What Winnipeg Sea Bears does

The Winnipeg Sea Bears are a professional basketball franchise competing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), founded in 2023 and entering their fourth season in 2026. The team plays home games at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, operated under parent True North Sports & Entertainment, with a 12-game regular-season home schedule plus potential playoff contests.

The franchise generates revenue across five streams: ticketing (season tickets, flex packs, group sales, premium seating), corporate sponsorships, merchandise, concessions, and foundation contributions. Ticket pricing is tiered from $27 to $56 per game across P1–P5 structures, with a $25 South Pole Pass serving as a low-price entry product. Supporting platforms include a mobile app with gamified fan engagement features (pregame predictions, postgame voting), the Sea Bears Foundation, youth basketball camps, and community programs such as Dream Factory and the Buckets & Borders court refurbishment initiative.

The Sea Bears sell direct-to-consumer through their website, mobile app, and on-site ticketing operations, serving individual fans, corporate partners, families, and youth basketball participants across the Winnipeg market. The franchise employs 26 people and functions as the only professional basketball team operating in the city, with a community footprint anchored by school and neighborhood court investments and a CBC Sports broadcast partnership extending reach beyond the arena.

Name

Winnipeg Sea Bears

Legal name

Winnipeg Sea Bears

Website

https://seabears.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Winnipeg Sea Bears are a CEBL professional basketball franchise founded in 2023, playing home games at the Canada Life Centre and serving Winnipeg-area fans through season tickets, merchandise, sponsorships, community programs, and youth basketball camps under parent True North Sports & Entertainment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from season tickets, single-game tickets, flex packs, group bookings, and premium seating experiences at Canada Life Centre.
2. Sponsorship and Advertising: Partnership revenue from corporate sponsors including logo placement, banner advertising on website, and arena signage.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of team merchandise including jerseys, apparel, headwear, and youth clothing through the True North Shop.
4. Foundation Donations and 50/50 Raffles: Foundation fundraising through donations and 50/50 raffle sales at home games, with proceeds supporting youth basketball programs and community court refurbishments.
5. Concessions and Food & Beverage: Revenue from food trucks, concessions at games, and partnerships with restaurants through The Prowl program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Winnipeg Sea Bears operate a professional basketball franchise competing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), playing 12 regular season home games plus playoff games at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. The franchise sells tickets (season tickets, flex packs, group bookings, single-game tickets), premium hospitality (VIP lounges, private suites, courtside tables), official merchandise, and runs a charitable foundation supporting youth basketball development.

Product overview

The Winnipeg Sea Bears operate as a single unified sports entertainment offering centered on professional basketball game attendance and fan engagement. The core product is their mobile app which provides digital ticketing via Ticketmaster, game predictions, real-time scores, and team content. The product portfolio consists of season tickets (with P1-P5 pricing tiers), flex packs, group bookings, and premium seating options including VIP Iceberg Lounges, Ticketmaster Lounge, Private Suites, and the Scotia Wealth Management Premium Club. Additional offerings include The Prowl restaurant partner discount program for season ticket members, youth basketball camps through the Sea Bears Summer Series, and the Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation for community initiatives. Merchandise is sold through the True North Shop. The organization does not offer a technology platform or API for external developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hoops for Hope: Winnipeg Sea Bears Foundation initiative focused on youth basketball development and community access to sport.

