The Premier Lacrosse League has selected EA Varsity Head Lacrosse Coach Chris Bates as one of its head coaches for the 2019 season.
Coach Bates has been coaching Division I and high school lacrosse for nearly 25 years. "I know that experience was important, especially given the level of talent in the league. It's a very different paradigm, but the resources and support behind it are unbelievably impressive."
The Premier Lacrosse League is a new league that will debut in June 2019. "It's a unique model in that there are no city-based franchises, but six teams that will travel to various cities in the United States from June through September," said Coach Bates. "The goal is for players, for the first time, to be full-time professional athletes with benefits eligibility, which has not happened in our sport before."
To date, 160 professionals have signed contracts to play with the PLL. NBC Sports has also signed on as a broadcast partner.
The schedule is still being finalized but potential cities that could host games include: Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C. and Columbus.
Coach Bates joins other newly-named head coaches Dom Starsia, John Paul, Andy Towers, Jim Stagnitta, and Nat St. Laurent.
