Paul Rabil on PLL Funding, Olympic Lacrosse, AI and the Future of Emerging Sports, 7/2/26

PLL co-founder and President Paul Rabil joins Alex Sherman to discuss the Premier Lacrosse League’s $100 million funding round, its path toward team ownership, and how the 2028 Olympics could accelerate lacrosse’s growth. The conversation covers media rights, player salaries, AI, youth development, women’s lacrosse, and what it takes to build a mainstream pro sports league. Episode Notes Premier Lacrosse League founder Paul Rabil sits down with Alex Sherman to break down the business strategy behind the PLL’s latest funding round and the league’s long-term plan to turn lacrosse into a larger professional sports property. Rabil explains why investors are increasingly interested in sports leagues, how the PLL’s single-entity C-corp model differs from traditional leagues, and why lacrosse’s return to the Olympics in 2028 could create a major growth window for the sport. The conversation explores how the PLL is thinking about team sales, local ownership, sponsorship, media rights, player compensation, and the challenge of converting casual sports fans into lacrosse fans. Rabil also discusses how the league uses social media, storytelling, youth development, women’s lacrosse, and AI to scale more efficiently while building a stronger foundation for the future.   Topics discussed: Why sports leagues are attracting institutional investors The PLL’s $100 million funding round and investor pitch How the PLL’s single-entity model supports future team sales Potential exit strategies for league investors The future of PLL expansion, local ownership, and home markets Player salaries, marketing opportunities, and the path toward full-time pro lacrosse How sponsorship, media rights, tickets, merchandise, and youth participation drive revenue The impact of NIL on lacrosse and emerging sports What it takes to create crossover stars in lacrosse Lessons from Caitlin Clark, Tiger Woods, Conor McGregor, Michael Jordan, Tony Hawk, and Charlotte North Why film, television, and documentary storytelling matter for emerging sports How PLL Play and PLL Assist connect youth lacrosse to the professional game Why the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could be a major moment for lacrosse How the PLL is making broadcasts more accessible to new fans The NHL as a growth comparison for professional lacrosse How the PLL is using AI across creative, technical, and analytics functions The cultural perception of lacrosse and how access, women’s sports, and youth growth are changing the game   Timestamps: 01:00 Paul Rabil explains the investor pitch behind the PLL’s new funding round 02:46 How the PLL’s single-entity C-corp model differs from traditional sports leagues 03:35 Why lacrosse’s return to the Olympics creates a strategic growth window 04:40 How investors could see returns through team sales and league growth 07:55 Rabil describes the current state of the PLL and future expansion goals 09:22 Player salaries, wage growth, and making professional lacrosse more sustainable 12:03 Why sponsorship is the PLL’s biggest revenue category 13:30 How NIL benefits lacrosse and other emerging sports 14:14 The challenge of creating the next crossover lacrosse star 17:21 Why sports documentaries and scripted storytelling can grow participation 18:31 How PLL Play and PLL Assist connect youth participation with the pro league 19:16 The importance of the 2028 Olympics for lacrosse and the PLL 20:44 How the PLL is trying to reach sports fans who are new to lacrosse 24:06 How the league is using AI to support content, analytics, and operations 25:07 Future innovations in broadcast production and fan engagement 27:00 Rabil addresses lacrosse’s cultural image and the importance of access 29:46 The growth of women’s lacrosse and the opportunity for the Women’s Lacrosse League Mentions and resources: Premier Lacrosse League: https://premierlacrosseleague.com Women’s Lacrosse League: https://premierlacrosseleague.com/wll PLL Play: https://premierlacrosseleague.com/play PLL Assist: https://premierlacrosseleague.com/assist ESPN: https://www.espn.com LA28 Olympic Games: https://la28.org Olympics: https://olympics.com MSG Sports: https://www.msgsports.com Arctos: https://www.arctospartners.com Ares Management: https://www.aresmgmt.com Apollo Global Management: https://www.apollo.com TKO Group: https://www.tko.com NWSL: https://www.nwslsoccer.com WNBA: https://www.wnba.com NHL: https://www.nhl.com Major League Soccer: https://www.mlssoccer.com League One Volleyball: https://www.lovb.com Netflix: https://www.netflix.com Chess.com: https://www.chess.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.com Nike: https://www.nike.com IBM: https://www.ibm.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.