Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
TD Place Stadium 1015 Bank St Ottawa, ON K1S 3W7 Canada
Year Opened: 1908 Capacity: 24,000
The CFL’s Newest Franchise
The Ottawa Redblacks are the third CFL franchise to call the city home – the Ottawa Rough Riders were a founding member of the CFL and played until 1996. A few years later the Ottawa Renegades came into being, but their franchise only lasted a few seasons. The current iteration of CFL football here, the Redblacks, was founded in 2014 and currently plays at TD Place, a facility that has existed in some form since the 1870s. The team has been to the Grey Cup three times, winning it once in 2016.
Originally known as Lansdowne Park, the grounds here have hosted the Summer Olympics, FIFA championships, and seven Grey Cups. In 2010 the city approved a revitalization and redevelopment plan, and TD Place now resembles the type of sports venue that is becoming popular across the United States and Canada, with the stadium serving as the anchor point for a shopping, dining, and entertainment district. TD Place has several restaurants nearby, including a sports bar next door, as well as a massive apartment complex behind the west end zone, with views of the football field from its balconies.
Food & Beverage 5
TD Place has all the concessions one would expect from a sports venue, plus some interesting extras, with typical prices compared to other pro sports stadiums. Food selections on offer include fan favorites like hot dogs, Italian sausage, and pizza, but also atypical selections such as a duck meat sandwich, Chicago-style hot dog, and hot dogs with Korean fried chicken added.
You can also find ribs, chicken shawarma, meatball subs, and grilled cheese with or without jalapenos; snacks include chips, candy, donuts, popcorn, tater tots, and fries, as well as the ever-present Canadian favorite, poutine. Main dishes start at CAD 7.80 and go up to $14.50 – the duck meat sandwich with fries comes in at $20 and is the most expensive item on the menu.
Drink selections include bottled Pepsi products, bottled water, coffee, tea, and hot cocoa, or you can find canned beer and hard lemonade. Drink prices run from CAD 3.45 to $5.65 for non-alcoholic choices, while alcohol options go from $10 (happy hour selections including Michelob Ultra, Goose Island, and SVNS hard lemonade) to $13.55 (Stella Artois).
Atmosphere 5
TD Place has a great atmosphere with a great crowd. There are lots of activities on the concourse such as giant Connect Four, giant Jenga, and cornhole, and there are also plenty of different places for fans to sit or stand while eating their food and drinks before heading down to their seats. There are also TVs on the main level so you don’t have to miss the action while waiting in line, and there are several team gear stands – the main one in the middle of the south side, as well as several smaller ones dotted around.
The individual chairback seats are arranged in different colors, mainly red and grey for the Redblacks, of course, which adds a nice aesthetic to the facility, and there is plenty of greenery to be seen from your seat in this riverside setting – there is a bridge on the east side so fans can walk to the venue across Rideau Canal.
The Redblack name is taken from lumberjack lore, and this is evidenced in the team’s logo and tunnel, the latter a giant buzzsaw blade – the mascot can also be seen in his red and black flannel shirt, wielding an axe and holding a circle of wood cut from a tree trunk, emblazoned with the Redblacks “R”. Every time the Redblacks score a touchdown, the staff cuts a new circle of wood from a giant tree trunk in celebration. There are also fireworks shot off behind the north side stands just before kickoff, so have your camera ready.
Neighborhood 4
As mentioned above there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance of TD Place, including Craft Beer Market Restaurant & Bar right next door, as well as numerous other options on the north side of the stadium – everything from fast food to sports bars to pizza places. Hotels are a bit further out, but still only around 3 km from the venue, most of them closer to downtown Ottawa and the Ottawa River, which divides Quebec from Ontario.
There are a few nice attractions in the area, including several parks, but the most well-known are probably the Olympic Garden, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and Billings Estate. There are also plenty of options for shopping if you plan to be in town for the day or weekend, and Montreal (the nearest big city to Ottawa) is only an hour and a half away.
Fans 3
There is a great crowd at TD Place, which contributes to the raucous atmosphere, but the facility most likely will not sell out – the Redblacks have historically been in the bottom half of the CFL in terms of attendance, averaging under 20K fans per game last season. Given the smaller size of TD Place compared to other CFL venues, however, this works out to the stadium being mostly full at your typical Redblacks game, so the low attendance will likely not be noticeable.
Some fans will show up in Redblacks gear, though not a lot. However, they do respond to prompts from the PA announcer and call-outs on the video board, as well as cheering for big plays by their team on the field, so the fans here are definitely into the game, and most stay until the end, even when the home team is way ahead.
Access 3
There are no parking lots to speak of near TD Place, so fans must either park on the other side of Rideau Canal and walk over, or park in one of the garages near the facility, or you can park on one of the city streets if you get there early. Be aware of posted signs when parking, however, as there are strict time limits that may be shorter than the game.
Once you get to the stadium, however, moving around is easy. There are several entrances into the venue, and there is plenty of room on the concourse to accommodate the size of the crowd. Fans are free to walk across either the west end or the east end to move between the two grandstands, and there are elevators available for those who need them (at least on the south side – the north side grandstand only has stairs).
Return on Investment 5
Tickets to Ottawa Redblacks games are not expensive, coming in at around 85.00 CAD for two tickets about halfway up on the sideline – there is no actual seating behind the end zones, but you are welcome to stand on the concourse and watch from either end. I consider this cost, which is a reasonable price for a CFL game or even a sporting event in general, to be a great return on investment, given the modern facility, great amenities, and wonderful atmosphere and scenery you will find at TD Place.
Extras 5
The scenery at TD Place is great, and the staff does a wonderful job pulling out all the stops to make a great game day experience. The mascot and other accents tie in well to the team’s name and logo, and having games to play on the concourse is a real plus, especially for those bringing kids to the game.
I enjoyed the fireworks before the game, as well as all the tables and standing rails on the concourse, which make it easy to enjoy your food before heading to your seats. The team store also has a huge selection of different items, at a variety of price points, making it easy to afford at least some souvenir of your visit.
Final Thoughts
Ottawa is not a large city, but I would recommend a visit here to take in a Redblacks game. There are not many cities where the average fan would go just to see a sporting event, but this is one I think should be on that list.
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