DEAR CALGARY: AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Calgary,

Two and a half years ago, we stood before Calgary with a bold vision: to launch a professional basketball team that would do things differently – a team rooted in community, driven by creativity, and fearless in our ambition.

This past Sunday, in front of a raucous crowd at WinSport Event Centre, we began our third season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League – Canada’s largest professional sports league. I’m honoured to be writing this letter on behalf of the hundreds of talented staff, athletes, and corporate partners that make up the Calgary Surge.

Since that first press conference in October 2022, this journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Two straight Championship Weekend appearances. A record-breaking night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Thousands of Surge ASSIST kids and families supported due to the generous support of donors and some unforgettable performances from our city’s talented and diverse artists. None of it was guaranteed – and none of it was easy. But thanks to the commitment of our people and the passion of our fans, we’ve built something truly authentic and bold.

At the heart of our identity is a clear mission: to reflect, entertain, and unite communities through the power of basketball and the arts. And no matter what corner of the world I’ve traveled to over the last several months, whenever I share that mission with others, it typically follows with comments about how special that focus is.

This season, our TRILOGY  season, that vision grows even bigger. Our connection to the NBA has never been stronger. The Surge have now welcomed Head Coach Kaleb Canales, the first former NBA-experienced Head Coach to coach in the CEBL. The Surge have also now proudly signed the three highest NBA draft picks ever to play in the CEBL (Greg Brown III, Khyri Thomas, and 2023 & 2024 player Justin Jackson) – proof that the world’s best basketball talent believes in not only our organization but our beautiful city as well. 

And it’s not just the product on the court that’s elevating.

This summer, we will launch SURGE CITY, a partnership with the City of Calgary to deliver free youth basketball clinics and a signature 3-on-3 tournament right in the heart of downtown.

Over two seasons we have SURGED 2 THE DOME, over 12,000 strong, and we will again on August 10th for our season finale. In a few weeks’ time, we will SURGE 2 RED DEER for a Battle of Alberta, the first ever neutral site game held in the CEBL’s 7 seasons, and on July 9th we will SURGE to STAMPEDE as a headline act on our biggest stage to date. 

But above all that, we are most proud of the work that we do in community. There are fewer bright lights, there is less fanfare, but the impact we’ve been able to create in youth simply picking up a basketball for the first time, playing with others in an environment where there they are respected and cared for and emboldened to do great things has been our greatest achievement over the last two and half years.

With every milestone, our foundation grows stronger — as a team, as a civic partner, and as one of Western Canada’s top-tier live event operators. Under the banner of REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc., we will continue to shape community at the highest levels possible.

Thank you for your unwavering belief in us, and your Home Team.

Yours,

Jason Ribeiro, Ph.D.

Vice-Chairman & President, Calgary Surge

Co-Founder REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc.