Touring Models Help Upstart Leagues Build Data, Revenue, and Market Insights

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) staged its 2025 championship at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with Atlas facing the Outlaws. For the league, now in its seventh season, the match is another opportunity to test the commercial viability of its touring model before eventually moving toward permanent markets and a franchise ownership system.

The PLL has grown quickly compared to most new sports competitions, moving from an inaugural rights deal with NBC Sports to a multi-year agreement with ESPN, which includes 18 regular-season games on national television and an investment stake from the broadcaster. Its ownership group includes influential backers such as Joe Tsai, Robert Kraft, Raine Group, and Chernin Group.

Unlike leagues that debuted in centralised venues, such as TGL (golf) and Unrivaled (basketball), the PLL has pursued a touring approach, staging 10 regular-season weekends across U.S. cities in 2025. The model has driven year-on-year ticketing growth, but also significant operational challenges. Moving infrastructure between venues requires constant negotiations with arenas, municipalities, and local partners, as well as competition for dates against larger events.

Rewards Extend Beyond Ticket Sales

Touring generates detailed data on attendance, merchandise, broadcast performance, and fan engagement in each market—critical insights for future market assignments. In 2023, the PLL used this information to anchor teams to home markets while continuing to tour. League president Paul Rabil described the next step as a “tonnage” strategy: more games across longer seasons, creating more opportunities to monetise tickets, merchandise, sponsorship, and media inventory.

Other Leagues Follows a Similar Path

Athletes Unlimited Softball League launched with a nationwide tour in 2025 before committing to home markets for 2026.

Hockey league 3ICE shifted to a single-market model in Fort Lauderdale after testing multiple touring seasons, citing reduced production costs and stronger local partnerships.

The Savannah Bananas, however, have become the exception, fully embracing a permanent touring strategy. Their Banana Ball format has sold out more than 30 markets in 2025, drawing 148,000 fans over two nights in Charlotte, with valuations reported as high as USD1 billion (AU1.5 billion).

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