Caesars Clash at the Coliseum is Back for 2026
By Ian Shalapata
Some sporting traditions are born organically. Others arrive fully formed, daring the city to meet them
halfway. When the Windsor Express first staged a regular-season professional basketball game inside
the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor in January 2014, it felt like a cultural experiment.
Could basketball thrive in a space built for headliners and showgirls? Could a league still finding its
footing command the city’s most glamorous room?
The answer, emphatically, was yes.
The event, known for its “NBA-style” atmosphere featuring professional-grade production, entertaining
acts, and high-intensity matchups, was attended by local fans and celebrities alike. Boxing legend
Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns and Detroit Pistons ‘Bad Boys’, Dennis Rodman and Rick Mahorn, were
in the house to watch the match-up.
More than a decade later, with the Windsor Express now competing in the Basketball Super League,
and preparing to revive the Clash at the Colosseum on February 24, the memories of those downtown
pilgrimages feel sharper than ever.
The first four Clashes redefined what basketball looked and felt like in Windsor. It was an
entertainment-forward, downtown-centered spectacle led by a franchise unafraid to think big.
The Clash event produced memories, moments, and a template for how sport, entertainment, and
community could come together under one roof. In a city in search of an anchor, the Windsor Express
had the mettle.
2014: The Gamble That Sparked a Movement
When the Express first rolled their hardwood floor into Caesars Windsor, the original Clash at the
Colosseum on January 15, 2014, carried an undeniable sense of risk. It was the first ever time a pro-
basketball game was hosted in a casino.
But also, the Express were still building their fan base at the WFCU Centre, where attendance hovered
in the hundreds. Caesars Windsor, by contrast, offered a world-class showroom and a downtown
address that was begging to be activated.
Against the backdrop of casino lights and theatre seating, the Express hosted their fiercest rivals, the
London Lightning, in what many dubbed the “Battle of the 401.”
“This is a game where our players really feel the fans excitement and energy,” said Express head coach
Bill Jones. “That added motivation, along with playing our rivals the London Lightning should make
for a great event for our fans.”
Before a crowd of 2,800, Windsor delivered an 86–78 victory and announced itself as more than just
another minor-league outfit.
Quinnel Brown and Stefan Bonneau each scored 21 points while Darren Duncan dropped 14 and Chris
Commons scored 11. Canadian Kevin Loiselle pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds. But, the result almost felt secondary to the atmosphere.
Photos from the inaugural Clash at the Coliseum: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
CEO Dartis Willis framed the moment with characteristic vision.
“By partnering with Caesars, we get to bring our fans to one of the nicest venues in our region to see
their team face our closest rival,” he said. “This is a bridge between east and west and it tests the
market as well.”
For fans like first-timer Greg Duguay, the night exceeded expectations. “I expected a basketball game but this is better than a basketball game,” he said, capturing the mood of the crowd.
Even players anticipated the novelty.
“I have never ever played in a casino,” Express super-guard Stefan Bonneau admitted. “It’s a different
type of atmosphere and I’m looking forward to it.”
By the final buzzer, in addition to the win moving the Express into first place, the experiment had
become a blueprint for basketball thriving in the downtown.
2015: Momentum, Identity, and a City Taking Notice
The Express built on the experience of that first marquee event. The Clash at the Colosseum II
expanded the team’s legitimacy.
On January 21, 2015, the Express tipped off against the Halifax Rainmen and delivered a suffocating
95–68 win that set a franchise record for fewest points allowed. Six Windsor players scored in double
figures, led by Quinnel Brown’s 18 points in a steady, authoritative presence. DeAndre Thomas netted
13 points while Kevin Loiselle added 12 as well as pulling down 9 boards.
Brown would later be named the NBLC player of the year in 2014-15.
The night confirmed that the Colosseum wasn’t just a unique setting. The Express fed off the tight
sightlines, the theatre acoustics, and a crowd that felt a part of the action. The venue was a competitive
advantage.
The organization leaned into the entertainment angle, hosting pre-game festivities for fans in the
Augustus Tower and a post-game celebration at the Elyx Lounge. The Clash at the Colosseum had
become the hottest ticket in town.
