Chatham-Kent is doing its best to get a professional basketball team.
Chatham-Kent mayor Darrin Canniff is currently in discussions with Dave Magley, president of the Basketball Super League (BSL), and could land himself courtside seats to a pro basketball game in his municipality in the near future.
“The league is looking at Chatham-Kent and saying it’s a great place, so we are going to work with them how ever we can to bring a team here,” Canniff told CTV News.
Magley is exploring the possibility.
“He’s a visionary, and I have no doubt that we’re going to be able to get something exciting in Chatham coming up soon,” said Magley, who is looking to expand both the BSL and The Basketball League (TBL).
“We’re also talking with Saginaw, Flint and Kalamazoo. Some of those will come next year so growth is on the way.”
The St. Clair College Healthplex is one of the venues being discussed as a potential home for the new basketball team. The Windsor Express have been there a few times for kids camps and exhibition games.
Express CEO Dartis Willis said a great rivalry could be created with Windsor and London if the team plays in the BSL with the Express and Lightning.
“If it’s a TBL team, it creates extra talent as it grows and develops, and we can pull from that talent,” said Willis.
Canniff said another 500 bleacher seats are being added to Fergie Jenkins Field after the first-year success of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers baseball team last summer and feels a basketball team would be equally embraced.
“From an economic perspective, it’s going to do a lot of great things, but people are hungry for other things to do in the community,” said Canniff.
“There’s a big demand here for basketball.”
High school and club ball are strong with the help of Chatham native Bridget Carleton, who plays in the WNBA.
“There’s kids playing at all different levels and sometimes multiple teams at a given age level,” said Blake Handsor, a Chatham-Kent basketball coach.
“The basketball is pretty high here in Chatham so I think an entity like that would be pretty successful here.”
Canniff would like to land a team as soon as possible.
“Hopefully in the next month or so we can come to a conclusion that we’re going to play next year here and work to make this a very successful team here in Chatham-Kent,” Canniff added.
