Vancouver Bandits Announce Regular Season Schedule for 2023 CEBL Season

Bandits Staff • Jan 24, 2023

LANGLEY, B.C., January 24, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday the club’s 2023 regular season schedule, a 20-game slate that will see the club open its fifth Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season on Saturday, May 27 against the Winnipeg Sea Bears.


This will be the Bandits’ second season at Langley Events Centre (LEC) and its first under the ‘Vancouver’ moniker after announcing its rebrand and sale in Sept. 2022. 


The Bandits open the upcoming campaign in the Prairies against Winnipeg Sea Bears and the Saskatchewan Rattlers before returning to the Lower Mainland for a highly anticipated home opener on Saturday, June 3 against the newly launched Calgary Surge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT. 


Vancouver will play a total of 10 home games during the 2023 season between Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, July 23. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Sunday, July 30 at 4 p.m. PT. 


After achieving its strongest average and total attendance in 2022, the Bandits are primed to welcome even bigger crowds in 2023 as part of an electric season of basketball, which culminates Aug. 9-13 when Vancouver hosts 2023 Championship Weekend at LEC.


As hosts of Championship Weekend, Vancouver receives an automatic berth in the semifinals. Tickets for Championship Weekend are included in the cost of Bandits season tickets, which are slated to be available for sale in the coming days. Fans wishing to learn more about season tickets or speak with a Bandits sales and service representative are encouraged to call (604) 455-8870, email tickets@thebandits.ca, or visit https://www.thebandits.ca/bandits-at-langley-events-centre to register their interest and be notified of upcoming ticket on-sale dates.


“This season is a special one for us. We are celebrating five years of building connections with our community and are eager to continue growing our passionate fanbase, which has supported us since our inaugural season. Our fans are the inspiration behind our goal of being one of the best professional sports and entertainment experiences in B.C.,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. 


“We can’t wait to host Championship Weekend at Langley Events Centre, which will serve as a great culmination of what will prove to be another exciting year of Bandits basketball. Fans will relish the chance to be part of our season and attend a multi-day playoff festival that offers a fun atmosphere for guests of all ages and showcases a riveting caliber of Canadian professional basketball.”


“In the coming days, our ticket service team and I will present the market with 2023 Vancouver Bandit Ticketing Options featuring great ways fans can take in evenings of professional basketball at the beautiful Langley Events Centre,” added Kular. “Highlights include an introduction of new family friendly pricing throughout our arena bowl, new rows of courtside seating - including one of our centre court seating sections that has extra cushioned seats, in-seat food and drink service and your own personal cup holder. For those who want to bring their youth and adult sports teams together or businesses who wish to thank those important to them, we will offer a specially priced Group Outing Seating Program and opportunities to entertain guests in one of our fully equipped Executive Suites." 


Vancouver will play each of its fellow CEBL opponents at least once during the 2023 season and will host each of the Edmonton Stingers, as well as the Calgary Surge and Winnipeg Sea Bears, twice at LEC.


The CEBL will introduce a conference model of competition for the 2023 season. The league’s 10 teams will be divided into an Eastern and Western Conference. The Western Conference includes the Calgary Surge, Edmonton Stingers, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Vancouver Bandits and Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Eastern Conference includes the Brampton Honey Badgers, Montréal Alliance, Niagara River Lions, Ottawa BlackJacks, and Scarborough Shooting Stars. The Bandits, along with the top-ranked team from the Eastern Conference, will automatically be seeded into the semifinals hosted at Championship Weekend.


The CEBL postseason will feature play-in games between the third and fourth-ranked teams in each conference. Winners will advance to the quarterfinals and play the second-best team of their respective conferences. The fifth-ranked team in each conference will be eliminated unless Vancouver places fifth in the west in which case the fourth-ranked west team will get eliminated. Quarterfinal winners in each conference will play their respective conference teams already seeded in the semifinals. The full postseason schedule will be revealed at a later date.


Returning as a key part of the Bandits’ regular season calendar is the club’s School Day Game, which will take place on Tuesday, June 6 at 11 a.m. PT when Vancouver tips off against Winnipeg. The sold-out affair was hosted for the first time last season and welcomed 13 schools from across the Lower Mainland for a field trip featuring professional basketball and family-friendly entertainment. 


School leaders interested in learning more about the School Day Game or organizing attendance at the event are kindly asked to contact team president Dylan Kular at dkular@thebandits.ca.

 

The Championship Weekend semifinals will be played on Friday, August 11, followed by the championship on Sunday, August 13. The Bandits have qualified for the CEBL postseason in each of the past three consecutive seasons (2020-22) under the direction of head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.


The 2023 season marks Julius’ return to the CEBL sidelines for the first time since 2020 when he led the Bandits to the finals. COVID-19 restrictions and overlapping schedules resulted in Julius serving solely as the Bandits’ general manager since 2021. After a tremendous run at the 2020 single-site CEBL season, which was played in St. Catharines, Ont., 2023 marks Julius’ first opportunity to coach professionally on B.C. soil. 


