A proposed new professional basketball league that says it will have a franchise in Guelph has announced its CEO and the other five teams in the league.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League plans on starting play in the summer of 2019.
Mike Morreale, who played most of his 12-year CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, is the league's CEO.
A league news release says that in addition to Guelph it will have teams in Fraser Valley, B.C., Edmonton, Saskatoon, Niagara and Hamilton.
It plans to have a 20-game regular season schedule, then a playoffs in August. It will play by FIBA rules.
Each team will have a 12-player roster, with Canadian player quotas to be announced.
"I am delighted to confirm our first six teams that will tip off one year from now in Canada's newest pro basketball league next summer," said Morreale in the news release.
"With basketball surging in popularity in Canada we focused on communities that are rich in grassroots community fan support and share a passion for fast-paced action."
Pre-game entertainment, in-game DJs and cheerleaders will all be part of the entertainment package, the league says.
The league also has a website.
The league has not yet said how the league will be financed.
If it comes to fruition, it will be the third time a professional basketball league has had a team in Guelph.
In 2004 the Ontario Professional Basketball Association folded during its first season.
In 2016 the Canadian Basketball League led by Butch Carter finished one season but did not return. Recently several former employees took the league to the Ministry of Labour seeking unpaid wages.
