Winnipeg Sea Bears president Jason Smith. (CEBL.CA)
The Canadian Elite Basketball League has named Winnipeg Sea Bears president Jason Smith as its 2024 executive of the year.
This marks Smith’s second consecutive win, following his 2023 award, making him only the second executive in CEBL history to achieve back-to-back wins.
Under Smith’s leadership, the Sea Bears have redefined CEBL attendance records. This season, they drew a league-high of 86,275 fans at Canada Life Centre, surpassing their own record of 65,609 set in 2023. Notably, four of the top five attended games in CEBL history were hosted by the Sea Bears, including a playoff record of 10,580 fans during their August 4 game against the Edmonton Stingers.
“I am truly honoured to receive this award. Once again, our fans showed up all season long, bringing incredible energy and community to every game,” said Smith, in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for their unwavering support, and we can’t wait to carry this momentum into 2025!”
Highlights from 2024 include the club hosting 15 free youth basketball camps, some open to the public and others specifically delivered to children in underserved areas of the city. They also completed two court refurbishments with community partner Buckets & Borders in areas of need in the city.
Beyond the court, the Sea Bears have made significant strides in the Winnipeg community. Highlights include hosting 15 free youth basketball camps and partnering with Buckets & Borders to refurbish two local courts in underserved areas.
