Come Early, Stay Late

Ottawa REDBLACKS
#1

Sounds like they have quite the little party planned. I'm sure the locals will be thrilled.

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS era at the new Lansdowne and TD Place begins at 4:00 PM this Friday, July 18 with a free outdoor pre-game party featuring one of Canada's best live rock acts, The Trews. The party will be held on the licensed South Porch, a new patio space between the Aberdeen Pavilion and Ottawa's soon to be completed 18-acre urban park. The Trews will play from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and then the REDBLACKS' sold-out home opener against the Toronto Argonauts gets underway just after 7 p.m.

Families coming to the game with the kids will also enjoy pre-game at the Aberdeen. The Event Square on the Bank Street side of the historic structure will house four team-branded inflatable fun structures where kids can bounce, slide and burn-up their energy.

Fans that can't wait to get inside the new stadium, TD Place, will be able to do so starting at 5 p.m. Selections from the team's world-class food and beverage menu, featuring local favorites, incredible BBQ, scrumptious sandwiches, desserts and more will be available for the first time. Player warm-ups start at 5:30 and then between 6:30 and kickoff, fans will see a pre-game show that features the Governor General's Foot Guards and other guests to celebrate Ottawa's football past and herald our football future.

Ottawa won nine Grey Cup Championships in its storied past, the last in 1976, led by players that to this day are household names to CFL fans across the country. Our halftime show will pay tribute to those championship teams and many of the individuals that made them great.

Post-game, fans are invited to return to the South Porch where one of Canada's top DJ's, DJ Ariyan, will keep the free party going until 11 p.m.

So it's come early, stay late for the REDBLACKS home opener this Friday, July 18. Every ticket to the game is also a ticket for free OC Transpo and STO bus service and free park and shuttle service from multiple lots around Ottawa/Gatineau. Visit the Transportation Page for detailed transportation information and remember, there is no onsite parking so you need a game plan to get down to Lansdowne.

The Trews have released five studio albums, with two achieving Canadian Gold Sales status and 14 Top-10 singles, including "What's Fair is Fair," which recently hit #2. On-deck for the top-10 is "Rise In The Wake," which currently sits at #16. With over 1,000 live shows under their belt, including support slots for The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, KISS and The Tragically Hip. The band has been nominated for five JUNO Awards and ten ECMA Awards, winning "Rock Recording of the Year" for Hope &; Ruin.

#2
It’s quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town.

Seats at the historic home opener of the Ottawa REDBLACKS on July 18 are selling for hundreds of dollars online.

“Some are going for $200-300 each and I don’t think that’s what they were at face value,? says Robert Lee.

The 22-year-old is on a desperate search for tickets to the game that falls on his birthday. His only wish to see the return of football to Ottawa in person.

“Football just brings a whole other aspect, a whole different group of people out to the games. It’ll be nice that people are actually on board this time that it’s back in Ottawa,? says Lee.

A quick search on the popular online resale site Kijiji.com shows club section seats selling for $2000 a pair. Resellers are asking about $500 for a pair of mid-range seats.

Also, looking to cash in on the return of football to the capital is a unique trip to TD Place along the Rideau Canal.

Ultimate Tours is offering a tailgate party at the Senate Pub followed by a boat ride to the stadium for $20.

“Why not utilize the one thing that’s been created and really unique to Ottawa which is the Canal and jump on a boat and cruise up,? asks Ultimate Tours president Steve Ryan.

“It’s only going to take 15 to 20 minutes to get down there,? he adds.

For now, Ryan says there will be no alcohol permitted on the boat trip. Depending on how things go, he says he’s open to a fully-licensed hour-long pre-game boat trip.

The Ottawa REDBLACKS say they might be releasing more tickets as early as 48-hours before Friday’s game.


Read more: http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/redblacks-home ... z37eTfHSSu
#3

Will be there sitting in section PP enjoying the game. Can't wait. :rockin:

#4

I'll be taking in the pre-game festivities beginning at 4 PM. Dinner with friends at Za ZA Za at 5 PM. North Side, Section E, Row 18 for the game. Go REDBLACKS!

#5

I'm not sure how I'm going to approach this exactly. I want to see The Trews, but the shuttles only leave at 5PM (when that show starts) and they are my easiest way to get out there.

I might take the train to Carleton and walk it. What the hell?

#6

I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but for those whomissed it the Ottawa Sun has a 36-page insert about the team today, on top of several pages of coverage about the game itself. Not exactly insightful stuff, but well worth plunking down the 50 cents for profiles, history, etc. :thup:

#7

Ottawa Sun Sports not insightful !?!?!?!?! (LOL)

But good on them for supporting Ottawa's newest team.

#8

We got to the stadium 3 hours before kickoff. Walked around and went to the party at the Aberdeen pavillion with The Trews. Walked around the new southside upper and lower decks, love the fact they have a walkway between decks where the concessions are, you can stand there and drink and watch the game. The video board is HD and clear. The stadium is completely finished. The whole area around the stadium is impressive too.
It was a great night to be a RB fan.

#9

You open the thing, and the person staring back at you is not Henry Burris, Jeff Hunt or anyone of the sort. It's (former?) sports editor Tim Baines telling you that he loves football and he feels the RedBlacks are the real deal.

Thanks for the endorsement, Tim. Now on with the show, please. :roll:

#10

Does anyone know if there were issues about parking in the Glebe last night? Haven't seen any mention of it (one way or the other) yet.

#11

I saw by-law officers on bikes all over the place, didn't notice any problems. I walked from Elgin street and back and a lot of people were walking, the buses on Bank were going by full. They had shuttles on Queen Elizabeth driveway, in the old days that wasn't allowed because it's an NCC road not a city road. Crowds were also arriving by the tour boats on the canal.