The Canadian Elite Basketball League announced Tuesday that
Saskatchewan Rattlers will be the name of Saskatoon’s entry in the new
professional basketball league scheduled to debut in May 2019. The Rattlers will
play out of the 15,185-seat SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
“We are excited to bring a new professional basketball experience to
Saskatchewan, a province where people’s passion for sports has been
unsurpassed in Canada,” said Mike Morreale, chief executive officer of the
CEBL. “Basketball is the second-fastest growing sport in Canada, and it’s the
mission of the CEBL to enhance opportunity and access to the sport for players,
coaches, and fans across this country. Establishing world class basketball in
Saskatchewan is fundamental to what our league is about.”
Saskatchewan joins Edmonton, Guelph, Hamilton, Fraser Valley
(Abbotsford), and Niagara (St. Catharines) as the original six franchises in the
league. Lee Genier serves as President and Chief Operating Officer, Western
Operations for the CEBL, leading the operation of the teams in Saskatoon,
Edmonton, and Abbotsford.
Genier’s sports leadership experience includes 19 years with the Calgary
Stampeders, where he held the position of senior vice president of business
operations, two years running the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse
League, where he was named 2016 NLL Executive of the Year, and a term on
the board of directors of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton through the 2014 Olympic
Winter Games where Canada captured gold in Bobsleigh.
“The reception has been tremendous since discussions began to bring a
Canadian Elite Basketball League team to Saskatoon,” Genier said. “The Rattlers
will deliver an entertainment experience second to none, and I’m confident we
can replicate the incredible support the Rush received when I led their
introduction to the city. Fans will see the highest caliber of basketball in Canada
outside of the Toronto Raptors, and an electric atmosphere that will have them
returning game after game. This is a new basketball experience in every sense.”
Wearing the colours of green, beige, and white, the Rattlers logo depicts
an image of the prairie rattlesnake, the lone rattlesnake breed that lives in
Saskatchewan. The only venomous snake in the Canadian prairies, it is listed on
the endangered species list.
“The CEBL promises to deliver an experience where all 10 of each team’s
home games will be a major event, blending fast paced professional basketball
and an atmosphere that resembles a rock concert,” Genier added. “The SaskTel
Centre has been home to preeminent sports, music, and cultural events for 30
years. It will provide an outstanding homecourt for the Rattlers.”
Created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL will provide sports fans
with a premium entertainment option while also allowing players, coaches and
other stakeholders the opportunity to engage in the sport of basketball in
meaningful ways that support the growth of the game in Canada. The CEBL will
operate in accordance with the player and referee standards set by Canada
Basketball, the National Sport Organization for basketball in Canada. It is the
only league in Canada affiliated with FIBA, the international governing body for
basketball.
For More Information:
Canadian Elite Basketball League: www.cebl.ca
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