TORONTO — Canada Basketball today announced a multi-year partnership with Mintink, naming the premier Canadian trading card and hobby destination as the Official Hobby Experience Brick & Mortar Store Partner of Canada Basketball.

The partnership marks Mintink’s first collaboration with a national sport organization and brings together two Canadian brands committed to growing basketball culture and community across the country through new fan engagement opportunities.

With a rapidly expanding footprint across Canada — anchored by its flagship location in Vaughan, Ont. — Mintink’s national growth aligns with Canada Basketball’s mission to connect with basketball communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

The partnership will feature a series of fan-facing activations and experiences, including VIP in-store events featuring Canada Basketball athletes, a player-led athlete content series, family-friendly contests, and live activations at marquee domestic events throughout the summer.

Planned activations include:
•Senior Men’s National Team FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers on July 3 and 6 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ont., and Aug. 31 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City;
• Senior Women’s National Team exhibition game in Victoria, B.C. (date TBD);
• U15 and U17 Boys and Girls National Championships in Regina, Sask., and Sherbrooke, Que., from Aug. 2-8.

The partnership reflects Canada Basketball’s continued focus on expanding its fan engagement strategy beyond the court and into the rapidly growing sports collectibles and hobby space.

“This partnership with Mintink represents an exciting opportunity to continue evolving how we connect with basketball fans across Canada,” said Michael Bartlett, President and CEO of Canada Basketball. “Mintink has established itself as the premier leader in the hobby space and together we see tremendous opportunity to build meaningful fan experiences that celebrate our athletes, our teams, and the continued growth of basketball culture in this country.”

“We're incredibly proud to partner with Canada Basketball as its exclusive Official Hobby Partner,” said John Amendola, Founder and CEO of Mintink. “This agreement reinforces our commitment to growing the hobby coast-to-coast while creating new opportunities to connect athletes, collectors, and fans. As Mintink continues its national expansion, partnerships like this help bring our vision of building Canada's most recognized and trusted hobby brand to life.”

Mintink combines retail, live entertainment, and community-driven experiences through sports cards, sealed hobby boxes, graded collectibles, live breaks, trade nights, Pokémon tournaments, grading services, and collector events designed for hobbyists of all ages and experience levels.

Canada Basketball today announced a multi-year partnership with Mintink, naming the premier Canadian trading card and hobby destination as the Official Hobby Experience Brick & Mortar Store Partner of Canada Basketball.

The partnership marks Mintink’s first collaboration with a national sport organization and brings together two Canadian brands committed to growing basketball culture and community across the country through new fan engagement opportunities.

With a rapidly expanding footprint across Canada — anchored by its flagship location in Vaughan, Ont. — Mintink’s national growth aligns with Canada Basketball’s mission to connect with basketball communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

The partnership will feature a series of fan-facing activations and experiences, including VIP in-store events featuring Canada Basketball athletes, a player-led athlete content series, family-friendly contests, and live activations at marquee domestic events throughout the summer.

Planned activations include Senior Men’s National Team FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers on July 3 and 6 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ont., and Aug. 31 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, along with a Senior Women’s National Team exhibition game in Victoria, B.C. (date TBD), and the U15 and U17 Boys and Girls National Championships in Regina, Sask., and Sherbrooke, Que., from Aug. 2-8.

The partnership reflects Canada Basketball’s continued focus on expanding its fan engagement strategy beyond the court and into the rapidly growing sports collectibles and hobby space.

“This partnership with Mintink represents an exciting opportunity to continue evolving how we connect with basketball fans across Canada,” said Michael Bartlett, President and CEO of Canada Basketball. “Mintink has established itself as the premier leader in the hobby space and together we see tremendous opportunity to build meaningful fan experiences that celebrate our athletes, our teams, and the continued growth of basketball culture in this country.”

“We're incredibly proud to partner with Canada Basketball as its exclusive Official Hobby Partner,” said John Amendola, Founder and CEO of Mintink. “This agreement reinforces our commitment to growing the hobby coast-to-coast while creating new opportunities to connect athletes, collectors, and fans. As Mintink continues its national expansion, partnerships like this help bring our vision of building Canada's most recognized and trusted hobby brand to life.”

Mintink combines retail, live entertainment, and community-driven experiences through sports cards, sealed hobby boxes, graded collectibles, live breaks, trade nights, Pokémon tournaments, grading services, and collector events designed for hobbyists of all ages and experience levels.

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About Canada Basketball

Canada Basketball is the national governing body for the sport, recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada. A not-for-profit organization, Canada Basketball leads the growth and development of the game at all levels, from grassroots participation to high performance international competition, including the development of athletes, coaches, and officials across the country, in alignment with its provincial and territorial sport organizations. The organization strives for excellence on the world stage while serving the best interests of Canada by making basketball safer, more accessible, more equitable, and more impactful in communities coast-to-coast-to-coast. Canada’s Senior Women’s, Men’s, and 3x3 National Teams, along with its age-group programs, proudly represent the nation in international play, competing with the best in the world. For more information head to basketball.ca.

About Mintink

Mintink® is Canada’s premier trading card and hobby destination, in-store and online. With its flagship location proudly rooted in Vaughan, Ontario, and multiple new locations launching across the province, Mintink is redefining what it means to be a collector in Canada. Part retail powerhouse and part live entertainment hub, Mintink offers an unmatched selection of sports cards, sealed hobby boxes, graded slabs, and rare vintage products, along with live breaks, trade nights, Pokémon tournaments, expert grading services, and community events that bring collectors of all levels together.

Media Contact ‍

Abby Albino
Head of Brand and Fan Engagement, Canada Basketball
Email: Aalbino@basketball.ca

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