The Verdun auditorium will once again host professional basketball after the very short adventure of the Montreal Dragons in 1993. This time, the stay may be longer since the new formation of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (LCEB) of Montreal will take place there for its first official season in May 2022.
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“I was a cheerleader in 1993 with the Dragons, it didn’t last long. Things are much stronger with the LCEB. With the $ 44M auditorium renovations and capacity for 3,500 spectators, this is exactly what we were looking for. It was the targeted infrastructure from the start and the agreement is good for five years, ”says LCEB Montreal’s director of operations, Annie Larouche.
According to the leader, the accommodation capacity was an important factor in the decision. “The league prefers to see a smaller building filled to capacity with a lot of atmosphere than a large amphitheater half empty. If we always have a full house, that will be a happy problem. ”
Fall announcements
The Montreal professional team chose its name, but it was impossible to extract it from the one responsible for reviving professional basketball in Montreal.
“All I can say is that it came from a suggestion from the audience and that it is revealing. The official announcement will likely be next October at the same time as the unfinished team logo unveiling. The hiring process to find the coach and the leaders begins in September ”, assures the one who will remain in post with the new formation as vice-president of the operations after her mandate ended.
For those who wonder if the first driver of the team must necessarily speak French. The answer is simple. “It’s an asset, but it’s not a selection criterion. The goal is to have a performing team as quickly as possible. ”
