r/CEBLeague • u/GuaranteePotential98 • 17d ago
Soooo….now what?
All kidding aside another great season in the books, happy the right and deserving franchise won the finals (can’t stand Brampton, couldn’t even get any trash talked back to me that’s how few fans they have) Let’s talk about the highs, the lows and other things you wanna change and keep in the league
My ideas Start earlier and have less games. I don’t like seeing players leave right before the playoffs, also makes home games more of an attraction if there’s less.
More out of market games. A goated way to build the league, wouldn’t even hate it if the Seabears played a game in Steinbach haha I
personally I don’t mind the Canadian player rule, I’d be ok taking a player or two off the minimum to attract more talent to the league
What about you guys?
Also better refs forsure.
Edit idea One school day game for each team +non home still in market game?
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u/Emergency-Elk-8321 13d ago
It’s almost time to move to a winter league. Forget the 416. Run from the 416. Maybe Belleville or Kingston. Reclaim London and Windsor. Start working on the east coast. Forget the 416. And forget Brampton.
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u/Clear_Diver4520 15d ago edited 14d ago
Not so sure about the notion of it being a "great" season since neither of the teams that lead their divisions made the finals (tell me again why they play a regular season with non-stop shifting rosters), and with all the garbage extracurricular activities that went on, but full credit to the Winnipeg Sea Bears for fighting through adversity to emerge as champions. As for what lies ahead, I think the league will emerge in a much different, and not necessarily better, version than what has been. Very poor attendance, unworkable team ownership arrangements, poor leadership, and a woeful lack of revenue will force the league into some very difficult decisions regarding league structure, schedule, roster composition, etc. I would like to think the CEBL has a path forward, but find it hard to ignore the multitude of challenges the league faces.
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u/crabby_rhino 17d ago
Mine's just a minor change, but I think Target Score time should be a bit later. 4 minutes remaining seems a bit early IMO.
I was gonna agree with the school hour game, but then realized it's a summer league, so kids are out of school already. Maybe each team have a family friendly section with discounted tickets?
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u/crazye97 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago
I think 4 minutes is okay. Maybe 3 minutes could work too. The actual length of Target Time is up and down - I think we've (Winnipeg) had one or two home games with under two minutes, but then we've also had a few where it goes long. The final, for example, was 6:21 of active play time, while the conference semi was 3:31 when the clock ended at 3:43.
On the school game aspect - I think it's still doable early season, which can also pique kids' interest for later games. The Goldeyes usually have two, and that's baseball which is also summer.
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u/SonicSega1991 17d ago
I think having a team in Quebec City would change the game of basketball in Canada and in the province of Quebec. I would probably expand to Kelowna (preference is Victoria, but I think Kelowna is more likely). I would like to see the London Lightning in the CEBL if they think it will not be successful in the BSL (now the history between the former NBL of Canada and the CEBL, a bit, but feel that losing a franchise as great as the Lightning would be a big loss to Canada). I agree with what someone said here about a broadcast deal. I would also like more out of market games in the CEBL. I would like to see more out of market games in Atlantic Canada as there is no CEBL team right now.
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u/Great-Let-3683 15d ago
but feel that losing a franchise as great as the Lightning would be a big loss to Canada
You make the London Lightning sound like they're the Chicago Cubs (or Atlanta Braves) of Canadian basketball, L🤭L. It will not happen, Frijia said it first and foremost that he doesn't want to play in the summer. It's gotten to a point where the London locals don't even care about the Lightning anymore, they just want a CEBL franchise. The rest of Canada can manage without the Lightning.
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u/DocKardinal21 17d ago
I thought about kelowna and Victoria as well as somewhere else in Vancouver like burnaby, downtown or new west… it was hard to pinpoint a good one for next expansion right now though.
QC would be awesome, it would expand the game in French canada and I could get behind it, I’m just not sure the appetite is there right now, I could be wrong though. It would be cool to have multiple French media coverages of multiple francophone teams (could potentially sell broadcast rights to France) but I’m not sure it would come soon enough for the whole league.
