Ottawa BlackJacks to Serve As Opponent When CEBL and Montreal Alliance Stage Canada's First 5x5 Outdoor Pro Basketball Game at IGA Stadium

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) has shown throughout its existence that its commitment to delivering a new basketball experience has no ceiling. The sky will truly be the limit when the inaugural CEBL Summer Classic debuts May 23 in Montréal with the first 5x5 outdoor pro basketball game in Canadian history. The Montréal Alliance will host the Ottawa BlackJacks under the stars at IGA Stadium in what the Alliance is billing as Éclipse: Match Sous les Étoiles.

The historic evening will be televised nationally on TSN and RDS beginning at 8 p.m. ET. It will be the first of four regular season matchups between the Eastern Conference rivals in 2025.

“Our league and our teams continue to deliver unique, innovative experiences for basketball fans across the country. The first Canadian 5x5 outdoor pro basketball game in Montréal this summer will perfectly exemplify this commitment,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and Co-Founder of the CEBL. “IGA Stadium is a world-class facility and the ideal venue to host this historic game, where Montréal and Ottawa will ignite their rivalry under the stars.”

The CEBL Summer Classic is the latest innovation by the league that in its six seasons has been known to deliver world class pro basketball in unique ways. The CEBL became the first pro league in the world to adopt the target score ending for all games, the first pro league in Canada to play with FIBA rules, and features numerous elements that make CEBL basketball especially appealing to fans and elite players from around the world. The concept of playing games outdoors has been under consideration by the league since it launched in 2019, and Montréal’s new ownership group of Joel Anthony, Léo Bouisson, and Ian-Philip Paul-Hus embraced the concept and committed to bringing it to life.

“When we launched the Alliance, our goal was to bring something unique to Montréal,” said Joel Anthony, Co-Owner and General Manager of the Montréal Alliance. “This game under the stars embodies that—an experience that goes beyond sport, writing our team into the history of Canadian basketball. We are proud to break conventions and offer fans an evening that pays tribute to this incredible city.”

The Alliance has played at Verdun Auditorium since the team launched in 2022. The Éclipse: Match Sous les Étoiles at IGA Stadium will feature a capacity of 11,500 seats. Fans looking to be part of Canadian basketball history can secure tickets now starting at $25 plus taxes and fees via ticketmaster.ca.

Flexible ticket packages are currently available to purchase by visiting theblackjacks.ca/tickets.

BlackJacks 2025 season-seat memberships are available now. For additional details, fans are encouraged to email [email protected] or call 613-690-0519.

All games are available for free to CEBL+ and TSN+ and in 2024, more than 50 CEBL games were broadcast live nationally on TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, and Game+, with an additional eight games in French on RDS.

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