Winnipeg is set to host the 2025 championship weekend for the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
The league, along with local club the Winnipeg Sea Bears, announced Tuesday that the annual event — a combination of basketball, music and entertainment — will be held in the Manitoba capital for the first time.
CEBL commissioner Mike Morreale said the decision to award the championship weekend to Winnipeg was an easy one, based on the Sea Bears’ strong fan support.
The club, which only played its inaugural game last May, already holds the league’s all-time attendance record, as well as setting the standard for the five most-attended games in CEBL history.
“The basketball community has demonstrated overwhelming support for the Sea Bears and the CEBL since day one, and they continue to establish Winnipeg as a basketball hotbed,” Morreale said.
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The event also has the backing of the municipal and provincial governments. Last summer, the province announced a commitment up of to $1 million in support of Winnipeg’s bid for the 2025 championship, and the city’s mayor said Tuesday that Winnipeg has some of the best sports fans in the country.
“The Sea Bears made an immediate impact on our city and downtown, becoming the hot ticket last summer,” Scott Gillingham said in a statement.
“The 2025 CEBL championship weekend will not only showcase the incredible talent in the CEBL, but also highlight Winnipeg’s passion for sports.
“We look forward to welcoming fans from across Canada to our city for an unforgettable weekend of basketball.”
The Sea Bears said local fans interested in watching the championship can follow the league’s CW25 website for details about ticket sales, and that Sea Bears season-ticket holders will get first dibs on the best seats and pre-sale pricing.
The team, which finished its inaugural season in second place in the CEBL’s Western Conference, is preparing for its 2024 season debut, May 22 at Saskatchewan, followed by a home opener two days later against the defending champion Scarborough Shooting Stars.
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