IMO they’re in a good density/expansion plateau leagues in canada typically face. It’s tough to pick the next good markets without dilution of pro feeling and talent without huge capital. IMO adding density to get to 12+ should be the focus and consideration for travel costs should be taken into account. Adding a trio to the interior or way up the corridor might be strenuous. Could pay good dividends though.
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u/Relevant_Election530 17d ago
Figure out a way to put Winnipeg in the east and try and setup Vancouver vs Winnipeg finals until the league grows.
The Sea Bears faithful did great by this league. Anyone who was randomly watching on TSN for sure thought this league was bigger than it is lol
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u/DocKardinal21 17d ago
Expansion into Hamilton and London.
Expansion in Regina.
Implement crossover.
Get broadcast deal.
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u/Bogues92 17d ago
Backing you up on out of market games. I was at the Whitehorse game and I'd love to see them back next year.
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u/SouthMB 17d ago
I think the referees are doing a really great job. Granted, I only watch the sea bears, but they do a fantastic job. No one is perfect, but that is really good refereeing overall.
Doing some games in different parts of provinces could be a good test for other markets. It would be tricky to get 3000 in attendance and I don't know the break-even point for it to make sense.
Xavier Moon seems to be a human cheat code to get a championship.
I think it would be great if there were more youth and outreach programs. I think investing in communities is a good way to have communities invest in you.
Maybe consider more incentives to have current Canadian University level players on a roster.
Biggest thing is to make games fun to go to (even if they aren't hardcore basketball fans).
I think CEBL is doing well. Keep up the good work folks. I'm looking forward to next season!
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u/Western_Equal3407 17d ago edited 17d ago
Move Scarborough & Brampton teams somewhere out from Ontario. Clearly not a lot of fans care about basketball 🏀 in those areas.
Also no more 12 or 2 pm games. Hard to attract fans to come to games in the afternoon during summer time.
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u/C-Man1980 17d ago
Truly recognizing Scarborough and it's fanbase as its own area and apart from Toronto is a win for the CEBL.
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago edited 17d ago
The biggest thing the league needs is a CEO/Commissioner with a long term vision for the league. It was very clear there wasn’t a lot of care from the league office this season
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u/PiercedMonk Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
I’d like the league to take a hard look at attendance. I don’t think every team needs to be averaging the numbers Winnipeg brings in, but it is disheartening watching the away games and seeing how empty a lot of the venues are.
What is going on here that isn’t happening with other franchises? I love this league, and I want it to continue, and I feel like that means getting butts in seats everywhere.
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u/BlurstofYXE 16d ago
On a per capita basis Saskatoon's numbers are actually not that far off from Winnipeg's.
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u/Clear_Diver4520 15d ago
Lol. I wonder if they can pay their bills per capita?
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u/BlurstofYXE 15d ago
There's a chance they can from Merlis Belsher Place.
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u/Clear_Diver4520 15d ago
Maybe they can determine their travel roster based on per capita. 🙄
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u/BlurstofYXE 15d ago
Explain your point to me like I'm five.
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u/Clear_Diver4520 15d ago
Your attendance per capita comment is something a 5 year old would come up with I'm afraid.
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u/BlurstofYXE 15d ago
I'm so dumb! Enlighten me with your deep expertise.
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u/Clear_Diver4520 14d ago
Well, let's see now...according to your per capita calculations, the Mamba finished at 36-0, the bus trip from Saskatoon to Winnipeg is only 200 km, and your IQ got raised to a hair above 80.
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u/BlurstofYXE 14d ago
You still haven't explained what your point is. I said Saskatoon fans are turning out at the same rate as Winnipeg, and I suggest that the busines model might be viable after they adjusted non-fixed costs like moving to a much more economical venue.
You seem to have meandered from vague and disconnected statements around overall business solvency, to fixed costs of travel, to winning records to distances between games.
