Henry Burris signs autographs for fans after the Ottawa RedBlacks’ practice on Friday at TD Place in Ottawa.Dave Chan
Two days away from playing the first CFL postseason game in their city since 1983, the Ottawa RedBlacks practised Friday with the west gate of TD Place Stadium wide open.
Gaggles of excitable kids from nearby daycare programs toddled through to watch the open practice. Jersey-clad moms and dads came with their families on what was a Professional Activity Day for many elementary schools. Die-hard fans in red and black lumberjack plaid sat quietly analyzing every snap taken by quarterback Henry Burris. The north-side field-level stands were alive with some 800 people who wanted an intimate look at this team.
After a dismal 2-16 debut season in the CFL last year, the RedBlacks played to a 12-6 record this year and topped the East Division. On Sunday, they will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East final, sitting one win away from becoming the first team from the nation's capital to play in a Grey Cup since 1981.
Wins aren't the only reason Ottawa is embracing CFL football. A modern new stadium and surrounding entertainment district have revitalized Ottawa's historic Lansdowne Park area and drawn crowds. The beloved spot by the Rideau Canal has a new vibe, refreshing an area that was stained by the crumbling old Frank Clair Stadium and memories of failures by the two CFL franchises that folded there. The RedBlacks have managed to lure long-time football fans back and make inroads with the next generation.
The new TD Place field has a condominium building in its end zone and houses two teams both thriving in just their second seasons of existence – the RedBlacks and Ottawa Fury FC. It's central to an entertainment centre developed by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group and the city. The Ottawa 67s still play there, and the district now also includes busy bars and restaurants, a movie theatre, fitness club, two-storey Whole Foods market and retail shops, all sitting on top of a sprawling underground parkade.
"It's been a radical transformation," said Robin Ritchie, associate professor of marketing at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business.
"There were many in the neighbourhoods surrounding the stadium that had misgivings about bringing that level of activity back to the area because of traffic or noise. To some extent those concerns are still there, but even the opponents would have to grudgingly admit that the plan has been extraordinarily well executed and the experience of being in and around the stadium is terrific. It has restored a level of polish and sophistication that area hasn't seen in many decades."
On a game day, when the RedBlacks score a touchdown at TD Place, wood chips fly in the West end zone as a team of lumberjacks from the Algonquin Loggersports Team revs up a chainsaw to slice a ceremonial wood medallion from a cedar log. It's all part of the contemporary yet traditional, rustic, woodsy and ultra-Canadian brand that harkens back to Ottawa's history as a logging town. It has also filled the stands with more red and black plaid clothing than a Joe Fresh commercial.
"I was an Ottawa Rough Riders fan here since age 12 and used to go to those games with my dad, and now I bring my own teenage son, so it's great to have football back, and to see how this complex has changed our whole neighbourhood," said Jimmy Fata, a popular fan who dresses like a lumberjack with a twist – an open zipper glued to his face revealing red and black face paint.
"I went to some Ottawa Renegades games over the years, and it was never the same. It's all about the proper ownership, and this time, they just have it right."
Ottawa's Rough Riders formed in 1876, were a founding member of the CFL in 1958, winning nine Grey Cups before they folded because of poor management in 1996. A short-lived new franchise, the Renegades, formed in 2002, but lasted only through the 2005 season, having never made it to the postseason.
Some felt this attempt would fail, too, but OSEG is proving different.
"Having that long break since the last incarnation of CFL football here erased a lot of bad memories and negative impressions, and we got a clean slate with younger fans," said Jeff Hunt, president of OSEG. "It has blown us away how well we've done with the young fan base. That's the most desired fan base of any sports team, and we've hit a home run with them. We have built a lot of social areas into the stadium, because gone are the days when a fan sits in his or her seat for three hours."
A class of sports-marketing students from Ottawa's St. Francis Xavier High School was among those watching Friday's practice. The teens were asked to observe how the RedBlacks present themselves and what they offer fans. They're well aware of the notion that the CFL has traditionally struggled to attract young fans.
"I come to all the games, taking the shuttle bus here, and I prefer the CFL to the NFL because these players aren't such superstars, but part of our community," said one of the students, 17-year-old Tavon Hibbert, who also plays football. "I love going to the fan tunnel, talking to players, taking my own photos and videos, and I'm all over Twitter and Snapchat."
The RedBlacks are a feel-good story during a season when CFL television ratings were reportedly down. Events such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, Pan Am Games and especially the Toronto Blue Jays playoff run hogged much of the country's attention.
Also, having so many starting quarterbacks and other key CFL players sidelined with injuries took some shine off this year's product – and frankly, the RedBlacks benefited by playing many hobbled opponents.
The team expects to set an attendance record at TD Place for the East final with a sellout crowd of more than 25,000. The team made 500 additional standing-room tickets available this week, and even those were snapped right up. While they don't have the biggest stadiums in the CFL, the RedBlacks and Ticats topped the league in the category of attendance relative to capacity over the past two seasons, both teams with brand new buildings enjoying sellout games.
"In a lot of ways, this reminds me of a U.S college football atmosphere because it's rowdy and rambunctious, and the whole experience is a great outdoor show," Burris said. "You've got this amazing restaurant and entertainment complex and now we've coupled it with the on-field product that is making the city proud, so it's been a total experience for the people of Ottawa and it's been a long time coming."
This is still a city known for government and Ottawa Senators fans, but a RedBlacks flag is flying at Ottawa's City Hall this week.
"We're acutely aware of how fleeting popularity can be, so we'll keep adding great new things to the experience," Hunt said.
"The Parliament buildings will always be the first thing people visit in Ottawa, but soon I think this complex at Lansdowne will be the next thing they want to experience."