DENVER – With the National Lacrosse League (NLL) officially announcing the league’s schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 campaign, the Colorado Mammoth season is just around the corner!
RELATED: Colorado Mammoth Announces 2023-24 NLL Schedule
In addition to sharing scheduled matchups for each of the league’s 15 teams and details surrounding the NLL’s Faceoff Weekend, set to take place December 1-2 as professional lacrosse returns to North America, the NLL introduced its new unified standings format, thus eliminating the former East and West Conferences.
Now set to play each of the league’s other 14 teams during the upcoming season, the first time the Mammoth will do so in more than two decades of existence, Colorado is prepared to renew some existing rivalries while mixing it up with some fresh blood throughout the 2023-24 slate.
In addition to battling all 14 teams, Colorado’s schedule also features four “flex games.” These matchups will traditionally feature the Mammoth playing against established rivals (this season, the San Diego Seals, Buffalo Bandits and Vancouver Warriors) and games which feature growing storylines, aka when the Mammoth play the Swarm twice this year, with both teams being recognized as playoff-contending squads.
Since announcing the team’s LOUD HOUSE Home Opener, which will take place on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. MT, as the Mammoth host the Georgia Swarm, preparations have begun to welcome back the burgundy boys as lacrosse prepares to return to Ball Arena in just over two months!
RELATED: Mammoth Announces Dec. 22 LOUD HOUSE Home Opener Against Georgia Swarm
With the team’s training camp set to begin inside Foothills Fieldhouse in beautiful Lakewood, Colorado, next month, the team has continued to execute personnel transactions leading into the four-weekend stretch. With the team set to announce its official roster to begin the season during the week of November 27, we’ll let the organization sort out those decisions and circle back with this year’s team soon enough!
In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at Colorado’s opponents for the 2023-24 season as the team attempts to secure a spot in the NLL Finals for a third-consecutive year:
Set to open this year’s campaign just outside Atlanta, Georgia, the Mammoth will visit Gas South Arena to open its season for the second time in three years after beginning its 2021-22 NLL Championship season in Georgia just two years ago. Beginning last year’s season with a slow start, the Swarm went on to break a few team and league records throughout the second half of the season en route to nearly securing a spot in the postseason.
From there, the Mammoth will get to set to make their season debut inside Ball Arena as the LOUD HOUSE welcomes back Dillon Ward, Eli McLaughlin and company on Dec. 22, again, against the Georgia Swarm. Staying around for the holiday season, Colorado will then host the Vancouver Warriors on Dec. 30 for its first of two matchups against Vancouver this season.
Once the new year rolls around, the last team crowned the “Best in the West” will head back to KeyBank Center on January 6 as the Mammoth get ready for another NLL Finals rematch with the defending champion Buffalo Bandits. Having met in the best of three series during each of the league’s last two postseason tournaments, it’s a good idea to circle this one on your calendar!
As the opening quarter continues, Colorado will return home to Ball Arena for a pair of contests against the San Diego Seals (January 13) and the Calgary Roughnecks (January 20). Just six months after defeating the Seals in the postseason for the second-straight year, Colorado will get its first look at the yellow and purple squad, who continues to add aging players to its squad after seeing Brody Merrill finally hang them up over the offseason. The following weekend, another familiar foe returns to the LOUD HOUSE, as the Calgary Roughnecks will bring their best effort during the team’s only opportunity to get some revenge against Colorado, who was also eliminated by the Mammoth during last season’s playoff run.
Following the pair of clashes with former conference rivals, Colorado will hit the road for its longest road trip of the season, enduring away games against the Vancouver Warriors (January 26), San Diego Seals (February 4), Panther City Lacrosse Club (February 9) and the Albany FireWolves (February 17).
This season’s first game against the Seals (February 4) will be the team’s only game played on Sunday, as the league continues to spread game times and dates throughout entire weekends in expanding the sport’s reach.
Once the Mammoth complete the West Coast portion of said trip, against the Seals and Warriors, the team will have played just five different opponents through its first eight matchups.
While Mammoth fans already know about Panther City Lacrosse Club and their play style, Colorado will face the Albany FireWolves on February 17 for the first time in franchise history, as the organization was created in 2021 after previously being recognized as the New England Black Wolves for six seasons.
Recently sending a first-round selection in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft to the FireWolves in exchange for forward Connor Kelly, the Mammoth will hope to see the talented scorer on full display against his former squad.
RELATED: Mammoth Acquire Forward Connor Kelly from Albany FireWolves
Officially into the second half of the season, Colorado will return home for another pair of games inside Ball Arena, with the team hosting the New York Riptide (February 23) and Saskatchewan Rush (March 2) as spring begins to show its colors in the Mile High City. New York has been busy making some selections and trades throughout the offseason, so they’re likely a young, hungry team to be reckoned with.
Also making some big-picture changes are the Saskatchewan Rush, who will bring a revised logo and very different roster composition into the LOUD HOUSE. The early-March showdown represents the only game between the former rivals after meeting at least three times per season the past few years.
Before enjoying its final home stand of the season, Colorado will entertain the Toronto Rock out east (March 9) in a battle of two of the league’s top squads from last season.
Then, set to host three-consecutive matchups against former East Conference opponents, the Mammoth will first welcome the Rochester Knighthawks (March 23) to the LOUD HOUSE en route to later hosting the Buffalo Bandits for another rematch (April 5). Concluding their regular season time in Ball Arena, where the team posted an encouraging 9-2 record last season, Colorado will face off with the Philadelphia Wings (April 12) as the NLL’s playoff picture begins to come together.
Prepared to complete the 2023-24 season with two away games, the Mammoth are set to compete against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (April 13), just 24 hours after hosting the Wings in Denver. Allotted a week of recovery time before finishing the season against the Thunderbirds several time zones away in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Mammoth will look to finish off another playoff-worthy campaign against the orange and purple unit.
Single-game tickets to all home games at the LOUD HOUSE are officially on sale, and can be purchased here! Fans looking to take their support to the next level while becoming Colorado Mammoth Season Ticket Members can check out more details here!
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels for the latest transactions, offseason announcements and beyond!
Fans can download the entire 2023-24 Colorado Mammoth schedule below!
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