Professional basketball is coming to Red Deer.
The Calgary Surge and Edmonton Stingers will be the first teams in Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) history to play a regular season game outside of their home markets.
The Surge announced Wednesday that the club will be hosting a marquee game at Westerner Park Centrium against the Stingers on June 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Organizers promise that “SURGE 2 RED DEER” will be a celebration of basketball, premier entertainment, and community for families and organizations across Red Deer and Red Deer County.
“To be bringing professional basketball to Central Alberta is both exciting and humbling,” said Jason Ribeiro, Surge Vice-Chairman & President. “I would like to thank Mayor Johnston, Tourism Red Deer, and Westerner Park for all their support in ensuring more of Alberta’s cities, towns, and villages have the opportunity to experience one of Canada’s greatest inventions – basketball.”
In the lead up to the event, Surge players will visit Red Deer and host basketball programming in the local community.
“First, I want to thank the CEBL, the Calgary Surge and the Edmonton Stingers for bringing their ‘Battle of Alberta’ to Red Deer,” said Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston. “Our city is the perfect location for these two basketball rivals to battle it out for provincial bragging rights. Red Deer has a very strong basketball community, and I know our residents will be out in full force cheering for their favourite team.”
Tickets will be available to the general public starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 3. Fans interested in receiving exclusive presale access to ticket information prior to the general public can register at Surge2RedDeer.ca.
"Red Deer is a premier destination and a proven leader in hosting world-class events, making it the natural home for this thrilling Battle of Alberta matchup," said Jesse Smith, CEO of Tourism Red Deer. "Situated just off Highway 2, right between Alberta’s two largest urban centres, there’s no better place to ‘meet in the middle’ for this marquee showdown. With outstanding venues, a passionate sports community, and a strong history of hosting major events, Tourism Red Deer is proud to welcome the Calgary Surge and the Edmonton Stingers to Red Deer. We can’t wait to showcase our region’s energy, enthusiasm, and hospitality while celebrating basketball at its finest.”
Across the 2023 and 2024 CEBL seasons, the Surge have won seven of 10 games against the Stingers, including eliminating them in the Western Conference Semifinal two years in a row.
The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the CEBL. Over two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, and hold the league’s single game attendance record.
The CEBL is a league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees.
The CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA.
More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year.
The CEBL season runs from May through August.
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