The Bandits’ longest home stand is in the latter half of the season when the Ottawa BlackJacks, Brampton Honey Badgers and the Montréal Alliance pay visit to LEC on July 9, 14 and 16th, respectively.


All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). The schedule of nationally televised games will be announced at a later date.


Highlights of the 2023 Vancouver Bandits schedule include:

  • The Bandits will play the Winnipeg Sea Bears more than any other CEBL opponent, totaling four times during the regular season (twice at home, twice on the road)
  • Vancouver’s longest road swing arrives early in the season when the club travels east for a three-game trip against the Brampton Honey Badgers, Niagara River Lions and Calgary Surge on June 9, 10 and 14th, respectively 
  • They don’t call it the ‘Wild West’ for nothing. The Bandits will play a total of 13 games against opponents from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba; including three games each against Albertan rivals in the Calgary Surge and Edmonton Stingers
  • The 2023 season marks the first time that the Bandits will tip off against the Calgary Surge and Winnipeg Sea Bears. Both clubs were announced as new privately owned CEBL clubs last fall
  • The Bandits will play four home games in June and six home games in July prior to hosting CEBL Championship Weekend in August, which has previously been held in Ottawa (2022), Edmonton (2021) and Saskatoon (2019)




Vancouver Bandits 2023 CEBL season schedule:

*Note: All times PT | Home dates are in bold

  • Saturday, May 27, 2023 at Winnipeg | 5:00 p.m. at Canada Life Centre
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at Saskatchewan | 6:00 p.m. at SaskTel Centre
  • Saturday, June 3, 2023 vs. Calgary | 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 5:30 p.m.)
  • Tuesday, June 6, 2023 vs. Winnipeg | 11:00 a.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 9:30 a.m.)
  • Friday, June 9, 2023 at Brampton | 4:00 p.m. at CAA Centre
  • Saturday, June 10, 2023 at Niagara | 4:00 p.m. at Meridian Centre
  • Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at Calgary | 6:00 p.m. at WinSport Event Centre
  • Saturday, June 17, 2023 vs. Saskatchewan | 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 5:30 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at Winnipeg | 5:00 p.m. at Canada Life Centre
  • Sunday, June 25, 2023 vs. Calgary | 5:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 3:30 p.m.)
  • Saturday, July 1, 2023 vs. Edmonton | 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 5:30 p.m.)
  • Monday, July 3, 2023 at Edmonton | 1:00 p.m. at Flair Airlines Hangar at Edmonton ExpoCentre
  • Sunday, July 9, 2023 vs. Ottawa | 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 5:30 p.m.)
  • Friday, July 14, 2023 vs. Brampton | 7:30 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 6:00 p.m.)
  • Sunday, July 16, 2023 vs. Montréal | 5:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 3:30 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at Saskatchewan | 6:30 p.m. at SaskTel Centre
  • Friday, July 21, 2023 vs. Edmonton | 7:30 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 6:00 p.m.)
  • Sunday, July 23, 2023 vs. Winnipeg | 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre (Doors open: 5:30 p.m.)
  • Thursday, July 27, 2023 at Ottawa | 4:30 p.m. at TD Place
  • Sunday, July 30, 2023 at Scarborough | 4:00 p.m. at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre


More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.

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Vancouver Bandits and Preston Chevrolet Renew Partnership for the 2024 CEBL Season

By Bandits Staff • 03 May, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that one of the province’s largest General Motors dealerships, Preston Chevrolet, has renewed its dedication to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its community and marketing partnership with the Bandits for the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Vancouver Bandits and Preston Chevrolet have been partners since the Vancouver Bandits made their debut at the Langley Events Centre in 2022. The focus of Preston Chevrolet’s partnership with BC’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at the home venue, the Langley Events Centre (LEC), while supporting their additional community outreach programs. This support includes initiatives such as; the Community Champion program, Vancouver Bandits’ school visits, and community event attendance throughout the province powered by the Vancouver Bandits’ Community Cruiser proudly supplied by Preston Chevrolet. Since 2022, Preston Chevrolet has supported the Community Champion program where community teams from across the region have experienced Vancouver Bandits basketball in the Preston Players’ Lounge at Langley Events Centre. The community Champion program allowed hundreds of at-risk youths to get the opportunity to attend Vancouver Bandits games; an opportunity that many would not receive otherwise. With the support of Preston Chevrolet, from November 2023 to February 2024; the Vancouver Bandits head coach & general manager Kyle Julius visited 81 middle school and high schools across the province. The purpose of these visits was to support middle school and high school basketball programs with complimentary coaching and player development. “Our community partnership with the Bandits has been outstanding from the start. Both our organizations believe in the value and accessibility of sports, particularly team sports for youth and families in our communities” said Peter Heppner of Preston Chevrolet. Preston Chevrolet has been a family-owned and operated business in Langley since 1965. Purchased from the Preston family in 2006 Peter and son (Leigh Heppner) continue the long-standing commitment to supporting the communities they serve. “The moment we committed to Langley Events Centre in 2022 we were made aware of Peter Heppner and Preston Chevrolet’s commitment to giving back to the community. It was more than just marketing for Peter and Preston Chevrolet, it was about finding ways for Vancouver Bandits basketball to execute programming that provided youth in our community with accessible opportunities. Peter Heppner, Leigh Heppner, and the entire team at Preston Chevrolet have embraced Vancouver Bandits basketball with open arms, enabling us to strengthen our community and bring us together through basketball. We are excited to continue our partnership for a third consecutive season.” Bandits team president Dylan Kular said. 

