Faceoff specialist Alex Woodall from Towson was drafted first overall by the Machine. The Chesapeake Bayhawks drafted one of the biggest names in college lacrosse, Pat Spencer with the seventh pick.

Rookie selection draft

With the league contracting to six teams almost a month after the collegiate draft, questions were raised about what would happen to the players selected in the draft by Charlotte, Florida, and Ohio. On April 26, the league's remaining six teams held a dispersal draft for those collegiate athletes selected by the three suspended teams and any other eligible NCAA seniors. Top pick Alex Woodall was picked up by the Blaze.

Dispersal draft

The league held a dispersal draft on April 24 to accommodate for the rosters of the three teams who suspended operations earlier in the month. Notable player movement included Ben Williams going to Atlanta, midfielder Nick Mariano signing with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, veteran midfielder Kevin Crowley and goalie Austin Kaut signing with the New York Lizards, and Dallas native attackman Bryce Wasserman going home to the Rattlers.

All Star Game

The 2019 All Star Game took place on Saturday, July 27 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, home to the Chesapeake Bayhawks. It was broadcast on ESPN2. The 19th edition of the game the players were voted into the contest by MLL fans and then drafted into teams called Fire and Ice. Team captains were Rob Pannell with B.J. O'Hara as the coach and Lyle Thompson with Bill Warder as the coach. Team Ice won by a sudden victory overtime goal by 21-year-old rookie Brendan Sunday 16–15. Even though Team Fire was defeated, Dylan Molloy of Fire earned the MVP honors with a check for $10,000 from sponsor New Balance. Molloy had 5 goals, 1 assist and 6 points.

Playoffs

For the first time since 2013, the playoffs will have a Final Four format, with two semifinal games on Friday, October 4 and the championship game on Sunday, October 6. Four teams will make the postseason bracket. On July 15, Denver was announced as the host city. Peter Barton Stadium will host the two semifinal games and Dick's Sporting Goods Park will host the 19th Steinfeld Cup.