The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that the Winnipeg Sea Bears, in collaboration with the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg, have secured hosting rights for the league’s 2025 Championship Weekend (CW25). For the first time ever, fans at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg will witness the crowning of a CEBL Champion in August 2025.

A celebration of culture, music, community and Canadian basketball, the CEBL’s Championship Weekend has become Canada’s biggest annual basketball event. The weekend includes the top CEBL teams competing to win the league championship trophy, a concert lineup showcasing exciting musical performers, minor basketball events, and an array of activities designed to engage a cross-section of the local community.

“The basketball community in Winnipeg has demonstrated overwhelming support for the Sea Bears and the CEBL since day one, and they continue to establish Winnipeg as a basketball hotbed, quickly setting the standard for excellence in our league,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “The decision to award Winnipeg as host of 2025 Championship Weekend was an easy one and we can’t wait to celebrate the biggest Championship Weekend ever with our fans and partners at Canada Life Centre next summer.“

The Sea Bears set multiple CEBL attendance records at Canada Life Centre in 2023, including the single-game record of 10,580 fans on August 4 against Edmonton in the Play-In round of the playoffs, the single-game regular season record of 8,230 fans on July 29 against Edmonton, and the full-season attendance record of 65,609 over 11 total games. Now the franchise will make history again by hosting Winnipeg’s first-ever professional basketball championship final in 2025.

“From the moment we launched the team we’ve talked about building it from the ground up,” said David Asper, Owner and Chairman of the Sea Bears. “Hosting the national CEBL Championship is another step in that process and I’m confident that by showcasing Canada’s top teams in a basketball festival, Winnipeg fans will once again elevate the league and the sport.”

The best way for fans in Winnipeg to secure tickets for CW25 is to become a Sea Bears season ticket member. In addition to having their seats reserved for CW25, all current and new season ticket members will receive preferred pricing and first access to the best available seats via an exclusive pre-sale window for additional CW25 tickets. All fans are encouraged to sign up for more information on CW25, including first access to ticket presale information and festival events, by visiting cebl.ca/CW25.

“Manitoba is having a moment, and the Sea Bears are part of the excitement our province is feeling,” said Hon. Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba. “We’re proud to host Championship Weekend next year and we’re ready to showcase the kind of hospitality and sports excellence our province offers. This event will bring economic activity to our downtown, attract tourists and promote our province. My family is looking forward to it – and I’ll keep working on my three-pointer in preparation.”

A recent report developed by Tourism Winnipeg forecasts the economic impact of CEBL Championship Weekend in Winnipeg exceeding a $5 million infusion into the local economy and supporting more than 1,300 jobs. CW25 joins the Grey Cup as the second major sporting championship scheduled to come to the city in 2025, making for a fun-filled year for Winnipeggers.

“Winnipeg has some of the best sports fans in the country and they enthusiastically welcomed our new basketball team,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, City of Winnipeg. “The Sea Bears made an immediate impact on our city and downtown, becoming the hot ticket last summer. The 2025 CEBL Championship Weekend will not only showcase the incredible talent in the CEBL but also highlight Winnipeg’s passion for sports. We look forward to welcoming fans from across Canada to our city for an unforgettable weekend of basketball.”

Winnipeg has hosted countless successful major sporting championships, historic games and premier events over the years, most notably football (four Grey Cup games: 1991, 1998, 2006, 2015), hockey (Game 3 of the 1972 Summitt Series, various Canada Cup games, 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, 2017 Heritage Classic), soccer (2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup), curling (three World Championships: 1978, 1991, 2003 and The Brier five times: 1940, 1952, 1970, 1998, 2008), two Pan American Games (1967, 1999) and the 50th Canada Summer Games (2017).

Previous host cities of CEBL Championship Weekend include Saskatoon (2019), Edmonton (2021), Ottawa (2022) and Vancouver (2023), while Montreal is slated to host in August 2024. The 2023 CEBL Championship Weekend crowned the Scarborough Shooting Stars as league champions, with all three weekend contests played in front of sellout crowds of 5,000 fans at Langley Events Centre. More details on tickets and general event information can be found at cebl.ca/championshipweekend or by following the CEBL’s Championship Weekend social media account @CEBLCW on Instagram and  Twitter.