Sports in Ottawa (misc. articles/news)

[rocketphish]

Ottawa Black Bears leaving the Canadian Tire Centre, ticket holders told
Professional lacrosse team has been based in Ottawa since 2024

Nathan Fung · CBC News
Posted: Jun 23, 2026 6:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Ottawa's professional lacrosse team will no longer be playing at the Canadian Tire Centre, fans have been told.

Ticket holders received a message informing them that the Ottawa Black Bears will not play at the CTC in Kanata for the 2026-27 season.

People who had made payment for the next season will receive an automatic refund within 10 business days, the message said, referring further inquiries to the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

The message did not say where the team will play next.

CBC reached out to the Ottawa Black Bears and the NLL for comment. An email sent to the address listed on the team's Facebook page bounced back, saying the Black Bears will not be returning to CTC for the 2026-27 season.

The Black Bears is a partnership between the NLL, owners GF Sports and Entertainment and the Ottawa Senators. It was formerly known as the New York Riptide, and moved to Ottawa in 2024.

At the time, Erik Baker, who's part of the ownership team, said they chose Ottawa for many reasons, one of them being the strength of the Senators Sports & Entertainment brand.

Back in 2003, Ottawa's previous NLL team, the Ottawa Rebel, was sold to Edmonton after two seasons.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ot...ire-centre-ticket-holders-told-9.7246460

[J.OT13]

That's weird. For one, Sens are part owner, but also, this doesn't say anything about the team leaving Ottawa.

I wonder if the Sens are trying to make space for the PWHL, though if a dozen or so arenas can handle NHL and NBA, NHL/PWHL/NLL shouldn't be that hard.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's weird. For one, Sens are part owner,

Maybe not?


League wants to keep Ottawa Black Bears lacrosse team in Ottawa-Gatineau
NLL implies there has been an ownership change

CBC News
Posted: Jun 25, 2026 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 25 minutes ago

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) says it intends to keep the Ottawa Black Bears in "the Ottawa-Gatineau region" after ticket holders were told it won't return to the Canadian Tire Centre for a third season.

The NLL's two-line Wednesday evening statement implied the team has undergone an ownership change.

"The National Lacrosse League is aware that following its termination of GF Lacrosse LLC's ownership of the Ottawa Black Bears, the Club informed select ticket holders that 'the Black Bears will no longer be playing at Canadian Tire Centre,'" it said.

"The NLL's intention is to keep the franchise in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and continue to grow the Black Bears' loyal and passionate fan base."

<more>

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-black-bears-future-lacrosse-league-nll-9.7248348

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Maybe not?

The Ottawa Black Bears is a National Lacrosse League franchise playing its home games at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian Tire Centre is owned and operated by Capital Sports Properties Inc., who has been engaged to sell Ottawa Black Bears tickets and packages as well as market the Ottawa Black Bears on behalf of GF Lacrosse, LLC, the Ottawa Black Bears owner

Source

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by MountainView

The Ottawa Black Bears is a National Lacrosse League franchise playing its home games at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The Canadian Tire Centre is owned and operated by Capital Sports Properties Inc., who has been engaged to sell Ottawa Black Bears tickets and packages as well as market the Ottawa Black Bears on behalf of GF Lacrosse, LLC, the Ottawa Black Bears owner

Source

The Black Bears website clearly hasn't been updated yet to reflect their new reality.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The Black Bears website clearly hasn't been updated yet to reflect their new reality.

Correct, but the Sens were never part owner. I may have replied to the wrong comment. Apologies.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by MountainView

Correct, but the Sens were never part owner. I may have replied to the wrong comment. Apologies.

No worries! I agree with you, based on what I read in the CBC article.

[J.OT13]

Glad they want to keep the team in Ottawa. Good opportunity for OSEG to sweep in and offer a good deal to play at the Civic Centre and later the new arena. Trade PWHL for NLL.

Alternatively, it would be great to get a second tenant at Slush Puppie, and Gatineau's first "major league" team.

[7empest]

Not sure if this is the correct thread, but..

Why no Canada football/soccer watch party in the Nation's Capital? Last I saw or heard the city was "looking into it". What a joke.

[BGO]

Originally Posted by 7empest

Not sure if this is the correct thread, but..

Why no Canada football/soccer watch party in the Nation's Capital? Last I saw or heard the city was "looking into it". What a joke.

Completely agree! What a shame!

[7empest]

Originally Posted by BGO

Completely agree! What a shame!

Looks like I got my wish - thankfully the Feds stepped in to bail out the city of Ottawa yet again.

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-herita...hip-with-the-city-of-ottawa-at-lebr.html

[BGO]

Originally Posted by 7empest

Looks like I got my wish - thankfully the Feds stepped in to bail out the city of Ottawa yet again.

