WINNIPEG, MB – September 14, 2026 – The Winnipeg Sea Bears and Buckets & Borders are celebrating the completion of a new outdoor double basketball court at Gordon Bell High School, with a grand opening celebration on Friday, September 25 at 3 Borrowman Pl., Winnipeg, MB from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the community. The double court is a Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation project — part of an ongoing commitment to removing barriers to sport and investing in basketball spaces across Winnipeg and rural Manitoba. The courts' design was led by the students of Gordon Bell High School themselves, who contributed their own sketches, words, and colours to a collaborative youth design session. The finished artwork, executed by Buckets & Borders centres on Gordon Bell's iconic Panther, rendered in the school's signature purple and yellow with teal accents as a nod to the Winnipeg Sea Bears. David Asper, Owner and Chair of the Winnipeg Sea Bears, stated: “This is a statement project for the community and we’re very proud to help make it happen. The collaboration among Buckets and Borders, Winnipeg School Division and the Sea Bears is potent. It started at RB Russell and continues now at Gordon Bell. Inch by inch we beautify, instill pride and promote healthy active living through basketball and love it every time we open a new project. Congratulations to Gordon Bell and Go Panthers!” Justin Lee, CEO and Founder of Buckets & Borders, added: "Winnipeg has become a real home base for Buckets & Borders, and this project reflects why. The design was shaped directly by the students at Gordon Bell High School, who are the ones leading the charge on this project. Alongside the Winnipeg Sea Bears, TelPay, and the Winnipeg School Division, we're building a court that belongs to them." - Justin Lee, Buckets & Borders, CEO & Co-Founder. The opening ceremony will also mark the unveiling of a new landmark: an eight-foot statue of Churchill, the Sea Bears mascot, positioned permanently alongside the court as a fixture of the community for years to come. The Sea Bears Tundra Buggy — the team's custom-built electric vehicle inspired by the working buggies that roam the tundra outside Churchill, Manitoba — will also be on site for the celebration. The Gordon Bell Project marks the ninth court the Winnipeg Sea Bears and Buckets & Borders have opened together across Manitoba. Students from Gordon Bell High School and Feeder Elementary schools will take part in the day's programming, getting first access to the new courts. The project was made possible through the support of project partners Telpay, The Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation and the Winnipeg School Division. Media are invited to attend the opening remarks and official ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m. GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE 1:30 p.m. – Opening Remarks & Official Ribbon Cutting 2:00 p.m. – Free Youth Basketball Camp. Gordon Bell students and Feeder Elementary schools are invited to participate. 4:00 p.m. – Free 3x3 Workshop & Mini Tournament for Gordon Bell Students 6:00 p.m. – Local All-Star Game 7:00 p.m. – Event Wrap-Up -30- About the Winnipeg Sea Bears The Winnipeg Sea Bears are Manitoba’s professional basketball team and reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) champions. Named for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus, the “Sea Bear”), the franchise is rooted in the fierce spirit of the north and the vibrant, multicultural heart of Winnipeg. Home court: Canada Life Centre. About the Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation The Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation is a Manitoba charitable initiative focused on youth health, opportunity, and access to basketball. Its mission is to reduce financial barriers to sport and to create, refurbish, and maintain public basketball courts that serve communities across Manitoba. About Buckets & Borders Buckets & Borders (B&B) is a non-profit organization that uses basketball as a means to improve communities and bring people together. A core part of B&B’s mandate is to restore basketball courts with full-scale art pieces completed across the surface of the court. The objective is to create inclusive spaces that celebrate multiculturalism and tell the stories of the communities in which the courts are being restored. More information can be found at bucketsandborders.com.

WINNIPEG – A lucky Winnipeg Sea Bears family is headed to Churchill, Manitoba this October, courtesy of Travel Manitoba. The Winterflood family are the 2026 winners of the team's "See the Bears" contest. The contest ran throughout the season at every home game, giving fans in attendance the chance to enter to win the dream trip, valued at $14,760. Thanks to Travel Manitoba and Frontiers North Adventures, the Winterflood family will enjoy a round-trip adventure to Churchill, October 26–29, including: A full-day Tundra Buggy Adventure Full-day Coastal Roads and Hidden Trails polar bear tour Nights Under the Lights Yurt experience with Indigenous storytelling Local dog sledding experience Three-night stay at The Polar Inn with breakfast All meals in Churchill Airport and tour transfers throughout  With the 2026 season wrapped — and a championship trophy to show for it — the Sea Bears now turn their attention to an exciting 2027, when the team will celebrate its fifth anniversary season and continue growing the game across Manitoba. Season tickets for 2027 are on sale now. For more information, visit seabears.ca/2027-season-tickets .

A message from Owner David Asper

Grand opening on Friday, August 21 features free youth programming, a community BBQ, a local all-star game, and the unveiling of an eight-foot statue of Sea Bears mascot Churchill.

Vancouver’s Samuel Repeats as Canadian Player of the Year

The hunt is over. The Winnipeg Sea Bears are CEBL Champions.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears are one win away from making franchise history.