CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's easy to see why the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) has made it a point to put Charlotte on its touring schedule for the last few years.
On Friday night a crowd packed American Legion Memorial Stadium for a pair of games, with two more to follow on Saturday.
"It was a lot of fun," Archers Lacrosse Club goalie Brett Dobson said. "The crowd was electric. There were a lot of kids there. It was a great stadium and a good environment to play lacrosse in. I think we should keep coming here."
The Queen City was home to the Charlotte Hounds from 2012-2018 in Major League Lacrosse, which later merged with PLL.
Right now, the league consists of eight teams touring the country, spending each weekend in a different city.
But next year, the operation will place teams in city-based homes.
"This will be the biggest move our league has made since we launched in 2018," co-founder Paul Rabil said.
The decision on which cities to place permanent teams will partly be based on a fan vote in addition to other factors like ticket sales for games and facilities.
"What we've always done from the beginning is involve our fans, they're part of our mission statement," Rabil said. "We're trailblazing the future of professional sports as both player and fan focused."
You can vote here.
Rabil played in MLL and has seen lacrosse grow in Charlotte over the years.
"It starts with the coaches on the ground," Rabil said. "There's a lot of good town and club coaches here. And university interest. If you have a connection from youth participation, to coaches, to universities to hopefully a pro team, then you're really telling a full story. I think Carolina has that potential."
The PLL will host a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Contact Nick Carboni at ncarboni@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.