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-herita...hip-with-the-city-of-ottawa-at-lebr.html

That's great! But again, we should have a proper permanent space to broadcast all the big games whatever the sport and for other purposes. Mississauga have a great place for that hoping one day we could have something similar. One can dream lol

[7empest]

Originally Posted by BGO

That's great! But again, we should have a proper permanent space to broadcast all the big games whatever the sport and for other purposes. Mississauga have a great place for that hoping one day we could have something similar. One can dream lol

Yes I agree. It's even more frustrating because we just went through it with the Sens (brief) playoff run. They have learned nothing.

[J.OT13]

I don't understand why the City only had a watch party once at Lansdowne instead of making that a feature for the entire World Cup.

LeBreton is a better location anyway, and it gets even more use to the Canada Day/Bluesfest stage. I do hope that there are no times where Bluesfest and the Canada playing at the World Cup interfere.

I think we have some opportunities for a permanent at LeBreton, between the Sens arena, which could have a huge screen and plaza, or the park space. Might be worth building permanent stage at Bluesfest Park.

[golfguy9]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I don't understand why the City only had a watch party once at Lansdowne instead of making that a feature for the entire World Cup.

LeBreton is a better location anyway, and it gets even more use to the Canada Day/Bluesfest stage. I do hope that there are no times where Bluesfest and the Canada playing at the World Cup interfere.

I think we have some opportunities for a permanent at LeBreton, between the Sens arena, which could have a huge screen and plaza, or the park space. Might be worth building permanent stage at Bluesfest Park.

I disagree. I think the plaza at Lansdowne is a perfect venue for a watch party, at least for now. It's surrounded by restaurants and is a vibrant place in the summer when it's nice out.

IMO any major sporting event with an Ottawa/Canada presence should automatically have their games broadcast on a big screen there, including Sens playoff runs, WC, Olympics.

This can shift to Lebreton whenever it's more built up but for now just have a screen at Lansdowne, this seems like such an easy win for the city.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by golfguy9

I disagree. I think the plaza at Lansdowne is a perfect venue for a watch party, at least for now. It's surrounded by restaurants and is a vibrant place in the summer when it's nice out.

IMO any major sporting event with an Ottawa/Canada presence should automatically have their games broadcast on a big screen there, including Sens playoff runs, WC, Olympics.

This can shift to Lebreton whenever it's more built up but for now just have a screen at Lansdowne, this seems like such an easy win for the city.

I agree that for the watch party itself, Lansdowne is great. LeBreton is superior in terms of transportation before and after the show.

But yes, absolutely, this would have been an easy win for Lansdowne 2.0, to include a permanent watch party set-up.

[J.OT13]

Leiper posted about the Skateboard Fest yesterday in the Garden of the Provinces:

https://bsky.app/profile/jleiper.bsky.social/post/3mqfyznfans2a

[J.OT13]

Local firm bids to build and host national soccer training centre south of airport

Marissa Galko, OBJ
July 28, 2026

Ottawa’s Falcon Ridge Village LP has submitted a bid to build Canada Soccer’s National Training Centre south of the Ottawa International Airport. It could be one of a number of bids being put forward that would see the centre built in Ottawa. The training centre could include outdoor and indoor facilities, a stadium, “high-performance and […]

https://obj.ca/local-firm-bids-build-host-ntl-soccer-training-centre/

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Canadian women won the World Flag Football championship yesterday. On the men's side Canada took the bronze medal. Both teams have qualified for the 2028 Olympic Games which will introduce flag football. The world championships were held in Germany.

[rocketphish]

Ottawa Black Bears 'discontinued,' won't play next season, NLL says
Lacrosse league had been working to keep team in area

CBC News
Posted: Sep 10, 2026 4:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) says the Ottawa Black Bears have discontinued operations and won't return for a third season.

The league implied in June the team had undergone an ownership change and it intended to keep them in "the Ottawa-Gatineau region."

That came days after ticket holders received a message informing them the Black Bears would not play at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata for the 2026-27 season.

On Thursday, the NLL said in a news release that the Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings folding "follows extensive efforts by the League to identify viable paths forward."

"The NLL evaluates the long-term sustainability of its member clubs across several core areas, including committed ownership, venue and lease conditions, local market infrastructure, operational capabilities and sustained investment in the fan experience," it said.

It left the door open to "future opportunities in either community if the long-term conditions and partners necessary to support a sustainable franchise are established."

Ottawa and Philadelphia players will be dispersed to the remaining 12 teams in a draft on Sept. 15.

The Black Bears were a partnership between the NLL, owners GF Sports and Entertainment and the Ottawa Senators. They were formerly known as the New York Riptide, and moved to Ottawa in 2024.

Back in 2003, Ottawa's previous NLL team, the Ottawa Rebel, moved to Edmonton after two seasons.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-black-bears-lacrosse-team-9.7339322