Minnesota Swarm Relocate To Georgia, Will Play Homes Games At Gwinnett Center

The NLL Minnesota Swarm on Friday announced that they will "relocate to metro Atlanta" for the '16 season and will be renamed the Georgia Swarm, according to the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. The franchise has agreed in principle "to play its home games at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth." The season starts in January ( AJC.com, 5/29 ). INSIDE LACROSSE's Bob Chavez noted the capacity for hockey at the Gwinnett facility "is listed at 11,500." The move from Minnesota "ends an 11-year stay and begins a new chapter for the team and the NLL." It is "not the furthest south an NLL team has been located (Orlando Titans), but it’s certainly a new territory." Lacrosse has been "growing steadily in popularity in Georgia, at least the field version." MLL is "set to play its championship game there in August" ( INSIDELACROSSE.com, 5/29 ).