TORONTO (June 18, 2015) – TSN announced today new partnerships with Canada Basketball and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The new agreements will see TSN deliver full court coverage of Team Canada’s men’s and women’s basketball teams in major international events.  As part of this deal, RDS acquires French-language broadcast rights to FIBA events.

TSN’s new slate of basketball content is highlighted by Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games qualifying events – with the 2015 FIBA AMERICAS WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP taking place in Edmonton this August – that will feature the strongest men’s and women’s basketball teams Canada has ever produced.

“This is an exciting partnership that speaks volumes to the rise of basketball in Canada,” said Michele O’Keefe, President & CEO, Canada Basketball. “We thank TSN for their support of the game, and providing Canadians the opportunity to tune-in and support our teams as they represent the country on the world stage.”

“With these new partnerships, fans can follow the most promising teams Canada Basketball has ever produced on their journeys to Rio 2016,” said Shawn Redmond, Vice-President of Programming and Marketing, TSN. “Adding these events to our lineup lets us serve Canadian basketball fans with more of the best events the basketball world has to offer.”

FIBA events added to TSN’s broadcast schedule include:

• 2015 FIBA AMERICAS WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP – the biennial women’s basketball championship tournament for the Americas zone (Latin America, Caribbean, North and South America), beginning August 9 from Edmonton. The top team will automatically qualify to compete in Women’s Basketball at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. Canada Basketball is hosting the event (click here for more information).

• 2015 FIBA AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP – the biennial men’s basketball championship tournament for the Americas zone (Latin America, Caribbean, North and South America), beginning August 31 from Mexico City, Mexico. The top two teams will automatically qualify to compete in Men’s Basketball at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.

• 2016 FIBA OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT and 2016 FIBA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT – the final Olympic qualifying events feature nations who do not directly qualify for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games at their respective continental tournaments.

Coverage begins later this month with action from the 2015 FIBA U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in Heraklion, Greece. Ranked #3 worldwide, Team Canada heads into the tournament with five returning players from last year’s team, which netted a second-place finish that marked Canada’s best-ever performance. Additional events will be added to TSN’s broadcast schedule in the coming months.

Basketball on TSN

TSN is Canada’s home of basketball, with a slate of basketball coverage that includes comprehensive coverage of the Toronto Raptors, the NBA Playoffs culminating with the NBA FINALS, complete coverage of NCAA MARCH MADNESS, and the BIOSTEEL ALL-CANADIAN BASKETBALL GAME.