After four years in Guelph, the Nighthawks professional basketball team may be hitting the road for good.
Reports on social media indicate the club is set to relocate to Calgary for the 2023 season.
Multiple attempts to reach various Nighthawks officials for confirmation or denial of the reports were unsuccessful. Calls and emails were also not returned by the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
The story was first reported by @RodPedersenShow.
League president Mike Morreale recently told TSN that the league was focused in adding teams in Calgary and Winnipeg.
Guelph Nighthawks seasons tickets for the 2023 season weren't available to buy on Tuesday morning through the team website, as would typically be the case.
All other CEBL teams are actively selling 2023 season tickets on their web sites.
The Nighthawks finished the season in seventh place of 10 teams with a 10-10 record. It defeated the Fraser Valley Bandits in the first round of the playoffs on Aug. 4, followed by a 99-78 loss to the Niagara River Lions in the quarter finals on Aug. 6.
While the River Lions were the "home" team, that game was held at the Sleeman Centre because its St. Catharines arena was being used by the Canada Summer Games.
The Nighthawks called the Sleeman Centre court home since the club and CEBL launched in 2019.
This season’s officially-reported attendance at the Sleeman Centre averaged 1,475 for nine of 10 home games and one playoff game (attendance for one home game wasn't available). Single game tickets were priced between $25 and $125.
The league average attendance was around 2,000 per game.
BREAKING: Calgary to get pro basketball team in 2023. Insider sources confirmed the @GNighthawks of the @CEBLeague will move to #yyc and play out of @WinSportCanada arena starting in 2023
— The Rod Pedersen Show (@RodPedersenShow) August 15, 2022