By season’s end, Windsor finished undefeated at home across both venues, and captured another NBL
Canada championship.
The Clash was no longer a one-off.
2016: Rivalry, Heat, and the Event’s Growing Mythology
By the third edition of the cornerstone event on February 3, 2016, the Clash at the Colosseum had developed its own mythology. The anticipation of the game proved it was rooted in physical, high-
stakes basketball. The rivalry with London had become inseparable from the event itself.
Once again, the Lightning provided the foil. Once again, Windsor rose to the occasion. Prior to tip off,
Express CEO Dartis Willis honoured former players, Gary Gibson, Ryan Anderson, and DeAndre
Thomas, and coach Gary Mazza as members of the previous year’s championship team.
The Express snapped London’s nine-game winning streak with a commanding 114–93 victory that
placed on display their depth and firepower. Brandon Robinson scored a game high 34 points for
Windsor, and also had six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Shaquille Keith and captain Chris Commons put up 17 points each while anchoring a
performance that was emotional as well as tactical.
The rivalry between the two clubs was real. Tempers flared, bodies hit the floor, and emotions boiled
over. The intensity was most notable when Windsor forward Maurice Bolden was disqualified late in
the game, much to the amazement of head coach Tony Jones.
Moments like that reinforced what the Clash had become. It was a pressure cooker amplified by the
venue.
2017: The Year the Clash Became a Festival
The fourth Clash on February 8, 2017, marked the series’ most ambitious evolution. Still Express-led,
the event expanded outward, drawing in the OUA’s Windsor Lancers to create a seven-hour basketball
showcase unlike anything seen before.
For the first time, the Colosseum hosted a triple-header: the National Champion Lancer women and
Lancer men faced the Laurier Golden Hawks, and were followed by the Express closing out the night
against the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans.
The event marked the first time the Express and the Lancers teamed up to play on the same court.
“The Windsor Express have done an incredible job creating unique and fun events for their fans and we
are honoured to be a part of the Clash representing our university and program,” commented Lancers
head coach Chris Oliver.
Fans with a single ticket witnessed elite university basketball followed by a nail-biting 93–90 Express
win that preserved the franchise’s perfect Caesars record.
“This game is a highlight to our season, and our organization does a good job of making this game
special,” said former NBA player and Express head coach Bill Jones. “This year is also special because
the University’s men and women will play before our game and the electricity will be awesome.”
Earlier in the afternoon the 5-time national champion Lancers women came from behind to defeat the
Golden Hawks 68-65. Their male counterparts enjoyed their own 3-point victory over the Hawks on the
strength of Mike Rocca’s buzzer beater from half court.
For their part, the Express and Titans battled through a see-saw contest until, with just under 2 minutes
on the clock, Windsor’s Juan Pattillo hit the bucket from the paint to draw the teams even at 85 apiece.
A 12-1 Windsor run followed including a Wally Ellenson trey and a Darren Duncan fieldgoal.
Quinnel Brown led the way for Windsor with a game-high 19 points, Ellenson put up 17, while Nick
Evans and Warren Ward each logged 15.
The Express remained the headliner, but the expanded format emphasized the franchise’s growing role
as the epicentre for Windsor basketball culture.
2026: The Return of a Windsor Original
Nearly a decade later, the legacy of the Clash at the Colosseum is set to return on February 24. And,
this time it arrives with added context.
The Windsor Express are now a part of the Basketball Super League, and represent a new chapter in
professional hoops. The return of the Clash, though, is not about a distant memory. The event
represents continuity and is a bridge between a fledgling franchise a veteran organization.
The first four editions proved that Windsor basketball could command a stage usually reserved for
global entertainers. The same principles apply now: meet fans where they are, elevate the presentation,
and treat basketball as entertainment without sacrificing competitive integrity.
For longtime supporters, the fifth Clash offers a reunion with memories forged under the Colosseum
lights. For a new generation of fans, it’s a chance to experience what made those nights special in the
first place. For everyone, the Clash is a downtown spectacle driven by a team willing to think beyond
the baseline.
The Clash at the Colosseum is the marquee event for an entire league.