CBC Sports and the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) have announced a landmark five-year broadcast partnership that will see marquee games air and be livestreamed across CBC platforms, including the inaugural best-of-three CEBL Finals.
CBC Sports was the league’s broadcast partner for its inaugural seasons from 2019-22. Bell Media’s TSN and its French-language counterpart RDS have carried live coverage of select games for the past number of years.
The new partnership will see CBC Sports offer select regular-season games on CBC TV and all regular-season and playoff games on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports YouTube channel, in addition to the league’s CEBL+ platform.
“Canadian basketball is having a moment right now on the world stage, and through our partnership with the CEBL, we can bring the energy and momentum of Canada’s top young players to fans across the country,” said Chris Wilson, Executive Director, Sports and Olympics, CBC, in a network announcement. “We are excited to share the excitement from the court with wider audiences on CBC’s platforms, and to interact with and serve local fans in CEBL locations across Canada.”
“As Canada’s professional basketball league, with 10 teams across the country, our focus is simple, to meet fans where they are,” added CEBL President and CEO Ty Mazereeuw. “Partnering with CBC Sports brings the CEBL to more Canadians on a trusted national stage, and expands access across digital platforms including CBC Gem and YouTube, giving basketball fans of all ages more choice in how they follow our biggest moments.”
CEBL now encompasses 10 member clubs across six provinces – including the Calgary Surge, Edmonton Stingers, Winnipeg Sea Bears, Vancouver Bandits, and Saskatoon Mamba in the Western Conference and Ottawa Blackjacks, Montreal Alliance, Brampton Honey Badgers, Niagara River Lions, and Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Eastern Conference – with 70% of its players from Canada.
The league says it boasts a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians, up 57% since 2022, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger.
