Exclusive Events on Tap for Celebration of Canadian Basketball in Winnipeg This Summer

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and Winnipeg Sea Bears, in partnership with the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg, have begun to reveal details surrounding 2025 Championship Weekend (CW25) officially slated for August 21-24 in Winnipeg.

Canada Life Centre will take centre stage as CW25 promises to be one of the hottest tickets in Winnipeg next summer. Headlined by the Sea Bears locked in to play in the Western Conference Final as the host team, the Conference Finals doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET on Friday, August 22. The winners will then square off in the CEBL Championship Final on Sunday, August 24 at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET where the 2025 CEBL champion will be crowned.

The general public now has its first opportunity to secure seats to all three games at the lowest price available all year with the CW25 Tournament Pack starting at $72 on sale HERE.

Additional CW25 exclusive events and other details unveiled Thursday include:

2025 CEBL Awards

Thursday, August 21 @ The MET (Metropolitan Entertainment Centre)

• The annual CEBL Awards reception at The MET will be the first official event of CW25. Eight awards will be on the line, including the league’s MVP, Coach of the Year and Canadian Player of the Year. Ticket purchase includes access to the event plus food and two complimentary drinks

CW25 Commissioner’s Luncheon

Friday, August 22 @ The RBC Convention Centre

• Hosted in partnership with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce as part of their monthly luncheon series, CEBL Commissioner and Co-Founder Mike Morreale will host a panel of experts, including Michael Bartlett, President and CEO of Canada Basketball, Norva Riddell, Sr. Vice President, Sales & Chief Revenue Officer of True North Sports and Entertainment, and Cheryl Sebastien, Associate Vice President, Global Partnerships of NBA Canada, to engage in a discussion around the business of basketball and connecting brands with the power of sports

CW25 Street Festival

Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24 @ Graham Avenue

• A free, three-day fan-friendly street festival featuring live music, food trucks, a local vendor market, 3x3 Basketball and more, will take place in True North Square and on Graham Avenue between Edmonton St. and Hargrave St.

CW25 CEBL Coaches Clinic, Presented by Fox40

Saturday, August 23 @ The RBC Convention Centre

• The all-day event will include exclusive presentations by CEBL coaches from the six teams not competing at CW25 and a lunch break with food provided for all participants
• Registered local coaches from minor club, high school, CCAA and U SPORTS will receive first-hand experiences to learn and understand best practices and coaching techniques to further their own development
• Registration details for interested coaches will be announced in the coming weeks

Local Basketball Court Refurbishment

• The Sea Bears and their partners at Buckets & Borders announced plans to refurbish another basketball court in Winnipeg with funds raised through CW25, as well as through their 50/50 program, sponsored by Cambrian Credit Union
• It will mark the third court refurbishment completed by the group in underserved areas of the city

Sea Bears’ Season Ticket Members will continue to receive first access to all CW25 offers and promotions. Fans can become a CW25 Insider for exclusive offers and information on all CW25 events at cebl.ca/CW25. More details for CW25 in Winnipeg will be released in the coming weeks.

- CEBL -

About the CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

About the Winnipeg Sea Bears

The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the CEBL as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 24-game regular season schedule. Winnipeg businessman and lawyer, David Asper, is the organization's owner and chairman. More information on the Sea Bears can be found at seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.

About Canada Life Centre

Consistently lauded as one of the top sports and entertainment arenas in North America, Canada Life Centre has hosted many of the biggest musical/entertainment acts and sporting events their respective industries have to offer. Regarded as one of the busiest arenas in Canada since its opening in 2004, Canada Life Centre hosts over 140 events a year. The success of Canada Life Centre stems from its unwavering commitment to providing a superior patron experience – at every event. Leading that charge are True North employees who seek to exceed expectations for customer service, operations and security at Canada Life Centre. The venue is not only a meeting place for premiere sports and entertainment events, but it has also been a catalyst for development in downtown Winnipeg. Often cited as the anchor of Winnipeg’s downtown renaissance, a number of major projects designed to draw people to live and work in downtown Winnipeg are sprouting up all around Canada Life Centre including True North Square. For more information, please visit canadalifecentre.ca.