MAJOR MERGER: PLL absorbs Boston Cannons as eighth team

Joe Nardella (91) celebrates with his Whipsnakes LC teammates during the final game of the PLL Championship series. (PLL photos)

The question on the minds of lacrosse fans after the Premier Lacrosse League announced plans for its inaugural season in 2019 was this: How would it exist, or co-exist, with Major League Lacrosse?

Fans got an answer on Wednesday with the announcement of a merger between the two leagues that will position the Boston Cannons as the PLL’s eighth team.

According to a report from Sportico shared on the PLL’s social media accounts, the Cannons will be rebranded as the Cannons Lacrosse Club, and its roster will be set after an entry draft. The team joins Archers LC, Atlas LC, Chaos LC, Chrome LC, Redwoods LC, Waterdogs LC and two-time defending champion Whipsnakes LC in the league.

It means the Cannons will not play a season of home games in Quincy, Mass. Additionally, the PLL will retain the rights to all of the former MLL teams for future expansion considerations, including the Connecticut Hammerheads, who are based in Fairfield, Conn.