Diamond Sports Canada Inc. acquires the Ottawa BlackJacks

Counsel to Diamond Sports Canada Inc and its' shareholders with respect to its crossborder acquisition of the Ottawa BlackJacks

Lead by

Team Members

On September 2, 2025, Diamond Sports Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Australian-based Global Sports Fund Management Group, completed its cross-border acquisition of the Ottawa BlackJacks, a professional basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Canada’s largest professional sports league, from Canadian Basketball Ventures L.P. The group is owned by Bandeli (Lee) Hagipantelis and Justin Pascoe, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer. The transaction results in the Ottawa BlackJacks being an independently-owned franchise in the CEBL, and the first international owners in CEBL history with their base of operations being located in New South Wales, Australia.

Transition of team operations will begin immediately, with the seventh season of Ottawa BlackJacks basketball set to kick off in May 2026 at The Arena at TD Place in Ottawa.

Miller Thomson LLP advised Diamond Sports Canada Inc. and its shareholders with a team led by Ryan Done and comprised of Julia Zanetti and Kelsey Vicary (M&A), David Tsai (Employment), Karen Durell (Intellectual Property), Ron Choudhury (Tax), and Megan Kocher (Corporate Clerks).