Products and services

• Season Tickets Full-season ticket packages covering 12 regular season home games plus one playoff game, offered across five pricing tiers (P1 through P5) ranging from $27 to $56 per game. Includes perks such as merchandise discounts, priority playoff access, interest-free payment plans, and exclusive events.
• Flex Packs Flexible 10-game ticket bundles offering 10-15% savings compared to single-game pricing, with account management and ticket forwarding capabilities. Targets fans who want multi-game access without a full season commitment.
• Group Tickets Group booking options for organizations and parties attending games together, with dedicated group sections and dedicated booking services for parties, schools, and organizations.
• Premium Seating Elevated hospitality experiences including Iceberg Lounges (courtside VIP tables for four), Ticketmaster Lounge with private bar access, Private Suites accommodating 12-24 guests, and the Scotia Wealth Management Premium Club with exclusive food and beverage. Available as single-game or season packages.
• Sea Bears Merchandise Official team merchandise including jerseys, apparel, headwear, and youth clothing sold through the True North Shop online storefront. Season ticket members receive a 15% discount.
• Sea Bears Summer Series Camps Youth basketball camps for ages 11-13 led by Sea Bears players and coaches in partnership with Manitoba Blue Cross, held at Sport Manitoba. Each session includes a T-shirt and a game ticket voucher.
• Winnipeg Sea Bears Mobile App Official iOS and Android fan application providing digital ticketing, in-app ticket transfer, account management, pregame predictions, postgame voting, real-time scores, news, and player profiles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Franchise record of 13 wins in 2026 season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for all Sea Bears ticket sales including single game tickets, playoff tickets, and season ticket packages. Handles digital delivery and account management for the team's entire ticketing operation.
• MNPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the MNP Pre-Game Party held at True North Square before every home game. Also provides bike valet service at home games through MNP Bike Valet partnership with Bike Winnipeg.
• Manitoba Blue CrosscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Sea Bears Summer Series youth basketball camps. Supports youth development programs and basketball access initiatives for young athletes.
• Buckets & BorderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for basketball court refurbishments and maintenance across Manitoba. Partnership aims to create safe, vibrant spaces for youth to play basketball and connect with communities.
• Travel ManitobaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting the 'See the Bears in Churchill' sweepstakes promotion, offering an all-inclusive trip for four to Churchill, Manitoba valued at over $14,000.
• True North Sports & EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization operating Canada Life Centre as the home arena. Provides the True North Shop merchandise retail location and operational support for Sea Bears games and events.
• Basketball ManitobacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for free drop-in basketball camps at The Forks throughout July and August, supporting community connection and youth engagement in basketball.
• The Prowl Restaurant PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork of local restaurants (Blazing Chicken Shack, The Beer Can, Lake of the Woods, Alt Hotel Winnipeg, Hudson Bagels) offering 15% discounts to season ticket members on game days. Includes official after party venue.
• Dream Factory of ManitobaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting visits where kids and families from The Dream Factory drop in at practice and spend time with the team, creating memorable experiences for young people facing life-threatening illnesses.
• SpaldingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial basketball equipment sponsor. Visible on website banner advertising and as a league partner.
• CBC SportscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast partner for select Sea Bears games. Games available on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, CBC Sports YouTube, and CEBL+ streaming platforms.
• Community PartnersminorOthersVarious community partners supporting Sea Bears initiatives including Pride Winnipeg, Indigenous programming, and local basketball development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Calgary Surge: CEBL expansion franchise competing for Western Conference attendance and corporate sponsorship dollars; shares the same ticketing/premium/sponsorship/merchandise revenue mix and Prairie/Western Canadian market dynamics as the Sea Bears.
• Vancouver Bandits: CEBL franchise in Western Canada sharing league scheduling, broadcast (CBC/CBC Gem/CEBL+), and sponsor ecosystem with the Sea Bears; comparable on arena operation, season-ticket structure, and community programming.
• Scarborough Shooting Stars: CEBL franchise in the Greater Toronto Area running the same league-defined product mix of tickets, premium experiences, merchandise, and community programs, useful for benchmarking urban-market economics.
• Edmonton Stingers: CEBL franchise in Edmonton and a Western Conference rival; operates the same short-season professional basketball model with comparable ticket tiers, premium hospitality, and league-wide sponsor relationships.
• Ottawa BlackJacks: CEBL franchise operating with the same league-mandated business model (short home season, season tickets, premium suites, foundation programs) but in Eastern Canada, providing a useful cross-market benchmark.
• Niagara River Lions: Original CEBL franchise sharing the same league product structure; directly comparable on ticket tiering, arena experience, sponsorship mix, and foundation-led youth programming.
• Montreal Alliance: CEBL expansion franchise in a major Canadian city; operates an equivalent product offering (season tickets, premium suites, community foundation, merchandise) and competes within the same league media-rights and sponsorship pool.
• Saskatchewan Rattlers: Another Western Conference CEBL franchise playing a short summer home schedule in a Prairie Canadian market; operates the same business model of season tickets, group sales, merchandise, sponsorships, and community foundation work — making it the most directly comparable peer.

Regional players

• Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Winnipeg's long-standing CFL franchise; not a basketball peer but competes directly with the Sea Bears for the same Winnipeg discretionary entertainment dollar, corporate hospitality budgets, and seasonal sponsorship attention.
• Manitoba Moose (AHL): AHL hockey team also operating under the True North Sports & Entertainment umbrella in Winnipeg; competes for arena nights, corporate suites, and local sponsorship pools while sharing back-office infrastructure with the Sea Bears.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wpgseabears

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Winnipeg Sea Bears