League MLL Colors Copper, black, white Division Championships 2004, 2008 Head coach Tim Soudan | Home stadium Capelli Sport Stadium Steinfeld Cups 2008 Founded 2001 Based in Rochester | |
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Local media Democrat and Chronicle (newspaper)
WYSL (radio)
Time Warner Cable SportsNet (television) | ||
The Rochester Rattlers are a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) professional men's field lacrosse team based in Rochester, New York. They are a charter member of the MLL. From their inaugural season in 2001 to 2005, they were in the National Division. From 2006 to 2008, they were a member of the Eastern Conference.
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After the 2008 season, the team was dissolved. The Rattlers' staff and roster was transferred to the new Toronto Nationals franchise; however, the history, colors, and name of the Rattlers franchise remained in Rochester so that they could be used for a future MLL team. On November 23, 2010, the Chicago Machine officially announced they would move to Rochester and resume play in 2011 under the Rochester Rattlers name.
Rochester rattlers 2014 season highlights
Franchise history
Starting in 2016, the Rattlers will play home games at Wegmans Stadium on the campus of the Aquinas Institute in Rochester. In 2001 and 2002 the team played home games at Frontier Field. They played at Bishop Kearney Field from 2003 to 2005, and moved into the new PAETEC Park in 2006. In April 2015, negotiations between the Rattlers and Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester fell through, resulting in the team moving its home field to Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium on the campus of SUNY Brockport. They returned to the city of Rochester for the 2016 season, using Wegmans Stadium at the Aquinas Institute as their home field. In 2017, they announced a return to the city's professional soccer stadium, now under new ownership and known as Capelli Sport Stadium.
The Rattlers made the playoffs in 2001 and 2005 as a wildcard. They were the National Division champions in 2004. On June 16, 2007, the Rochester Rattlers won a 27–26 (in overtime) game over the Denver Outlaws in the highest scoring game in MLL history at INVESCO Field at Mile High.
In 2008, the Rattlers won their first and only MLL championship by defeating the Philadelphia Barrage 16–15 in overtime in the semifinals and the Denver Outlaws 16–6 in the championship game.
After the 2008 season, the team was dissolved and the rights to the team were sold to a Toronto, Ontario-based group on February 19, 2009. The Rattlers' staff and roster was transferred to the new Toronto franchise, named the Toronto Nationals; however, the Rattlers' history, team colors, and name remained in Rochester, thus allowing the Chicago Machine to be re-branded as the Rochester Rattlers in time for the 2011 season.