ESPN is taking viewers behind the creation of the Premier Lacrosse League with The Big Leagues, a five-part original docuseries centered on brothers and league co-founders Mike and Paul Rabil.

Production is underway, although a premiere date and distribution plans are still being finalized. The series is produced by ESPN Originals, Our Time Projects and Two Point Productions. Oscar nominee and multiple Emmy winner Matthew Heineman, whose credits include Cartel Land, is an executive producer, while Gene Gallerano serves as showrunner.

Paul Rabil will make his directing debut on the project. After a college and professional playing career that placed him among lacrosse’s all-time greats, he stepped away from playing to build the PLL with Mike, a serial entrepreneur.

The Big Leagues will document more than the mechanics of starting a sports organization. The series follows the brothers as they attempt to elevate lacrosse into a major sport while confronting the financial, operational and cultural pressures involved in expanding professional lacrosse.

Those challenges also put Mike and Paul’s relationship—both as brothers and business partners—to the test. Heineman described the project as “part American dream story, part family story, part sports story,” adding that it “hits on deep, universal themes” and is “big in scope but deeply personal.”

Inside the Rabil Brothers’ Gamble

The documentary’s focus includes the decisions and risks behind the young league, as well as the personal dynamics influencing its development.

“This is a story about betting on something you believe in,” Paul Rabil said. “Mike and I set out to give players the league they deserved, and we’ve learned a lot the hard way. I’m grateful to my friends at Our Time Projects and ESPN for giving us the chance to show what it really takes, and I hope it inspires people to fall in love with the game the way we did.”

ESPN Originals VP and executive producer Lindsay Rovegno said the project offers access to elements of professional sports that audiences do not often witness.

“What drew us to this story is the opportunity to take viewers inside a side of professional sports they rarely get to see,” Rovegno said. “The Big Leagues is told through a unique voice that will capture the decisions, risks, and relationships that shape this young league with a bright but unpredictable future.”

The series also expands the existing relationship between ESPN and the PLL. A prior deal gave the Disney subsidiary both media rights and a stake in the league, while the PLL championship game recently aired on ABC.

Its rollout is being timed for the lead-up to the 2028 Summer Olympics, where lacrosse will be an official event at the Los Angeles Games. That Olympic horizon provides a broader backdrop for the brothers’ effort to increase the sport’s profile.

ShowBiz Take

The Big Leagues has a clear dramatic engine: two brothers risking their working relationship while attempting to build a professional league and expand the audience for their sport. The combination of family, business and competition gives the series a story beyond game results alone.

Paul Rabil’s dual position is particularly significant to the project. He is not only one of its central subjects and a PLL co-founder, but also a first-time director with personal experience of the league’s formation and the playing career that preceded it. ESPN, meanwhile, brings an established business and media connection to the PLL.

With lacrosse scheduled for the 2028 Olympics, the docuseries will arrive during a consequential period for the sport. Its five episodes are set to examine what the Rabil brothers have already faced while keeping the league’s future appropriately uncertain.

What Happens Next?

Filming is continuing as ESPN and the production team finalize when and how The Big Leagues will premiere. No specific release date or completed distribution plan has yet been announced.