Pro basketball is coming to Ottawa.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday that the Ottawa BlackJacks will become the newest team to join the league.
The team is set to hit the courts in 2020 and TD Place will serve as the home arena in the team’s inaugural season. Carleton’s director of basketball operations and former men’s basketball coach, Dave Smart, has confirmed talks with the CEBL for a possible role with the team.
The CEBL features six other teams, three from Ontario and the remaining teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, respectively. According to league rules, seven of the 10 rostered players must be Canadian.
Adding Ottawa to the roster of teams was also a testament to the area’s “history of basketball excellence,” explained Mike Morreale, CEO and CEBL commissioner in an online statement.
“The game was invented in Almonte, which is about 40-minutes west of the city. We look forward to bringing a family-oriented, basketball and entertainment experience to the Arena at TD Place,” continued the statement.
With TD Place also hosting the U Sports Final 8 Championships in March, it was the “perfect time to add professional basketball,” said Mark Goudie, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group [OSEG] CEO and president in a statement.
“The BlackJacks deliver high-end play on the court and a modern vibe in the air so it’s going to be something very new and exciting for fans in our region,” continued the statement.
However, while Ottawa sports fans may be excited for the new team, some weren’t exactly jumping for joy after the unveiling of the BlackJacks’ logo.
The team logo, which features a sprinting grey jackrabbit highlighted by red and black team colours, was not terribly popular among Ottawans.
According to the CEBL, the jackrabbit has specific attributes which will be replicated in the team including speed, strong legs, jumping abilities and hard work ethic.
Logan Lefebvre, a third-year Indigenous studies major at Carleton, said he was disappointed by the team’s logo choice.
“It looks childish,” said Lefebvre. “They could have definitely incorporated Ottawa’s heritage background, maybe name the team something meaningful to the city of Ottawa.”
Emily Wood, a third-year criminology student at Carleton, was also skeptical of the decision to go with the rabbit-themed Blackjacks logo.
“Honestly, I’m not a big fan,” said Wood. “The BlackJacks, I feel like that’s just a spin on the Redblacks.”
Wood said she would’ve preferred a more Canadian or “basketball-themed” team logo.
“I don’t think a rabbit really does justice to a basketball team,” she added.
Logo controversy aside, Wood said the current strong fan interest in Canadian basketball will make Ottawa a good market for the BlackJacks franchise.
“Especially with the Raptors winning this year, it’s brought a lot more awareness of basketball and more fan engagement,” said Wood.
Wood said the convenient location of the BlackJacks’ home arena will play a big part in the team’s popularity.
“The Senators kind of struggle to get fans to come out because (the team’s arena) is in Kanata,” said Wood. “But I feel like, since it’s at TD Place, it will be more successful.”
The BlackJacks tip-off their regular season next spring, on May 14 at TD Place.
Feature image provided.
