Sportsnet, Canada Basketball Enters New Content Partnership

Canada Basketball and Sportsnet are joining forces to grow the game of basketball from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Uniting far beyond the broadcast, they are committed to a multi-year partnership that will see the development and launch of several new national and international men’s and women’s basketball events in Canada, beginning in 2022.

“Over the past decade, the love and passion for basketball has grown exponentially throughout Canadian communities,” says Bart Yabsley, President, Sportsnet. “In joining this truly unique partnership with Canada Basketball, Sportsnet shares the privilege and responsibility of growing the sport of basketball across the country for years to come. Pairing this partnership with our long-term collaboration with the Toronto Raptors and the NBA, plus our growing connection with the WNBA, Sportsnet is officially the destination for all the content Canada’s basketball fans need.”

Additionally, the collaboration will work to shine the spotlight on Canada’s best and brightest in the basketball landscape with original and creative content development, set to air across Sportsnet platforms.

“Partnering with Sportsnet is a tremendous opportunity for us at Canada Basketball to bring the stories of our players and teams to a national audience,” says Glen Grunwald, President & CEO, Canada Basketball. “From our Senior Women’s National Team ranked a program-high fourth in the world, to another record setting year with Canadians spread across the NBA, basketball in Canada continues to experience growth at all levels like never before seen in our country. However, we firmly believe that this exciting partnership with Sportsnet will take our beloved game to even greater heights.”

2022 Event Series
Next summer, Canada Basketball and Sportsnet are set to launch a series of men’s and women’s events, including the inaugural U22 international tournaments for both women and men. Welcoming the top national federations in the world to Toronto, the international competition will showcase Canada’s up-and-coming talent in action and set the stage for more competition to come.

As the partnership works towards opening tip-off, Canada Basketball will manage tournament logistics, including event format, team qualification and more. Sportsnet will serve as exclusive broadcaster, delivering full-court coverage across its national channels and streaming services. Further details about the 2022 event series will be announced at a later date.

Sportsnet Original Content
Complementing the collaborative event production, Sportsnet and Canada Basketball are also teaming up to deliver creative and innovative original content featuring the stories, moments and events that both influence and unite the Canadian basketball community. Available across Sportsnet’s platforms, the content offerings will highlight the activities and accomplishments of the country’s most heralded players and coaches, as well as rising stars, while leveraging the live event schedule and news trends.

Telling stories from the grassroots to the professional leagues, Sportsnet’s original content will include:

• Insider access to men’s and women’s national team training and development camps
• Athlete-driven segments, social media takeovers and engaging conversations
• Highlighting the trends, stories and influencers at the intersection of basketball with the Canadian music, art and culture scenes
• Training and education videos featuring Team Canada personnel
• Real-time coverage and behind-the-scenes access to all the biggest moments in Canadian basketball

“On behalf of Canada Basketball and basketball fans across Canada, I’d like to thank Bart and the entire team at Sportsnet for their commitment to helping us grow the game here at home,” says Brian Cooper, Chair, Canada Basketball Board of Directors. “Together, we will work to elevate basketball through engaging and relatable original content that will inspire the next generation of Canadian players, coaches, officials and fans, while also delivering a first-class event experience to a growing fanbase of passionate supporters of our game.”