It’s a historic weekend in the Capital, with not one, but two team home openers at the new TD Place stadium.
On Friday, the Ottawa Redblacks played their very first game on home soil in front of 24,000 excited fans.
They beat the Toronto Argos 18-17, giving the Redblacks their first victory in franchise history.
Fans have been waiting for football’s return to Ottawa for several years, and Friday’s win in front of a sellout crowd didn’t disappoint.
Sunday also marks another a long-anticipated first at TD Place.
The Ottawa Fury FC, the city’s professional soccer team, plays its first game on home turf Sunday afternoon at the new stadium against the New York Cosmos.
The game set an attendance record with more than 14,000 fans filling the stands to cheer on the Fury,
On Friday, the stadium faced a few hiccups hosting its first sold-out event.
There were long lineups for food and drinks, and complaints the ATM machines weren’t working.
“We're not there yet,” said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group CEO Bernie Ashe on Saturday. “We had fans that didn't have a positive experience as it relates to food and beverage lines and wait times for food. Those are things we're taking responsibility for and we're going to address."
Construction debris blocked drains in a north side women’s washroom, but management said the issue has been fixed for Sunday. They also planned to bring in temporary ATM machines for the Ottawa Fury home opener.
OSEG said they are committed to ironing out the stadium glitches.
Many fans said despite those glitches, they are thrilled with the new stadium and the start of a new era for sports in the Capital.
