CEBL partners with Canada Basketball, inks deal with New Era
League, which includes Niagara River Lions, tips off next May
It’s been a busy time for the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
The league, which was founded by Niagara River Lions owner Richard Petko and former CFL player Mike Morreale, has officially inked a partnership agreement with Canada Basketball. The partnership announcement comes not long after the league announced a deal with New Era Cap as the supplier of official league and team merchandise.
“Partnering with Canada Basketball to help grow our sport across the country is an honour that we’re very excited about,” said Morreale, who is CEO for the fledgling league. “Canada Basketball joins blue chip companies like New Era, and Ticketmaster and others that will be announced shortly.”
The league is to begin play next May. In addition to the River Lions, there are seven other franchises, including the Hamilton Honey Badgers, Guelph Nighthawks, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Edmonton Stingers and the Fraser Valley Bandits.
Glen Grunwald, one-time Toronto Raptors general manager and now president and CEO of Canada Basketball, welcomed the partnership.
“Aligning with the CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League) to achieve our mission of developing Canadian basketball will greatly benefit players, coaches, officials and fans of our sport as we continue to work to grow the game domestically.”
The agreement means the league will operate under standards for players and officials set by Canada Basketball. Additionally, the agreement gives the league an affiliation with The International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sports international governing body.
Meanwhile, the deal with New Era is for five years and includes all on- and off-court apparel.
“Over the past three seasons, the River Lions logo and colours have proven to be very popular with fans across the region,” said River Lions president Jeffrey Sotiriou. “New Era is one of the most familiar sports apparel brands in the world, and the partnership forged by league CEO Mike Morreale and New Era speaks to the CEBL’s commitment to delivering exceptional quality as part of the fan experience.”
The CEBL is the first basketball league ever to have a partnership with New Era. All six CEBL clubs will be outfitted in New Era jerseys that are expected to be unveiled next spring.
Opening night for the league is May 9, featuring two games. The River Lions open the season on the road in Saskatoon versus the Rattlers, while Guelph visits the Bandits in Abbotsford, B.C.
The River Lions’ home opener is May 16 versus the Edmonton Stingers at the Meridian Centre.