TORONTO, Ont. (June 7, 2022) – Canada Basketball, in partnership with the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) announced today that they will host a #madlove night as part of the inaugural GLOBL JAM Fives tournament this summer. The partnership between all three organizations will help celebrate women in sports, while inspiring the next generation of girls.

From tip-off to final buzzer, Canada Basketball and the Toronto Raptors will celebrate women in basketball with a #madlove themed game on July 7 when Team Canada takes on France at 6 p.m. ET. The evening will bring together athletes, fans, influencers, organizers and allies in celebration of growing the game for women.

“GLOBL JAM will see the return of international women’s basketball to the city for the first time since the 2015 Pan Am Games where Canada captured a historic gold medal in front of a sold-out crowd at Mattamy Athletic Centre,” said Michael Bartlett, President & CEO of Canada Basketball.  

“‘If you can see it, you can be it’ is an important message, one frequently shared by members of our women’s program as we continue our fight for gender equity,” said Bartlett.  “GLOBL JAM is not only an opportunity for fans and partners to show their support of women’s basketball, but for our athletes to continue playing a pivotal role in inspiring young girls and women to remain involved in sport.”

As revealed in the Canadian Women in Sport’s Pandemic Impact on Girls in Sport report, COVID-19 has been particularly difficult on adolescent girls who were already experiencing a decline in sport participation prior to the pandemic.  However, data now suggests that one in four girls are not committed to returning to sport with the impacts from the loss of sport negatively impacting both their mental and physical health.

One of the driving forces behind launching GLOBL JAM, a first-of-its-kind international basketball showcase, was to deliver an event with an intentional focus on gender equity ingrained in all aspects of the competition and athlete experience.

Canada Basketball and MLSE originally collaborated to launch #madlove, a cross-channel awareness campaign, to inspire and rally Canadians together for female athletes in basketball and beyond, last year on International Women’s Day.

“We are proud to be a part of an inspiring moment for young Canadian girls and women to see themselves reflected on the court, screen and in programing,” said Shannon Hosford, Chief Marketing Officer, MLSE and Member of the Board, Canada Basketball. “In partnership with Canada Basketball, we aim not only to give fans an opportunity to enjoy world-class talent through the #madlove themed game, but to also uplift and empower girls and women to reach their full potential through sport.”

Throughout the week leading up to GLOBL JAM, members of Team Canada will make visits to basketball clinics and camps across Toronto, including the She Got Game All-Girls Clinic on June 26 at MLSE LaunchPad, as they look to further inspire the next generation.

In Toronto for training camp ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup later this summer, members of the Senior Women’s National Team, as well as female influencers and personalities, will also attend the game.

Additionally, thanks to the generosity of the Raptors and MLSE, girls sports community organizations will be invited to watch and each member of Team Canada who will be participating in GLOBL JAM, will be provided an allotment of tickets to donate to a local basketball organization of their choice.

Canada Basketball launched GLOBL JAM along with Sportsnet, Canada’s #1 sports media brand, as part of a multi-year innovative and unique partnership that will see the two organizations work together over the next several years to bring more basketball to Canadians, through both live events and original content.  The #madlove-themed game will also extend into the broadcast including content and half-time interviews, featuring members of the Senior Women’s National Team and Canada Basketball alumni.

Set to take place in Toronto from July 5-10, GLOBL JAM will shine the international spotlight on the game’s rising stars and feature women’s and men’s teams from around the world competing in an Under-23 tournament live at Mattamy Athletic Centre and broadcast nationally on Sportsnet. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster starting as low as $47.