ABBOTSFORD, Nov. 1, 2018 – Professional basketball comes to the Fraser Valley when the Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) host the Guelph Nighthawks to open their inaugural season on Thursday, May 9 at the Abbotsford Centre.

 

Modelled after top international professional leagues, the CEBL is comprised of six original teams in Abbotsford, Edmonton, Guelph, St. Catharines, Hamilton, and Saskatoon. Each team plays 10 home and 10 road games using FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules, and player and referee standards set by Canada Basketball. Rosters will be comprised of at least 60 to 70 percent Canadian players, many playing professionally in North America and overseas during the traditional basketball season.

“The release of the inaugural season schedule is a landmark moment for the Bandits. We are ready to give fans in the Fraser Valley a truly unique sport and entertainment experience that will have fans of all ages eagerly anticipating the next game. Canada has emerged as a force on the international basketball stage, with more than 160 players playing professionally around the world, 100 players in the NCAA, and hundreds occupying roster spots on top U SPORTS programs. Now, fans and local businesses will have a chance to see many of them play on home soil in the CEBL,” said Lee Genier, President and COO of CEBL Western Operations.

Season tickets range in price from $179 to $625 and are scheduled to go on sale later in November on Ticketmaster, the official ticketing partner of the CEBL. Fans will be able to visit www.ticketmaster.ca or the Ticketmaster app for the widest selection of verified tickets.

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For media inquiries, please contact Andrew Savory, Marketing and Communications Manager, Fraser Valley Bandits, asavory@thebandits.ca.

For your convenience, I have attached the schedule as a PDF, as well as social media graphics of the schedule in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter size formats. Similarly, a video for the CEBL’s league-wide schedule launch can be found here.

For more information on the Bandits, visit www.thebandits.ca or follow the team’s journey on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.