GUIDE: Best Ways to Watch Lacrosse on TV and Streaming in the US & Canada

GUIDE: Best Ways to Watch Lacrosse on TV and Streaming in the US & Canada

*This guide has been updated as of 2024

A new sport is taking hold of the United States. That sport is lacrosse, which is often referred to as ‘the fastest game on two feet’. Amazingly, this sport was first used as a method of settling disputes and preventing war between nations, but nowadays, it is simply loved for its high intensity and athleticism, combining elements of hockey, soccer, basketball, and football.

Live Lacrosse TV & Streaming Schedules:

In recent years, the sport’s popularity has risen at an alarming rate, and, fortunately, it has never been easier for fans to tune into top-tier matches, whether it’s collegiate clashes, professional leagues, or international tournaments. As your home of sports broadcasting information, we at Livesportsontv.com are getting in on the action, adding lacrosse to our platform so that you never miss a game. In this guide, we will explore the sport in more detail and tell you what to look out for.

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Most Watched Lacrosse Leagues and Tournaments

Lacrosse fans in the United States are spoiled for choice, with several high-profile leagues and tournaments to get stuck into, showcasing the best talent the sport has to offer. If it’s local, homegrown talent you’re wanting to keep an eye on, or the high-flying international stars, there is something for you. Here is our breakdown of the top events, before we move on to where to watch them in the next section.

Premier Lacrosse League (PLL)

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) was launched in 2019, acting as a catalyst for the growth of lacrosse in the U.S. Its innovative tour-based model takes the sport to major U.S. cities, where at least 7 of the 8 teams play every game weekend, across four games. Initially, there were no fixed locations; however, as of the 2024 season, each team has been assigned a home city. In total, there are 10 game weekends, with each of the eight teams taking it in turns to host, and playing a double-header in front of their home crowd when they do. The remaining two weekends take place at a neutral location.

This exciting format utilizes a shorter field, two-point goals, and a 52-second shot clock to add even more excitement to the action, and is played on outdoor fields. The 8 teams have been split into two conferences, and the playoffs consist of a 7-team single-elimination tournament, with only one team not participating.

PLL games can be viewed on ESPN, ESPN+, and ABC.

National Lacrosse League (NLL)

The action moves inside for the National Lacrosse League, which is the premier box lacrosse league in North America. This high-energy indoor league was established in 1986, pitting teams from both the U.S. and Canada against each other in smaller arenas. Having been around for considerably longer than the PLL, this league has more loyal fanbases who cheer on one of 14 teams.

The season runs from December to June, culminating in the NLL Cup Playoffs, and each game consists of four 15-minute quarters. Fans are treated to unique features like a 30-second shot clock and sudden death for overtime ties.

All the action is broadcast on ESPN+ and TSN+ in Canada.

NCAA Lacrosse Championships

Lacrosse is quickly finding itself with a bigger role to play in the collegiate sporting calendar, with three divisions of thrilling action to enjoy. The men’s and women’s action are both split between three divisions each, with all colleges involved fighting to participate in their respective division championships at the conclusion of the season.

Just like other college sports, a selection committee will seed teams based on strength of schedule, results, head-to-heads, and input from the regional advisory committee.

For college lacrosse fans, you will need ESPN and ESPN+.

World Lacrosse Championships

If you really want to see the cream of the crop in the lacrosse world, then make sure to tune into the World Lacrosse Championships, held every four years by World Lacrosse. What began as a four-team invitational in 1967 has now evolved into a global competition, governed by the International Lacrosse Federation.

The tournament showcases the best lacrosse nations, including perennial powerhouses like Australia, Canada, and the United States, with the latter having won 11 of the 14 championships. 30 nations participated in the 2023 edition in the U.S., and they will turn their attention to Japan in 2027 for the next.


Best Streaming Services/TV Options for Lacrosse

Luckily for lacrosse fans, it is relatively easy to make sure you have the channels required to tune into all the lacrosse you desire. ESPN/ESPN+, ABC, and local sports networks cover the vast majority of the action.

ESPN/ESPN+

ESPN is the primary hub for lacrosse in the United States, offering live broadcasts of major competitions, including NCAA Lacrosse, National Lacrosse League (NLL), and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). For fans who want unrivaled access to the fastest game on two feet, ESPN+ is essential. ESPN+ is their subscription streaming platform, which works as a bolt-on to your existing package. While ESPN+ will cover some of the normal ESPN programming, you won’t get access to the primary ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU channels. You do, however, get a wide array of exclusive live sports and original programming, including lacrosse. Read our full review of ESPN+ here.

ABC

While ESPN hosts the vast majority of lacrosse in the United States, ABC has managed to nab a few Premier Lacrosse League fixtures for itself. Any games that are shown on ABC are also broadcast on ESPN+, and the ABC fixtures are far less frequent.

Local Cable Sports Networks

Of course, not every game is going to be broadcast nationally, with some local fixtures being shown on local cable sports networks. For these, always make sure to check in with LiveSportsOnTV.com, where we will have information on every single game, making it as easy as possible for you to tune in.


Lacrosse on LiveSportsOnTV.com

The good news for lacrosse fans is that the ‘fastest game on two feet’ is being added to our listings here on LiveSportsOnTV.com. Our website is designed to make finding times and broadcast information as easy as possible for the sports fan so that you can find the upcoming lacrosse fixtures and how to watch them with just a few clicks.

Our accurate, real-time schedules for TV and streaming platforms will tell you all you need to know about your favorite professional leagues, college championships, and international tournaments, removing the hassle of having to search multiple platforms. Everything is in one place on LiveSportsOnTV.com, and you even have the option of setting up customizable notifications to ensure you never miss a game. All of this is possible from your pocket via our app on the App Store and Google Play.

Once you have downloaded that, the only thing left to do is enjoy the games!


Author: Venuse, Inc.