Players, fans and future franchises
FAQs
Answers from the league office on tryouts, rosters, who can play, the season, travel and owning a franchise.
Tryouts and rosters
How do tryouts work?
Tryouts might look different for each franchise. We encourage you to talk to the franchises directly.
When are tryouts held?
This depends on the franchises, but we work with them to set timeline parameters. Franchises may want to wait until the U SPORTS and CCAA season is over so they can see athletes’ performance and stats. The challenge is that fall tryouts would mean missing the chance to see U SPORTS and CCAA players compete for the season. With that, we anticipate tryouts in late March or early April.
How do players get placed on teams?
We encourage athletes to reach out to the franchises to learn more about their plans, as each one functions independently. The front office won’t be selecting rosters. So if you would play for any of the franchises, write to all of them! If you only want to play for one, write to that team and find out about any open gyms it may have. Don’t worry, we won’t be shipping you somewhere you don’t want to play!
How many roster spots are there per team?
MWBA teams will carry 14 players in 2027.
When are rosters finalized?
We want rosters finalized as soon as possible after tryouts, because we know everyone wants to plan their lives (family time, employment and more). Teams must announce their roster one week before their first game of 2027.
Who can play
Is there a limit on international players?
The league is meant for current and former AUS, ACAA, U SPORTS and CCAA players, so we would prefer not to see a roster made up entirely of international players. We want the league to be as competitive as possible without losing sight of who it was designed for. If you are an international player who played university or college basketball in Canada, we definitely want you in the mix! Teams can sign up to three imports per season. An import is a player coming to the MWBA specifically to play in the league.
Can players whose primary residence is outside Nova Scotia and New Brunswick play in the league?
Yes! We know some athletes playing in the AUS or ACAA don’t have a permanent address here, as they may be from other parts of Canada or from abroad.
Is housing provided for athletes?
Right now, we are not in a position to provide housing. However, our goal is to enhance what the league can offer in the future.
Season, practices and travel
What does a season schedule look like?
Schedules usually begin the first week of May and end in mid-June with a championship weekend. For 2027, the target opening is Sunday, April 25, with the PRO•LINE Legacy Cup targeted for June 12–13.
What facilities host games in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia?
Universities and colleges are preferred, but some high schools that meet safety requirements could also host games.
What is the typical time commitment per week? How many practices and games, and how long are practices?
Practices per week vary by franchise, but we have stressed flexibility to the franchises, because people have families, jobs and more. Practices will likely run 1.5 to 2 hours. There could be one or two games a week.
Will practices be every day, like university?
Likely not, but this will depend on what the franchises and teams want. They will all look different, and franchises know they are working with a mature group, so there will need to be flexibility.
With 1.5-hour practices, will there be gym time available outside team practices?
It depends on the franchise!
How does travel work?
Each franchise has one weekend trip to the other province, plus the championship weekend. We want to limit travel because we know you have just finished a season, have families and jobs, and we want to keep costs down.
Franchises, sponsors and the league
I am interested in owning a franchise in the MWBA. How does that happen?
Please contact mwba.league@gmail.com for more information. The key requirements for a new franchise are covered in the next question.
Is there a chance of more teams, given the high interest?
More teams? Possibly! But there are requirements and we need to approach this cautiously. We want this league to be competitive, and we know not everyone who registers will make a roster. If we have too many franchises, the league becomes watered down. To join, a franchise has to meet the parameters we have in place: coaches, possible athletes and roster, a facility, and finances and sponsors. With seven universities and colleges in Nova Scotia, more options are not unrealistic, and the Antigonish–Truro area would make sense. Expansion fees begin at $10,000 for 2027.
If someone is interested in sponsoring, do they contact the front office or the franchises?
If someone wants to sponsor a franchise you might play for, direct them to that franchise’s owner. We do need to make sure franchise sponsors don’t affect front-office sponsors. For league partnerships, contact Anna Lee LeBlanc, Director of Brand and Partnerships, at alebla45@uwo.ca.
What are we looking forward to?
We plan on living up to the hype! There has been an overwhelming amount of support in the Maritimes and across Canada. Although it is an amateur league, we have every intention of running it professionally: proper uniforms, proper game timing, televised or live-streamed games, community engagement, player of the week awards, social media engagement, sponsorships, high-quality competition, physiotherapy and athletic therapy, women in leadership positions, social justice initiatives, and a championship weekend that is a celebration of women’s basketball. The league is for you!
Will the success of a three-month season help raise the conversation about a professional women’s league in Canada?
Yes, absolutely! A lot of great discussions have been unfolding, but we have to start small. We are taking small steps with the length of time the league runs, and we didn’t want to take up anyone’s whole summer.
