HAMILTON, Ont. – Canada Basketball and the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday a collaboration that establishes the CEBL as the “Official First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball.” The partnership formally makes the CEBL a Division 1 League of Canada Basketball, adhering to official FIBA rules and regulations for the play and officiating of its games. Mutual benefits come in shared resources focused on the development of players, coaches, game officials, and community engagement and marketing opportunities.

“We are very pleased to welcome the Canadian Elite Basketball League as an official partner of Canada Basketball,” said Glen Grunwald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Basketball. “Under the leadership of Mike Morreale and Richard Petko, the CEBL has proven to be committed to operating with high professional standards that align with those of Canada Basketball and FIBA. It is a league created by Canadians for Canadians. Aligning with the CEBL 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 CEBL will operate in accordance with the player and referee standards set by Canada Basketball, the National Sport Organization for basketball in Canada. It will be the first professional league in Canada designated with an affiliation with FIBA, the international governing body for basketball. Beginning in 2019 with franchises in Hamilton, Niagara (St. Catharines), Guelph, Edmonton, Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Fraser Valley (Abbotsford), the inaugural season of the league opens in May and runs through August of 2019.

“Partnering with Canada Basketball to help grow our sport across this country is an honour that we’re very excited about,” said Morreale, Chief Executive Officer of the CEBL. “I would like to thank Glen Grunwald and his team for their support of the CEBL, and their commitment to joining us to further enhance Canada’s emerging role as a world leader in developing exceptional basketball talent. Canada Basketball joins blue chip companies such as New Era, Ticketmaster, and others that will be announced shortly as partners that have joined the CEBL movement across this country. It seems like we say this almost weekly, but this is a landmark agreement for our league that further strengthens our ability to deliver world class basketball across Canada.”

With a mission to aspire to excellence in leading the growth and development of the game at home, and in pursuing medal performances on the international stage, Canada Basketball celebrated as the Senior Men’s National Team defeated Brazil on Monday to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup, to be held in China, August 31 to September 15, 2019. It marks the 14thtime Canada has qualified for the World Cup.

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