Vancouver Bandits Sign Former Santa Clara Bronco Josip Vrankic

By Bandits Staff • 02 May, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward and former Santa Clara University Bronco Josip Vrankic for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). A native of Toronto, Ont., Josip is currently playing for Gipuzkoa in the LEB Oro, the second highest division of professional basketball in Spain, which as a nation boasts the second best national team FIBA ranking in the world behind the United States. The 2023-24 campaign in progress is Vrankic’s second professional season after playing five decorated seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at Santa Clara between 2017-22, the alma mater of Victoria, B.C. product and NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash. Vrankic will report to Vancouver upon the conclusion of his current season in Spain. "I am excited to join the Bandits family and to be part of a group that is focused on winning and growing together. I have heard great things about the fanbase in Vancouver and I am looking forward to a special season," Vrankic said. Vancouver’s highly anticipated home opener is on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. PT against the Montréal Alliance. Single game tickets for the home opener and all regular season games are on sale now at this link . Vrankic is enjoying another solid season early in his professional career; posting averages of 22.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on 34.4 per cent shooting from three-point range over the course of 32 games played with Gipuzkoa. Last year he made his pro debut with Chieti, where he placed first on the club in rebounds (8.0) and second in points per game (14.9) in 17 games played before signing with Ravenna to finish the 2022-23 season. Prior to turning pro, Vrankic appeared in 137 games for the Broncos, starting 131 – a program record. His 1,817 career points place him third in school history while his 801 rebounds place him eighth. Vrankic punctuated his illustrious Division I career by earning four consecutive West Coast Conference (WCC) selections; including back-to-back first team recognition in 2021 and 2022. “Josip is a very high IQ basketball player with great versatility. He can really shoot and play inside. We think he is a great fit for our group and we really look forward to him becoming part of our family,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing tickets@thebandits.ca . A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here . More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter .

Vancouver Bandits and FortisBC Renew Partnership for the 2024 CEBL Season

By Bandits Staff • 30 Apr, 2024
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World-renowned Recording Artist Sharry Mann to Perform at Vancouver Bandits June 1st South Asian Heritage Game

By Bandits Staff • 30 Apr, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that internationally celebrated vocalist and actor Sharry Mann will perform at Langley Events Centre (LEC) on Saturday, June 1 when the Bandits host the visiting Calgary Surge for the club’s first-ever South Asian Heritage Game. Exclusive to ticketholders for the Bandits’ game day, Mann will delight Bandits fans in attendance with two performances on June 1st; including a pre-game concert in the arena bowl and a half-time show during the intermission between the second and third quarters of gameplay. Fans in attendance are kindly encouraged to arrive prior to 7 p.m. PT to ensure that they have time to find parking (free on-site at LEC) and locate their seats before Mann’s performance, which will be shortly after the top of the hour before the Bandits and Surge tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Mann’s highly anticipated concert; which is included in the cost of a Bandits game ticket, are on sale now at this link . Admission to the concert and game are combined and start at $27.50 per ticket. All ticket prices are inclusive of taxes and fees. A world-renowned artist famous for his appearances and chart-topping hits in Punjabi music and film, Mann has amassed hundreds of millions of plays on YouTube and Spotify ; including tracks such as ‘3 Peg’ (800+ million plays on YouTube, 50+ million Spotify streams) and Hostel (250+ million plays on YouTube, 13+ million Spotify streams). Mann’s success has paved the way for the talented artist to be recognized globally. Recent recognition includes winning best music video at the Brit Asia TV Music Awards for ‘Yaar Chadeya’ in 2019, as well as having various tracks appear in the Top 40 of the Britain’s Official Charts . The June 1st Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) match-up between Vancouver and Calgary will be the first time that the Western Conference foes have met since Calgary inched past Vancouver in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Adding to the game’s excitement is the debut of the Bandits’ South Asian Heritage jersey, designed by Sandeep Johal to be worn by Vancouver at the game to honour and celebrate the culture and artistry of South Asia. “I am thrilled to welcome Sharry Mann and his management to Langley Events Centre for what will surely be one of the most exciting games of the 2024 CEBL season. Fans in attendance will be treated to two awesome musical performances courtesy of Sharry as well as a must-watch rematch against our rivals from Calgary,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing tickets@thebandits.ca . A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here . More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter .

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By Bandits Staff • 03 Dec, 2023
A provincial education seminar co-hosted by Basketball BC and Vancouver Bandits professional basketball club. Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul and U SPORTS/CEBL official Trevor West provide their insights on the question, “How does your familiarity with an official affect how you interact with officials during the game?” Click here to watch question 3 .
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