Despite not playing a meaningful game for nearly 4 months, the Canadian Elite Basketball League has been making headlines for a variety of reasons across the country of late.
From hirings, to relocations, expansion franchises and more, here’s what the CEBL has been up to since they cut down the nets following championship weekend in August.
Rebranding
After being sold to local ownership, the Fraser Valley Bandits rebranded themselves as the Vancouver Bandits heading into the 2023 season.
Local business leaders Kevin Dhaliwal and Bryan Slusarchuk completed the purchase back in September and will continue to have the club play out of the Langley Events Centre where the team played its 2022 home schedule.
“The CEBL is pleased to welcome Bryan Slusarchuk and Kevin Dhaliwal, two passionate supporters of the Fraser Valley Bandits since their inception, into our league as co-owners of the Bandits,” said CEBL Commissioner and Co-Founder Mike Morreale. “Kevin and Bryan have long been strong supporters of basketball in British Columbia. They share our vision for developing Canadian talent and for being community-based where everyone can engage in basketball as a player, coach, fan, or community or business partner. With the CEBL’s Championship Weekend scheduled to be held at Langley Events Centre in August of 2023, the future for the Bandits is tremendously exciting.”
Relocation
The franchise formerly known as the Guelph Nighthawks will be headed out west in 2023, rebranding themselves as the Calgary Surge.
The Surge will now have a natural “Battle of Alberta” rivalry with the Edmonton Stingers, and also establishes a foothold in the country’s 3rd largest city as well. Playing out of the WinSport Event Centre, Calgary will be co-owned by Usman Tahir Jutt and Jason Ribeiro who have been passionate supporters of basketball in the region for some time now.
“I love Calgary and have chosen to build my life and family here. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a part of the Calgary Surge and combine my passions for sport and community and youth development,” said Usman Tahir Jutt. “Basketball is one of Canada’s fastest growing sports, and I want to make Calgary a basketball town. We can do that with the Surge.”
“I am thrilled we are partnering with one of the most exciting leagues in professional sports and am humbled by the opportunity to give back to a city I love in my bones,” said Jason Ribeiro. “Basketball fans know that the game’s influence transcends what happens on the court and I will do everything I can to ensure the Calgary Surge becomes a magnet for art and culture, economic development, and civic pride across all four corners of the city.”
Meanwhile, the reigning CEBL champion Hamilton Honeybadgers will also be relocating ahead of 2023, with the franchise moving to Brampton this offseason as well.
Newfoundland Put On Pause
Only a year after debuting, the CEBL has suspended operations of its Newfoundland Growlers expansion team.
The club, which went 6-14 in its inaugural season, will cease operations ahead of the 2023 campaign, with its long term future currently murky at best.
“We would love to play in Newfoundland, but we need to play in a major spectator facility. We appreciate the efforts of all involved to host games during the 2022 season at the Field House at Memorial University, but the lack of amenities required by a professional league at the level of the CEBL have proven to be untenable,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “Last season Dean MacDonald and the staffs at Deacon Sports and Entertainment and Memorial University operated as best they could under last minute and difficult circumstances, and we greatly appreciate their efforts to bring world class pro basketball to a community that enthusiastically supports the Growlers. We thank the fans for their support. If the opportunity presents itself to resume operations in St. John’s under better circumstances in the future, we are open to giving that every consideration.”
With the St. John’s based club now on hold, Montreal becomes the most eastern based team in the league.
Expansion
With Newfoundland currently in limbo, the league pushed forward with their 4th round of expansion, introducing the Winnipeg Sea Bears as the CEBL’s 10th franchise for 2023.
While the moniker “Sea Bears” may seem like an odd choice for the landlocked city of Winnipeg, the club revealed that it pays homage to the polar bear, whose Latin name “Ursus maritimus” translates roughly to Sea Bear in English.
The club will be led by local businessman and lawyer David Asper who will serve as the team’s owner.
“Winnipeg is an ideal market for the Canadian Elite Basketball League with a rich basketball history that dates back 120 years, with its multiculturalism, and with a location that unifies the CEBL’s geographic reach from British Columbia to Quebec,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “Winnipeg was a target market since the CEBL launched in 2018 and we’ve been waiting for an exceptional owner to emerge who shares our passion for the sport and for community development. David Asper is a lifelong community builder with a deep love for Winnipeg and we are thrilled to welcome him to our board of owners.”
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner