The National Lacrosse League announced today the approval of the sale of the Vancouver Stealth to Canucks Sports & Entertainment.

The Stealth will commence play at Rogers Arena beginning in the 2018-19 season.

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"First and foremost, I would like to thank Denise Watkins for her many years of passion and commitment at the helm of the organization, which included bringing a championship to the franchise in 2010," said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. "This is another pivotal moment for the League and we are honoured and thrilled to have the Aquilini family and Canucks Sports & Entertainment leading our Vancouver franchise in one of the most relevant lacrosse communities in North America.

"We are very excited to welcome the National Lacrosse League to Rogers Arena," said Jeff Stipec, COO, Canucks Sports & Entertainment. "I would like to thank Denise Watkins and the Stealth staff for all they have done to establish and develop the NLL in Greater Vancouver."

"British Columbia has a rich lacrosse history and people from across the country and around the world know how important this market is to the game," continued Stipec. "We look forward to continuing to grow the game, both on the floor and in the community. We can't wait to get to work."

Over the coming months, the Vancouver lacrosse franchise will undergo a transformation, including a new name, brand and logo. A special event will be held in the coming months to unveil more details.

The Vancouver Stealth have played at the Langley Events Centre for the past five years. The NLL 18-game regular season begins in December 2018 and runs through April 2019. Games are primarily scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights. The NLL playoffs begin in May and conclude in June with the NLL Finals.