Charlottetown Power last team to join new basketball league

Charlottetown is going to have some representation in the newly formed Eastern Canadian Basketball League.

The Charlottetown Power, as the new team will be called, is the sixth and final franchise to be announced for the league. The team's home will be the city's Eastlink Centre.

ECBL president Tim Kendrick said the league hopes to be in Charlottetown for decades to come.

"Our league, as we said, is very community-centric. And with our regional rivalries and such, we're just so happy we can include Charlottetown now as our sixth franchise. And I got be honest, I can't wait for that first game between the Charlottetown Power and the Summerside Slam," Kendrick said. 

"We hope the Power can surge here in Charlottetown, and we expect to get great support."

Mayor Philip Brown said the new team will be an economic boost for the city, and also be a source of high-quality entertainment for Charlottetown residents.

"I can already sense the level of excitement and anticipation that this announcement will bring to our city and our youth, who have a dream of playing professional basketball," he said.

"Charlottetown is on its game and we are ready for the ECBL."

The ECBL season is set to begin next March.

The other cities in the league are Summerside, Nova Scotia's Truro, and Annapolis Valley, and New Brunswick's Saint John and Bathurst.

Brown also issued a challenge to Summerside residents and Mayor Basil Stewart to come down to the first game between the two teams.

"We're ready for it. So Basil, come on down," he said. "We're going to slam the Summerside Slam."