Ontario Basketball Takes OBL to the Next Level in 2017-18

Following successful implementation of the Ontario Basketball League (OBL) in 2015 and integration of OBLX last season, Ontario Basketball (OBA) is pushing the boundaries again for 2017-18. OBL is part of an overall development of a provincial competition structure that saw 570 teams compete this past season, up from 484 teams in 2015-16.

“The OBA has worked tirelessly to provide an organized and structured environment and the support from our membership with participating teams has been tremendous,” said Jason Jansson, executive director of Ontario Basketball. “We successfully evolved OBL to include the OBLX division during our second season and are delighted to add even more value and benefits going into year three.”

With participation numbers increasing it is vital for Ontario Basketball to continue to provide governance and structure that is focused on athlete-centered development and competition to service all member clubs using Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) guidelines.

Playing as a member team of the OBA as the governing body of basketball in Ontario ensures proper governance of policies and procedures, consistency with rosters, accountability with insurance, and accessible full-time staff at the OBA office. Last season every league game started with site hosts and referees in attendance at the designated venues where family and community members were encouraged to attend for free. OBA is adapting to an ever-changing landscape by evolving its league structure to offer additional features each year.

OBLX, the top division defining excellence in the league’s competition model, will now be featured in eight divisions from U13 up to U16 for both boys and girls. Seasons will have a guaranteed 14 games between November and March at the U13/14 level, December and April for U15/16 Girls teams, and March to May for U15/16 Boys teams.

In 2017-18, Ontario Basketball will provide an even-greater level of service with additional dedicated staff, added features through the OBA website, full-season schedule release, and game coverage through media partnerships. The winners of OBLX league play will earn the top seed at the 2018 Ontario Cup provincial championships.

Additionally, as a pilot for U16 Boys and U16 Girls, OBA will introduce increased exposure opportunities for athletes and live-stream featured games. OBL will also continue to be the link to the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) for elite-calibre players with coaches in attendance.

While the fee structure for OBL will not change, the registration fee for OBLX in the U16 age category will be $2,500 per team to offset the costs of new initiatives. As a government-recognized Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) the OBA’s non-profit structure puts proceeds back into the league and its programs to benefit the teams and players.

OBA hopes to see you this coming season and encourages community participation by coming out to all games free of admission charge. To reserve a spot in OBLX for the 2017-18 season, please contact Rohan Prasaud.