MLL and PLL both determined to expand footprints in second year together

The MLL's Boston Cannons excelled at Veterans Stadium in Quincy, Mass., building bonds with young fans. (James Cirrone/MLL)

The introduction of a second professional lacrosse team in America this year set off what Boston Cannons veteran James Fahey called “a Cold War” between Major League Lacrosse and Paul Rabil’s new Premier Lacrosse League.

One year later, the hope is that the territory each league has carved out among the market, and the pool of players, will allow them to complement each other more than compete toward the destruction of one league or the other.

At least that is the feeling of Cannons team president Ian Frenette, who said in late October that he feels “10 times better” at the end of this past season than he did as the MLL was on the verge of contraction as it reacquired its media rights and instilled the “one team, one owner” priority.

“The media rights were so strategically important for the future success of the league,” Frenette said. “We will have six teams for 2020, if not more. The goal is to expand in the future. Our foundation is much stronger than it was back in the spring. We are in a great position to grow. We just have to pluck away at it. It’s not as easy as just putting a team in a city. You have to make sure you have the right market, the right owners, and have the right people leading each individual franchise.”