ESPN Is Making a Five-Part Series on the Birth of the Premier Lacrosse League

ESPN is producing a five-part original documentary series about how the Premier Lacrosse League was formed. The show is called The Big Leagues, and Deadline first reported it as an exclusive on 22 October 2026.

At the centre of the series are brothers Mike and Paul Rabil, who co-founded the league. Paul Rabil is also making his directing debut on the project. Gene Gallerano is the showrunner, the person who leads the creative and day-to-day production work. Matthew Heineman is an executive producer, a senior credit for overseeing the project.

The series is made by ESPN Originals, Our Time Projects and Two Point Productions. Production was underway as of October 2026. According to Deadline, ESPN has not yet finalised the premiere date or the plans for how viewers will be able to watch it.

ESPN's ties to the league run deeper than the documentary. The network, which is owned by Disney, has a stake in the PLL as well as media rights, meaning the right to broadcast its games. ESPN announced a new five-year media rights agreement with the league in June 2025.

The timing is linked to a bigger event. Lacrosse will be an official sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and Deadline reports that the rollout of The Big Leagues is timed to the run-up to those Games.

For fans, the practical question is when they can watch. Until ESPN confirms a premiere date and distribution details, the series is in production with no fixed schedule. Any announcement of those details is likely to come from ESPN or the producers directly.