Ottawa Senators Home Ice Advantage Returns for Battle of Ontario Playoffs
The Ottawa Senators and their fans are gearing up for a rejuvenated ‘Battle of Ontario’ playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, aiming to reclaim their home ice advantage after years of it being dominated by opposing fans.
Ending the Blue-and-White Takeover
In recent years, home games at Canadian Tire Centre have been anything but friendly for the Sens’ faithful. Maple Leafs fans have flocked to Ottawa, turning the arena into a makeshift home away from home for the blue and white.
“It’s really weird being in the home building, but it feels like an away game,” said Kevin Lee, a Senators season-ticket holder since 2010-11.
An Initiative to KeepTickets in Hungry Hands
The Sens organization is determined to combat this issue by ensuring playoff tickets stay in the hands of their season-ticket holders. In a strategic move, they offered discounted tickets to season-ticket holders, along with the opportunity to secure tickets for additional seats for the entire playoffs. A third wave of sales allowed season-ticket holders to purchase up to four individual tickets per playoff game, with the caveat that they cannot be transferred or sold on secondary ticket platforms.
“What we’re doing is taking care of our season-seat owners first,” said Senators president Cyril Leeder. “I think that’s the best medicine. The way to get your building full of your own fans is to have it full of season-seat owners.”
A Defiant Atmosphere Brewing in the Nation’s Capital
Players and fans alike are rallying around the idea of filling Canadian Tire Centre with a sea of red in support of the Senators. A growing sentiment of defiance can be felt throughout the city, with fans eager to make their presence known.
I refuse to normalize selling PLAYOFF tickets to Leafs fans as an acceptable practice by our fanbase. This is the one time fandom should come above all. There are plenty of Sens fans out there willing to pay above face, no excuses not to make the effort to get it into their hands.
Kevin Lee, a passionate Sens fan, has taken it upon himself to encourage fellow fans to keep playoff tickets within the community, willing and unwavering in his mission to ensure the home ice advantage is truly theirs.
Can’t Completely Eliminate the Resale Market
While the Sens have implemented measures to ward off opposing fans from snapping up tickets, it remains inevitable that some could still find their way onto the secondary market. However, long-time season-ticket holders like Chris Allard encourage fellow fans to support the team and avoid profiting from the situation.
“As a season-seat holder, the Sens in my opinion have given us the opportunity to buy tickets at a discount. That’s a luxury. I don’t think that they give us discounts for us to turn around and try to make money off of it,” Allard said. “They’re trying to give us an opportunity to be real Sens fans and support our team.”
Did you know? In the most recent regular-season visit by the Maple Leafs to Ottawa, Sens forward Shane Pinto expressed his frustration with the number of opposing fans in the crowd, telling “Hockey Night in Canada” that it “definitely pisses us off a little bit.”
Putting Their Best Foot Forward
The Senators and their fans are making a stand in their first playoff appearance in eight years, determined to reclaim their home ice advantage and prove that the Battle of Ontario belongs to them.
“I said this right when we clinched, it’s going to take everybody,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. “It’s going to take, not just the guys in this room, the people in this building, hockey ops, it’s going to take this whole city. It’s going to take all the support, all the passion that we thrive off.”
Key Takeaways
- The Ottawa Senators and their fans are eager to reclaim their home ice advantage in the upcoming playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- The Sens organization has implemented measures to keep playoff tickets in the hands of season-ticket holders, aiming to fill Canadian Tire Centre with a sea of red.
- While the resale market cannot be completely eliminated, long-time season-ticket holders encourage fans to support the team and avoid profiting from the situation.
- The city of Ottawa is rallying behind their team, determined to make a stand in their first playoff appearance in eight years and prove that the Battle of Ontario belongs to them.
Join the conversation! How are you planning to support the Ottawa Senators in their playoff push? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more in-depth news expansion.