On Monday Major League Lacrosse announced that they would be bringing back the Philadelphia Barrage after a 12-year hiatus. This news comes a day after MLL ceased operations of the Atlanta Blaze. With the return of the Barrage MLL will stay at six teams for the 2020 season.
“We are proud to bring the Barrage back to Philadelphia,” said Major League Lacrosse Commissioner, Alexander Brown. “Rooting ourselves in Philadelphia allows MLL to tap into one of the largest youth lacrosse markets in the country and offer these young fans the opportunity to see the highest level of play all summer long.”
Philly back in the day was a powerhouse of a program winning the MLL Championship three times in their five years of existence. The franchise had started in Bridgeport, Connecticut but moved to Philadelphia for the 2004 season. They played in Philadelphia until 2008.
The team will operate under Mark Burdett and Spencer Ford will be serving as the team’s coach. Currently, their season opener is scheduled on June 6th at home. Ford who is a former MLL player has spent the last ten years as both a GM and an Offensive Coordinator in the Chesapeake Bayhwaks and Blaze organizations.
“I could not be more excited to reintroduce the Barrage to the fans in Philadelphia,” said Ford. “Fans will see the best talent lacrosse has to offer in the men wearing the Barrage blue and orange. The tradition of success built in ’04 to ’08 is not lost on me. We look forward to bringing the trophy home to Philadelphia at the end of the season.”
In order to fill the roster, the Barrage will be using players who were under contract with Atlanta.
