VANCOUVER BANDITS & CONNECT FM PARTNER TO BROADCAST FIRST -EVER CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL GAME IN PUNJABI

LANGLEY, B.C., May 29, 2024 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday in partnership with Connect FM that both organizations have joined forces to produce the first-ever Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) game broadcast in Punjabi as part of the Bandits’ South Asian Heritage Game on Saturday, June 1 at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

Broadcasting to radio listeners across the province and throughout the Lower Mainland, Connect FM is available to listeners at FM 91.5, HD2 91.5 and also online for mobile and desktop listeners at connectfm.ca

“We are excited to align with the Vancouver Bandits as part of the club’s highly anticipated South Asian Heritage Game,” said Tejinder Singh, director of strategy and operations at Connect FM, which also features radio affiliates in Edmonton (FM 101.7), Calgary (HD2 88.1).

“Basketball is an extremely popular sport to families of South Asian heritage throughout the province and we have a duty as a community radio station to ensure that listeners from different cultures and those who speak different languages–like Punjabi–have an opportunity to listen to the great and professional level of basketball that is played at Langley Events Centre.”

Delivering insights and commentary on Bandits Basketball to listeners are Jagraj Lalli and Jarman Chahal, who together bring experience from Hockey Night In Canada: Punjabi Edition, the BCEHL as well as several broadcasting stints with various leagues and community events throughout the Lower Mainland region.

“I am honoured and blessed to be a part of such a historic evening for the Bandits Basketball brand and Connect FM. There is no better way that I can represent and honour not just my culture, but my family who raised me into the person I am today,” said Lalli, who will serve as the play-by-play commentator for Saturday’s game.

“I am really excited about this broadcasting project as it will help Punjabi audiences connect with basketball on a different level where they will experience this exciting sport through their own language,” added Chahal, who will bring analysis on players to listeners as the game’s broadcast analyst.

The CEBL sixth season started earlier this May and has already seen record-breaking crowds in various venues across the league, which features 10 teams across six provinces ranging as far east as Montréal to Vancouver as the league’s westernmost team. 

Vancouver is off to a hot start this season; defeating the Montréal Alliance on May 23 by 20 points and the defending league champions, the Scarborough Shooting Stars, on May 26.

“The goal of Bandits Basketball since day one was to create an inclusive environment for fans

in-venue, as well as audiences watching at home or while in transit through our different broadcast channels. Collaborating with Connect FM to host the league’s first-ever game broadcast in Punjabi is an important step toward honouring our mandate of ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy elite professional basketball,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular.

Tip-off for Saturday’s South Asian Heritage Game is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at this link.

A pre-game by performance by Sharry Mann starts at 7 p.m. and admission to the concert is included

with the price of a Bandits game ticket for Saturday’s event at LEC.

Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of Bandits tickets are invited to consider a flex pack. More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing [email protected].

A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter. 

About the Vancouver Bandits

The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

About the CEBL

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.