The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL; French: Ligue élite canadienne de basketball—LÉCB) is the premier men's professional basketball league in Canada, as recognized by Canada Basketball. The CEBL was founded in 2017 and began play in 2019 with six teams all owned and operated by ownership group Canadian Basketball Ventures.

The league currently consists of 10 teams from six provinces, with four from Ontario, two from Alberta, and one each from British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec, making the CEBL the largest professional sports league based entirely in Canada. CEBL teams play 20 regular-season games from May to August. The season culminates in the six-team playoffs that include a final four Championship Weekend where the league's champion is crowned.

History

The Edmonton Stingers holding the CEBL trophy in 2020

The CEBL was first announced in October 2017. Niagara River Lions owner Richard Petko had been dissatisfied with the operations of the National Basketball League of Canada, which he deemed to be a "shoestring business" with no vision. He attempted to persuade the league to hire Mike Morreale, a former Canadian Football League player who, Petko felt, could do better at marketing the league and attracting sponsorship. However, after the NBL declined, Petko and Morreale decided to organize their own league, with Morreale as CEO. The six charter teams were officially unveiled in May 2018, with the River Lions joining five newly-created franchises in Abbotsford which moved to Langley in 2021, Edmonton, Guelph, Hamilton, and Saskatoon.

Morreale stated that the CEBL would emphasize offering a "party wrapped around a basketball game" with "a ton of value for the fans" in order to attract spectators, including outdoor pre-game events, in-arena entertainment, autograph sessions, and other features. The CEBL will, initially, operate as a single entity, with all teams owned by the league under individual general managers. However, the league may spin out its franchises to individual owners, or a single investor, in the future.

In December 2018, the CEBL reached a five-year deal with New Era to be the official apparel provider of the league. The CEBL also reached an official agreement with Canada Basketball for it to be recognized as its first division professional league (in a league system akin to European competition); this endorsement also allows the CEBL access to resources from the governing body. Canada Basketball CEO Glen Grunwald stated that the league would provide an "exciting new product and a further development opportunity for Canadian players, coaches, referees, administrators and management types." Due to this agreement, the league plays under the standard FIBA rules.

In January 2019, the CEBL announced a three-year agreement with Spalding to be the official ball of the league.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 CEBL season was postponed, and conducted as a shortened tournament in a bio-secure bubble behind closed doors, branded as the CEBL Summer Series. Beginning in the 2020 season, the CEBL adopted the Elam Ending—as recently popularized by The Basketball Tournament and the NBA All-Star Game—for all games, under which the game clock is turned off near the end of the fourth quarter, and teams play to a target score to determine the winner.

In the 2021–22 season, the Edmonton Stingers represented Canada in the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA).

Expansion

In November 2019, the Ottawa Blackjacks were announced as the league's first expansion team, and seventh overall, beginning in the 2020 season.

In February 2021, Morreale announced that an expansion team in Montreal would be added no earlier than the 2022 season; due to COVID-19, no new expansion teams were added for the 2021 season. Later in 2021, the Scarborough Shooting Stars, the Montreal Alliance, and the Newfoundland Growlers were all announced as expansion teams for the 2022 season.

In November 2022, the league announced that the Winnipeg Sea Bears would join the CEBL beginning with the 2023 season, while the Newfoundland Growlers would be suspending operations. In August 2022, the league announced that the Guelph Nighthawks would be relocating to Calgary, Alberta as the Calgary Surge.

In August 2023, the CEBL Clash was played at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. It was an all-star game between top players from the Eastern and Western Conferences. The event was done in partnership with Gestev, a subsidiary of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment Group. Upon announcing the CEBL Clash, it was confirmed that Gestev is seriously considering support for an expansion team in Quebec City for 2024 based on the success of the event. The CEBL Clash attracted over 7,000 spectators. Another team in the West will join along with the unnamed Quebec City team to keep the conferences balanced.

加拿大精英篮球联赛是一项备受瞩目的篮球比赛,吸引了来自全国各地的顶级球队参与。这个锦标赛旨在展示加拿大篮球运动的精英水平,并为球员们提供一个展示自己技术和才华的舞台。

加拿大精英篮球联赛的比赛规模庞大,各支球队都经过严格筛选,只有最优秀的球员才能入选。比赛期间,球队将在全国各地的体育馆进行激烈的对抗,争夺冠军的荣誉。

这项篮球联赛不仅仅是一场比赛,更是一个聚集篮球爱好者的盛会。观众们可以欣赏到高水平的比赛,感受到球员们的激情和技巧。同时,比赛还提供了一个与其他篮球爱好者交流和分享热爱的机会,增进了球迷之间的友谊和团结。

加拿大精英篮球联赛不仅仅是为了娱乐和竞技,还致力于推动篮球运动在加拿大的发展。通过这个平台,年轻的篮球运动员可以展示自己的才华,吸引更多人参与到篮球运动中来。同时,这个联赛也为加拿大培养了许多优秀的篮球人才,为国家队输送了人才。

总之,加拿大精英篮球联赛是一个引人注目的篮球盛事,不仅展示了加拿大篮球的精英水平,也为球迷们提供了一个欣赏高水平比赛和交流篮球热爱的机会。同时,这个联赛也为加拿大篮球的发展做出了重要贡献。