Sea Bears to host Surge, River Lions, Shooting Stars at CW25

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) matchups are set for 2025 Championship Weekend (CW25) in Winnipeg, MB, as the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Calgary Surge punched their tickets to the Conference Finals this afternoon with wins in the CEBL’s Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals.

The Conference Finals doubleheader at CW25 on Friday, August 22 will feature the defending champion Niagara River Lions taking on Scarborough in the Eastern Conference matchup at 5 p.m. CDT / 6 p.m. ET, followed by the host Winnipeg Sea Bears facing Calgary in the Western Conference tilt at 7:30 p.m. CDT / 8:30 p.m. ET. Halftime shows on Friday will include performances by Winnipeg-based musicians The Lytics (West) and Boogey The Beat (East).

“Winnipeg knows how to show up for our teams. The Sea Bears have brought our city together, and now the CEBL championship is our chance to show Canada what Winnipeg basketball is all about,” said Hon. Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba. “To all the teams joining us from across the country, welcome to Winnipeg. We’re glad you’re here, and we can’t wait to show you the best of our city.”

Winners of the Conference Final games will clash in the CEBL Championship Final on Sunday, August 24 at 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET, where acclaimed Canadian rapper k-os will be the official halftime performer.

“Winnipeg is thrilled to welcome basketball fans from across Canada for CEBL Championship Weekend,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, City of Winnipeg. “This is a chance to showcase not only incredible basketball and entertainment, but also exciting changes happening in our downtown. Graham Avenue will be full of activity as we continue our work to make it a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly destination for residents and visitors.”

All CW25 games will be played at Canada Life Centre, and tickets are available at cebl.ca/cw25/tickets. Each game will be televised live on TSN and RDS in Canada, NLSE in the United States, and streamed on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet as well as TSN+. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Canada to Winnipeg for CEBL Championship Weekend,” said David Asper, Chair and Owner of the Winnipeg Sea Bears. “It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase our city’s passion for basketball and hospitality, and we can’t wait to see the Sea Bears hit the court in the Western Conference Final on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Winnipeg fans are amazing and the energy in the arena is going to be electric.”

With CW25 set to take over Winnipeg, the CEBL, Sea Bears, Province of Manitoba, and City of Winnipeg are ready to deliver four days of world-class basketball, live music, and premium fan-friendly events, including:

2025 CEBL Awards

• Thursday, August 21 – 7 p.m. CDT (Doors open at 6 p.m. CDT) at The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre (The MET)
• The annual CEBL Awards reception at The MET will be the first official fan event of CW25, featuring a performance by The Funk Hunters. Eight awards will be handed out, including MVP, Coach of the Year and Canadian Player of the Year.
• Finalists for the awards were announced earlier this week.

CW25 PlayNow Street Festival

• Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24 – Downtown Winnipeg (Graham Avenue)
• A free, three-day fan-focused street festival will take over True North Square and Graham Avenue (between Edmonton St. and Hargrave St.), featuring live music on the Princess Auto Main Stage with headliners Shawn Desman, Haviah Mighty, and The Free Label. Guests can enjoy food trucks, the Kal Tire CW3x3 Tournament, the Champions Market powered by Third + Bird, and much more.

CW25 Commissioner's Luncheon, Presented by Telpay

• Friday, August 22 – 11:30 a.m. CDT at The RBC Convention Centre
• Hosted in partnership with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce as part of its monthly luncheon series, CEBL Commissioner and Co-Founder Mike Morreale will moderate a panel of industry leaders. Panelists include Stephanie Withall (Vice President of Business & Marketing Operations, Canada Basketball), Norva Riddell (Sr. Vice President, Sales & Chief Revenue Officer, True North Sports and Entertainment), Mark Loewen (President and General Manager, Telpay), and Cheryl Sebastian (Associate Vice President, Global Partnerships, NBA). The group will explore the business of basketball and how brands can connect through the power of sport.

CW25 CEBL Coaches Clinic, Presented by Fox40

• Saturday, August 23 – 9 a.m. CDT at The RBC Convention Centre
• Hosted in partnership with the RBC Convention Centre, this all-day event will feature exclusive presentations by CEBL coaches from the six teams not competing at CW25. A lunch break with food provided will be included for all participants. Registered local coaches from minor club, high school, CCAA and U SPORTS programs will gain first-hand experience to learn best practices and coaching techniques to further their own development.

For the CW25 Spectator Guide, please click HERE.

More information on CW25 is available at cebl.ca/championshipweekend.