While this may be the hottest year for basketball in Canada, the CBC is looking to also make it the hottest year for Canadian Basketball. In the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s (CEBL) inaugural season, Canada Basketball is setting the foundations for a successful Division 1 league that can hopefully become a talent feed for the NBA, and eventually hold some stature on its own. Following the wave of basketball exposure from the Raptors’ historic playoff run, the CBC is looking to fill the upcoming basketball void post-playoffs by live-streaming the remaining 39 games. At a time when basketball is becoming boarder-less and TV is being made obsolete via streaming CBC is setting up the CEBL for success in both the “short-term and long-term”, says CEBL CEO Mike Morreale.
But what does this mean for Canadian Basketball? Half of the battle with national sports and national leagues is the media credibility to incentivize young, talented players to join them and trust them as a channel to further their careers. While the G League has the benefit of being attached to the NBA it too struggles with viewership and credibility as a developmental league. By partnering with the CBC, the CEBL can establish its legitimacy early on and advertise itself as a goal for Canadian players as well as a career path for the national league and beyond. Considering that isn’t a dominant Canadian league, professionally or at the college level, putting a focus on this will hopefully inspire new players to reach this level instead of forcing them to hop the boarder or quit. Having leagues that exist like this also helps us in how we tailor our programs to prepare our players for such aspirations, not unlike our Jr. NBA program and other skill development programs.
The sport needs leagues like CEBL, BWT, and others to give young Canadian players the opportunities to chase and empower their dream to play basketball at every level and age. Hopefully, you can check out the next Niagara River Lions game and see the excitement for yourself!
Watch now, here!