July 28, 2026
Dear Calgary, Every season tells a story. Some chapters unfold exactly as you imagined. Others force you to rewrite the ending in real time. As we prepare for our final home game of the 2026 season on Friday, I've found myself reflecting on just how much this team, this organization, and this community have endured and accomplished together over the past few months. Professional sports and live events have a funny way of testing you. There are moments when everything seems to be going your way. There are also moments that challenge your belief, your patience, and your resolve. This season gave us plenty of both. But what has always defined the Calgary Surge isn't whether adversity arrives…it’s how we respond. When circumstances demanded more from our players, coaches, and staff, they answered. When our backs were against the wall, our locker room stayed together. And when many counted us out, this group found its identity, finishing the season as one of the hottest teams in the country. Nonetheless, after three consecutive Championship Weekend appearances, we faced a reality that every professional sports organization eventually encounters: the pursuit of sustained success is never guaranteed. We ultimately fell just short of our goal of returning to the playoffs. And while that result is disappointing, it does not define the character of this team or the commitment of the people who built it. Our resilience is not accidental. It is built on trust, culture, and a shared belief in one another. This season, that belief was strengthened by something we've never had before: the largest returning core of players in franchise history. Familiar faces became leaders. Relationships became chemistry. Chemistry became confidence. Watching this group grow together has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. Of course, our story has never been confined to forty minutes on a basketball court. This year, the Calgary Surge continued to prove that our mission extends far beyond the final buzzer. We brought professional basketball to Lethbridge. We made our return to both Red Deer and the Calgary Stampede. Together with the Saskatoon Mamba, we helped make history in Whitehorse, Yukon by hosting the first-ever professional basketball game in Canada's North. Here at home, we continued investing in the city that has embraced us from day one. In partnership with the City of Calgary, Cadillac Fairview, MNP Community and Sport Centre, and countless other partners, we are transforming public spaces into places where young people can play, learn, and fall in love with basketball. Through free clinics, 3-on-3 tournaments, and community programming, thousands of Calgarians will continue to connect through sport in the heart of our city. Every stop, every activation, and every handshake reminded us why this organization exists: to reflect, entertain, and unite communities through the power of basketball and the arts. Whether we were playing in Calgary or creating unforgettable moments across Western Canada and the North, your support followed us everywhere we went. For that, we are incredibly grateful. As remarkable as these experiences have been, nothing compares to playing at home. Walking into WinSport Event Centre and seeing familiar faces game after game never gets old. Season Ticket Members who have been with us since day one. Families introducing their children to professional basketball for the very first time. Volunteers, artists, partners, and fans who have helped shape the identity of this club. Together, you've built something that feels uniquely Calgary. Now, we have one final opportunity to celebrate it together. Fan Appreciation Night has always been about more than saying thank you. It's our opportunity to recognize the people who have stood beside us through every high and every low. Before we turn our attention to what's next, we get one more night together. One more opportunity to cheer, celebrate, and recognize the community that has made the Calgary Surge one of the most special organizations in Canadian sport. On behalf of our players, coaches, basketball operations staff, front office, volunteers, corporate partners, and everyone who proudly wears the Calgary Surge logo, thank you. We'll see you at WinSport on Friday, July 31 st vs. the Niagara River Lions. Yours, Dylan Howe Team President, Calgary Surge