BOSTON, Mass. - The NCAA, Gillette Stadium, Harvard University, and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau today announced the 2017 and 2018 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships will be played at Gillette Stadium, the home of the National Football League's New England Patriots and Major League Soccer's New England Revolution. The Division I, II and III Men's Lacrosse Championships will be played over Memorial Day Weekend, on May 27-29 in 2017 and on May 26-28 in 2018.

"We are honored to have earned the bid to host the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships at Gillette Stadium in 2017 and 2018," said Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group. "We love to celebrate championships at Gillette Stadium and are eager to host the lacrosse national championship games for the fourth and fifth times. I have a son who played lacrosse collegiately and three grandsons who I have enjoyed watching play and can speak to the tremendous growth of the game here in New England. The passion and support by fans of the game were evident when we hosted our first lacrosse championship game and set an attendance record in 2008. We look forward to hosting record-breaking crowds once again in the years ahead." 

The agreement marks the fourth and fifth times the Championships will be held at Gillette Stadium, where the event has enjoyed a history of tremendous success. In 2008, Gillette Stadium set attendance records for the Division I final (48,970) and the Division II and III finals (24,317).  The Championships were also played in Foxborough in 2009 and 2012, attracting fans from 47 states and six international countries to the events.

"My family and I are thrilled to bring the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships back to Gillette Stadium," said Dan Kraft, president international of The Kraft Group and a former lacrosse player at Tufts University. "We look forward to working with the NCAA and all of our partners to create a great experience for the players, fans and lacrosse community."

The 2008 and 2009 Lacrosse Championships were the result of a partnership that included Gillette Stadium and the Kraft Group joining with Harvard University and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) in making a successful bid to bring the Championships to Gillette for the first time ever.  "The 2017 and 2018 winning bid continues on that unique partnership," said Patrick Moscaritolo, the President & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"Harvard is thrilled to once again partner with Gillette Stadium to serve as hosts of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships in 2017 and 2018," said Bob Scalise, Harvard's John D. Nichols ‘53 Family Director of Athletics. "We look forward to working with the NCAA and the lacrosse community to prepare for some exciting weekends of lacrosse at the upcoming NCAA Division I, II and III Championships."

"We are very excited to once again welcome lacrosse fans from across the U.S. and across the globe to Boston and Foxborough," said Moscaritolo, "Lacrosse fans will enjoy exploring and discovering our extraordinary cultural attractions and historical sites, in addition to watching great lacrosse at Gillette Stadium, one of  America's premier venues."

Ticket, hospitality, reunion opportunities and fan activity information will be announced at a later date.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2016
Media Contact: David O'Donnell
dodonnell@bostonusa.com

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