Atletico Ottawa win home opener
A new season of the Canadian Premier League is here and Dan Atasiei couldn’t be more excited.
Atletico Ottawa defeated their Ontario-rivals York United 2-1.
“This is my first home opener because I was living abroad the last few years. I’m so excited to see the boys play,” he said.
Atasiei is part of the Capital City Supporters Group, leading a fan march ahead of the Atletico Ottawa's first home match at TD Place.
More than 4,000 people were in the stands, the cool temperatures and rainy day didn’t quite draw the usual crowds for an opening day. A tough sell as sports clubs in the city compete to fill their seats.
“It is tough. There's no denying it,” said Atletico Ottawa president and partner Jeff Hunt. “Thank God we've got hearty fans and, you know, as the season goes on, we'll pick up the hockey fans as time goes on.”
This year, Ottawa saw the introduction of the PWHL, the 67s are in the midst of a playoff run and the start of the soccer club’s new season also means summer is around the corner. With that, is the return of baseball, Canadian football and basketball in the city. But it comes at a time when many people have changed their spending habits, so what does that mean for ticket sales in what's become a competitive market?
“Yeah there’s going to be competition, especially when people are suffering from a cost of living crisis,” said Concordia University economics professor Moshe Lander.
He says to draw crowds who will spend the money, it has to go beyond the game.
“It's going to be the better experience and the better performance that kind of determines that whether it's, a tailgating part of the story, whether it's a halftime concert,” he said.
Atletico’s CEO and general manager Fernando Lopez has been busy during the off season adding 11 new players to the roster, including Ballou Tabla and Kinburn-native Kris Twardek. For Atletico, a win to start the season and a dedicated fan base helps.
“I mean, there's a lot of sports in the city, but I’m telling you right now, this is the only sport in the city where you're gonna get this kind of atmosphere,” said Capital City Supporters Group member Eddie Benhin.
“People say Ottawa’s a boring city. I totally disagree. Ottawa sort of become on the map,” said Atasiei. “People are actually going to start saying, oh, Ottawa has got teams, you know, lot of stuff to do.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.