CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE RE-INTRODUCES SASKATOON MAMBA FRANCHISE

One of the league’s original franchises gets a bold new brand identity, new home venue, and new ownership group.

FEB 4 – The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) unveiled its reinvigorated Saskatchewan franchise at a press conference Wednesday at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon. The rebranded, Saskatoon Mamba (previously Saskatchewan Rattlers) will return for their eighth season in May, with both SaskTel Centre and Merlis Belsher Place hosting games. Jason Ribeiro and Usman Tahir Jutt were introduced as the team’s ownership group. The business and community leaders also operate the CEBL’s Calgary Surge.

"This is a defining moment for basketball in Saskatchewan and for our league,” said CEBL President Tyler Mazereeuw. “The Canadian Elite Basketball League is national in reach, but community-driven at its core. Revitalizing the Saskatoon franchise reflects that commitment. Jason and Usman have proven their ability to unite communities through sport and art in Calgary, and they are bringing that same passion to ensure the Saskatoon Mamba becomes a lasting source of regional pride and fuels our league’s continued nationwide momentum."

The Saskatchewan Rattlers were the inaugural champions of Canada’s professional basketball league in 2019. Since then, the CEBL has grown to over 4.1 million Canadian fans, representing 14 per cent of the population and an increase of 57 per cent since 2022. Built by Canadians, for Canadians, the league strikes a unique balance between global innovation and deep local connection, attracting a young, digitally savvy, sports-loving audience, with more than half of fans under the age of 34. This fast-growing, engaged fan base reflects the CEBL’s momentum and provides a strong foundation for the next chapter of professional basketball in Saskatchewan.

“I am deeply grateful to the Saskatoon community and the club’s passionate fanbase for welcoming us,” said Jason Ribeiro, Co-Chairman of the Calgary Surge and Saskatoon Mamba. “The strength of the Surge — the players, staff, partners and fans who have built something special in Calgary — has allowed us to dream bigger and extend our ambition to new places. The Mamba is our second investment in a CEBL community — and our next step in stewarding the game of basketball across Canada, from coast to coast to coast.”

“Basketball has a special place in Saskatoon, and our community has shown how deeply we love and support the game,” said Mayor of Saskatoon Cynthia Block. “As we turn the page and welcome a new ownership group, we do so with pride, excitement, and a continued commitment to celebrating professional basketball in our city.”

2024 Olympian, three-time FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Champion, and proud daughter of Saskatchewan/Treaty 6, Paige Crozon revealed the team’s name and logo to the public for the first time. The reinvigorated Saskatoon Mamba brand was designed by REAL Studios, a creative agency founded by Ribeiro that creates accessible culture-driven content and materials that move audiences.

Mamba maintains the franchise’s identity as a venomous snake with a modern look, feel, and sound, and is a deliberate acknowledgement of the franchise’s origins as the “Rattlers.” The icon and typeface reflect the same curvature and bend present in the City of Saskatoon’s logo, a nod to the city’s place along the South Saskatchewan River. The team’s primary colour is a bold and vibrant purple, with more colourways to be revealed soon.

The 2026 season will see the team play at both SaskTel Centre, the team’s home for the last 7 years, and Merlis Belsher Place. In total, 7 regular season games will be played at Merlis Belsher Place, and 5 regular season games will be played at SaskTel Centre.

Merlis Belsher Place is a 120,000 square-foot multisport and live events facility on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon operated by Nustadia Recreation Inc. Opened in 2018, it provides an arena with a centre-hung video board, capacity for 2,750 spectators, and houses the two official NBA-size Ron and Jane Graham Gymnasiums. Merlis Belsher Place was named in honour of USask alumnus Merlis Belsher. The facility has hosted the prestigious Grand Slam of Curling, Canadian National Ball Hockey Championships, Saskatchewan Roughriders Winter Classic, Saskatoon Folk Fest, and many other events. Merlis Belsher Place is also a year-round community sport and recreation hub for thousands of Saskatoon children and newcomers.

The franchise will continue building on a foundation that centres community impact, enrichment for youth and families, and a modern, culturally informed approach to sport and entertainment. The Saskatoon Mamba’s 2026 season will tip off on May 14th, with full schedule and venue information available at saskatoonmamba.ca/schedule. 

###

Media Contact:

Karina Castellanos Feijoó

Manager, Projects & Administration

Calgary Surge

647-916-3594; [email protected]

Aaron Gogishvili

Senior Director, Communications & Community Relations

CEBL

[email protected]

QUOTES:

Honourable Alana Ross – Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, Government of Saskatchewan

“Congratulations to Jason Ribeiro and Usman Tahir Jutt on this exciting new chapter as the team gears up for their eighth season in the league. The Saskatchewan Rattlers have played a significant role in developing professional basketball in our province and we are excited to see what the future holds in store for the Saskatoon Mamba.”

Stephanie Pocha – CEO, Discover Saskatoon

"Change can be challenging, but it also creates space to tell a new and positive story about our city. What’s encouraging about this next chapter is the clear intention to build something ambitious and community focused. By activating both Merlis Belsher Place and SaskTel Centre, the Saskatoon Mamba are showing care for residents and visitors alike, while keeping the team rooted at home.”

Wade Epp – Associate Vice-President, Campus Operations, University of Saskatchewan

“The University of Saskatchewan and Huskie Athletics are proud to partner with the Saskatoon Mamba and to have Merlis Belsher Place serve as the team’s new home court for the 2026 season. The remarkable Merlis Belsher Place multipurpose facility was designed to bring the community to the campus, and we look forward to welcoming the club and Mamba fans to the university this year. We are excited to work together to help grow the sport of basketball in the community.”

“The University of Saskatchewan has a basketball history dating back more than a century, from the defending national champion USask women’s team that is currently undefeated this season, to the former national champion Huskie men’s basketball team that has had 11 players drafted in the CEBL in the last six seasons.”

Biographies of Calgary Surge and Saskatoon Mamba Co-Chairmen Jason Ribeiro & Usman Tahir Jutt

Jason Ribeiro, Ph.D. is a father, community advocate, and award-winning entrepreneur who is passionate about shaping culture and building a more ambitious Canada. He is a fixture in media and academia and serves on several corporate and not-for-profit boards.

Usman Tahir Jutt is a father, philanthropist, and award-winning entrepreneur who is passionate about building better communities and helping Canadians succeed.

About the Calgary Surge

The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over three seasons, the Surge have made three straight CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023 and 2025 (as well as Franchise of the Year), hold the league’s single game attendance record, and have sent over 6500 deserving kids and families to their games for free. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.

About the Saskatoon Mamba

The Saskatoon Mamba (previously Saskatchewan Rattlers) tipped off their inaugural season at SaskTel Centre in May 2019 and went on to win the inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) championship. The Mamba are active members of the community, participating in countless events that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. The team has restored over 100 basketball nets across the city to make basketball more accessible to youth. For more information, visit saskatoonmamba.ca.

About the CEBL

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is Canada’s professional basketball league, with 10 member clubs across six provinces. Blending global innovation with local connection, the league is redefining how the game is played and experienced while rooting its teams deeply in communities coast to coast. With a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians – up 57 per cent since 2022 – the CEBL has cultivated Canada’s youngest basketball audience, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger. Its rapid growth reflects its ability to connect authentically with a new generation of basketball fans while expanding the sport’s cultural footprint nationwide.

In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August. Visit CEBL.ca or follow @cebleague on social media.