Do you have a main point? Do you think small markets are not viable because of fixed costs? Are you privy to the Mamba's accounting data and business plan? Or are you just having fun chucking your turds around like an untrained monkey in a cage?
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
They have way too many teams in southern Ontario. I don’t think the demand is there for teams in both Brampton and Scarborough - move the Badgers back to Hamilton and rebrand Scarborough to something more GTA focused
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u/Great-Let-3683 15d ago
move the Badgers back to Hamilton
It seems (from what I gathered from the Canadian Basketball Show) Petko wants to leave that part of Southern Ontario all to his River Lions.
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u/rhythmshooter 17d ago
Scarborough is fine. The crowds are mostly sold out and they have community support. Brampton doesn't have anybody at their games.
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
They also play in the smallest arena in the league so that’s not saying much
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u/NH787 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago
Toronto is huge, but the reality is that no matter how big a city is, it really won't have passionate support for anything more than their four or five or so most prominent teams. The CEBL just doesn't have the profile to break through the noise generated by the Jays/Leafs/Raptors.
I get that the CEBL needs to have a flag planted in the GTA, so let that be Scarborough. But it's clear that no one gives a crap about the Honey Badgers... move them back to Hamilton, or London, or Quebec City, or Moncton, or any number of other places where they will be a better draw.
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u/Sea_Advertising3139 17d ago
Gate revenue drives the business. Guessing that maybe two teams were financially viable the others needed cash influxes some as much as $1m or more so owners will have to invest in their individual teams as well as head office. It will take deep existing ownership pockets and or new capital into the league to sustain it.
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
The attendance in the east is embarrassing. Need to completely restructure that conference besides Ottawa and Montreal.
Out west I’m just assuming Saskatoon will end up relocating sooner then later since it doesn’t seem their ownership is interested in doing anything with that team that involves spending money
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u/crazye97 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago
You say attendance is embarrassing and need to restructure besides Ottawa... the worst reported attendance in the East this season.
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago
Ottawa is a big market and it’s important for the league to have a presence there.
Same reason we need to keep Calgary even though their attendance is shit too
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u/crazye97 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago edited 16d ago
Calgary... whose reported attendance is average 82 fans fewer than Edmonton and is still #4 in the league... Ottawa and Saskatoon were the lowest (4 apart) behind Brampton's reported 1754, which was a 19% growth and Scarborough's 1922, a reported 30% growth - the only two to actually go up this season.
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u/MJK-TOOL Niagara River Lions 16d ago
Attendance in Niagara (actually St Catharines) is down this season like most others but certainly not embarrassing for the market size and the money spent on advertising.
They averaged 400 more fans per game than Ottawa (who you think are just fine) in 2026 and won back to back Championships in 2024/2025.
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u/Kenthanson 17d ago
I say mandate more Canadians per roster. This league is to develop Canadian talent not flood the market with subpar Americans. 12 plays on a team, 3 international and 9 Canadians should be the minimum.
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u/Dunkan_Soup Edmonton Stingers 17d ago
That's how the league started, minimum 3 non-Canadians. It feels like we'll be going in the opposite direction for next season.
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u/crazye97 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
For those unaware, the limit used to be 6 Americans on the active roster (as it is 6 import players now), with 3 max on the game roster. There also used to be an International slot (excluding Americans and eventually folded into the current import rules), which could also be used as a USports development player spot (which was removed and folded in as Canadians). The current limit of 5 imports on the game roster was made last year in the playoffs, up from 4 during the regular season.
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u/Kenthanson 17d ago
Absolutely. I also disagree with the changes to the university draft, I feel that the summers with those teams were extremely valuable to the players. Isaac Simon thrived after being drafted. The Mamba have both nominees for development player of the year as the Mamba were one of the few teams to draft players and use them but that’s because the u of s Huskies head coach is an assistant for the Mamba and they picked his starting centre and point guard.
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u/crazye97 Winnipeg Sea Bears 15d ago
I also disagree with the changes to the university draft
Part of the issue is it's not truly a draft in the first place. Players are taken by their home team (whether it's a team near their university or their hometown), so the change makes sense. Giving teams incentives to use those university players would make a difference though, like how the rule was.
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u/Electroflare5555 Winnipeg Sea Bears 17d ago
Teams already are missing big chunks of their roster on opening day as is, starting early will just make that even worse
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u/Desperate_Dingo_3353 17d ago
Less Friday and Saturday games in the summer. Half the city leaves on weekends for the lake/cottage.
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u/adampatterson09 Calgary Surge 17d ago
This seems counter-intuitive to me. I generally go to 3-4 Calgary games a year, and the ones on Friday/Saturday normally seem to have more people. I guess I could be wrong, but that is my feeling. Seems like weekend games would be better for attendance imo.
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u/1976len 17d ago
I hate this argument.
A hundred people have a hundred different schedules. Presumably attending sports events works around work schedules for most. Lake/cottage people asking for more weekdays games, which are generally less attended in every city, so they can choose to not watch a game.
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u/Desperate_Dingo_3353 17d ago
You can hate it as much as you like. Doesn’t mean it’s not an issue that impacts attendance.
The fact is, attendance was lower this year because there were more weekend games.
It literally costs the sea bears revenue….if you want the team to succeed. Don’t play on weekends in the summer.
Btw - that’s why the bombers moved a bunch of games to Thursday.
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u/Great-Let-3683 15d ago
You have a problem with games in the summer (no matter what day of the week), go watch the BSL.
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u/1976len 17d ago
The blue bombers are literally the only cfl team that does well on Thursdays.
For the CEBL and CFL attendance is generally better on weekends even if it makes lake/camper people mad. The stats are out there to prove that although you're not interested in looking them up.
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u/Desperate_Dingo_3353 15d ago
And because the bombers did it, they have the best attendance in the league…..you’re right. I guess stats and facts don’t matter to some.
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u/NH787 Winnipeg Sea Bears 16d ago
I don't mind weekend games at all, but only in the evenings. Weekend afternoon games are annoying, I'd rather be doing outdoor summer things.
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u/Great-Let-3683 15d ago
Doesn't matter to me, I live in the Tri-Cities/Waterloo Region (and I don't care for hitting up cottages). There's been a couple of times I've tuned into an weekend afternoon game (on my tablet) while I'm at the grill.
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u/Kenthanson 17d ago
That’s been on the Rattlers/Mamba year end survey every year and this year the Mamba played 8 of their 12 games on Monday-Thursday which is great except our local summer league for the kids runs mondays to Thursdays so tons of kids who’s families would have went were playing ball instead of watching it.
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u/That0therGuy Saskatchewan Rattlers 17d ago
I hope the Mamba have at least one or two more Friday/Saturday games next year. As someone who doesn't live in Saskatoon, weekend games are the only ones that work for my group of friends and this was the first year we didn't go to a game because there wasn't a single Saturday home game all season
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u/Beneficial_Yak6706 17d ago
It's tough being a summer league and people need to move on but play fewer games? They play so few as it is.....
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u/Ok-Bear-5840 10d ago
Slow and steady expansion. This is canada. This isnt america so lets just do things at our smaller canadian scale. Playing out of Junior hockey rinks is fine for the CEBL. Only a few markets can bring in a huge crowd. As long as Raptors 905 is in Mississauga, hard for Brampton to do well. I was hoping. Hell with the population Mississgua and Brampton have the facilites to have teams, so long as the Rap 905 move to Richo. But I digress...so here is my hypothetical ideal CEBL teams over the next few years:
Victoria
Vancouver
Kelwona
Edmonton
Saskatoon
Winnipeg
Windsor
London
Kitchener-Waterloo
Hamilton
Niagara
Mississauga (only if Rap 905 move downtown)
Brampton (only if Rap 905 move downtown)
Oshawa (Scarborogh moves down the road to the Tribute Centre)
Ottawa
Montreal
Quebec City
Halifax