Boston, Mass. (December 11, 2007) - Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced today that the 2008 NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend will take place at Harvard Stadium in Boston on August 23rd and 24th, according to MLL Commissioner David Gross.
The Semi-Final games will be held at 12:00 PM ET and 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 23. The two Semi-Final winners will advance to the NB ZIP MLL Championship Game on Sunday, August 24. The Championship Game will once again air live on ESPN2 at 1:00 PM. ESPN2 is also planning on airing one of the Semi-Final games as well.
Boston last hosted Championship Weekend in 2005 when the event was held at Boston University's Nickerson Field. Harvard Stadium became the new home of the Boston Cannons in 2007. Tickets for both days of NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend are on sale now with complete weekend packages starting at $50. Discounts are available for groups of 25 or more. Cannons Season Ticket packages for 2008, available for just $130 if purchased before December 15, include all three NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend games. For more information, contact the Cannons ticket office at (888) 847-9700 or visit
Boston Cannons.
"We have had great success hosting league events in Boston over the past few years as New England fans have been so incredibly supportive of Major League Lacrosse. We're proud to provide those fans the opportunity to watch the four best lacrosse teams in the world battle for our league championship" said Gross.
The playoff format will be the same as it has been the past two seasons with winners from the Eastern and Western Conference advancing to NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend. Two wild card spots are awarded to the two teams with the next best regular season records, regardless of conference. The conference winner with the better record plays the wild card team with the lesser record in one Semi-Final game, with the remaining conference winner and wild card team facing off in the other Semi-Final.
"We're honored to have the league's marquee event back in Boston" said Boston Cannons Founding Owner Matt Dwyer. "Harvard stadium is an ideal venue for fans. We have great tail-gaiting at games and the seats in the stadium place the fans so close to the action, you feel like you're on the field with the players."
In 2007, the Rochester Rattlers, Denver Outlaws, Philadelphia Barrage, and Los Angeles Riptide all advanced to the NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend at Rochester's PAETEC Park. The Barrage won their third MLL title, defeating the Riptide by a score of 16-13 in the Championship Game. Philadelphia midfielder Matt Striebel was named the game's Bud Light MVP. Striebel tallied five goals and four assists over the course of the weekend. It was Philadelphia's second title as many years as the Barrage defeated the Denver Outlaws in the 2006 New Balance Championship Game at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.
As an anchor level corporate sponsor of Major League Lacrosse, New Balance is the "Official Footwear and Sideline Apparel of Major League Lacrosse." The New Balance logo also appears on the Boston Cannons team uniform. The Warrior Burn lacrosse shoe by New Balance debuted in February 2004. Designed and tested by members of the Warrior Lacrosse Players Club Team, the Burn is the world's first lacrosse shoe developed by the world's best players.
NB ZIP was launched in August of 2006 and is the company's patented responsive cushioning technology, supported by strategically located shock-absorbing struts. NB ZIP debuted with the 8505 running shoe and the 8515 training shoe. NB ZIP became the presenting sponsor of Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend in 2007.