What’s with the emblem? How will you get tickets? What is the vibe of an expert lacrosse recreation? We have answered all of your Black Bears questions in a single cease.
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Who’re the Ottawa Black Bears?
Ottawa’s skilled lacrosse crew, the nationwide capital’s new franchise within the Nationwide Lacrosse League (NLL).
Their first contest was a rousing success, producing an 11-5 victory in opposition to the Toronto Rock earlier than a crowd of almost 7,000 spectators on the Canadian Tire Centre.
How are the Black Bears doing this season? Did they win their final recreation?
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No. Josh Byrne had two objectives and eight assists because the Buffalo Bandits, final season’s NLL champions, blasted the Black Bears 18-7 on Dec. 13. Jeff Teat topped Ottawa offensively with 5 factors, together with three objectives.
Earlier than that, within the season opener, Jacob Dunbar had three objectives and three assists in Ottawa’s 11-5 victory in opposition to the Toronto Rock on Nov. 29.
Their schedule consists of three away video games (Dec. 28 at Toronto, Jan. 4 at San Diego, Jan. 10 at Georgia) earlier than the subsequent house contest in opposition to the Vancouver Warriors on Jan 17, 2025.
Will the Black Bears make playoffs?
It’s too early within the season to say, with the Black Bears having a 1-1 document after that season-opening win in opposition to the Toronto Rock and their 18-7 loss in opposition to the Buffalo Bandits.
Final season, the RipTide completed 8-10 and in a five-way tie for eighth place within the standings, however New York and three different golf equipment misplaced out to the Rochester Knighthawks for the ultimate postseason berth on a tiebreaker.
How did the Black Bears land in Ottawa? Are they associated to the Senators?
The Black Bears was once the New York RipTide, however on Feb. 21, 2024, it was announced the NLL club would relocate to Canada’s capital for the 2024-25 season.
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The franchise house owners are GF Sports activities and Leisure and Senators Sports activities & Leisure, the identical group that owns the Nationwide Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators.
All house video games this season shall be performed on the Canadian Tire Centre.
“I do know when GF was searching for a brand new house Ottawa was truly on the forefront,” says Chelsea McDermott, the Black Bears’ vice-president of enterprise operations.
“I believe with the Insurgent, albeit a crew that did fold (in 2003), there’s positively a marketplace for lacrosse right here in Ottawa. Once we launched our seek for Junior Black Bears, which was groups of youngsters that had been U13, U15 and U17, we had a completely overwhelming response. Lacrosse is on this market and we’re excited to be a part of it, to say the least.
Is that this Ottawa’s first skilled lacrosse franchise?
No. The Ottawa Insurgent was unveiled on Oct. 16, 2020, following the acquisition of the previous Syracuse Smash franchise.
The Insurgent’s first NLL recreation on the Corel Centre (now Canadian Tire Centre) was a 16-7 loss in opposition to the Toronto Rock earlier than a crowd of 12,193.
Victories had been onerous to return by for the Insurgent, with simply 9 general and by no means greater than 4 in a season, in comparison with 37 losses.
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After two seasons within the house of the Nationwide Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators, the Insurgent shifted to the Civic Centre (now TD Place Enviornment) for its remaining season. On July 30, 2003, the NLL introduced a one-year suspension of the Insurgent franchise and a redistribution of its gamers to the opposite 11 golf equipment.
The Insurgent by no means resurfaced, although, with the franchise transferring to Edmonton to develop into the Rush after which transferring once more to Saskatoon in 2015.
Put up-Insurgent, on Dec. 5, 2015, the Lansdowne LAX Showdown introduced an NLL exhibition matchup between the Toronto Rock and the Saskatchewan Rush to Ottawa’s TD Place Enviornment. Toronto gained 14-8, led by Brett Hickey’s 5 objectives.
What’s with the emblem and the jersey?
Featured colors are deep crimson, gold and black. The Black Bears’ brand sits on the entrance of the jersey, and there are bear claw logos on each shoulders. In response to the crew, the motif wrapping round each sleeves and the waist of the jersey encompasses a chain of figures holding fingers.
Black Bears ahead Larson Sunset, it provides, steered incorporating that design alongside the arms and waist.
“I believed it was actually vital, given the world we’re transferring into, to spotlight the Indigenous communities within the surrounding areas, such because the Akwesasne, the Kanesatake, the Kahnawake and the Tyendinaga, but in addition ensure that we spotlight the wealthy lacrosse neighborhood and wealthy historical past that’s in Ottawa and japanese Ontario,” Sunset, a member of the Tonawanda Seneca folks from Basom, N.Y., mentioned on the crew web site.
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Inform me extra concerning the Nationwide Lacrosse League
The Nationwide Lacrosse League has 13 different golf equipment:
All groups play 18-game regular-season schedules, with the highest eight within the standings then qualifying for single-elimination playoff quarterfinal contests. The semifinal and remaining rounds shall be best-of-three collection, resulting in the crowning of the NLL Cup champions.
Included underneath the identify Eagle Professional Field Lacrosse on March 13, 1986, with Chris Fritz as president and Russ Cline as government vice-president, the NLL initially had 4 groups: Washington Wave; Baltimore Thunder; Philadelphia Wings; and New Jersey Saints.
The Saints gained the inaugural regular-season contest 11-8 over the Wings earlier than a crowd of 5,976 at New Jersey’s Meadowlands Enviornment.
Is there a girls’s lacrosse league?
Quickly. The Girls’s Lacrosse League was introduced in November, with 4 U.S.-based groups and the primary match anticipated in February 2025. 4 franchises to this point embrace the Boston Guard, California Palms, Maryland Attraction and New York Charging.
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What’s the vibe followers can count on at a house recreation?
It’s a jam. Count on continuous music and numerous fast-paced motion, says Chelsea McDermott, the crew’s vice-president of enterprise operations.
“Not like hockey, the place the music stops throughout play, lacrosse is extra just like the NBA, the place there’s consistently leisure and motion and music. I really feel like lacrosse, due to how briskly it’s, is sort of just like the equal of scrolling on Instagram. There’s one thing new taking place each 15 to twenty seconds. We’ve a 30-second shot clock, which forces the sport to maintain transferring, change possessions and run the opposite method.
“It’s a fast-paced recreation, so, whether or not you’re there for the ambiance and energetic leisure, otherwise you’re there for the game, otherwise you’re there simply as a guardian trying to take your child out for the night time, there’s one thing for you there.”
Are there for actions for youths on the area?
Properly, first, there’s a mascot. His identify is Cubby.
There are additionally pre-game actions primarily geared towards younger lacrosse gamers, however out there to any youngster who needs to take part:
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- Turf Time on the NLL taking part in floor earlier than the opening faceoff
- Bench Heaters: Sit on the bench (whereas sporting helmets) throughout pre-game warmup for the 2 groups
- Anthem Buddies: stand beside an NLL participant as nationwide anthems are carried out
- Be a Ball Child: stand on the centre line throughout warmup and collect up lacrosse balls as they fly and bounce across the turf
- Excessive 5 Tunnel: Greet the NLL greet gamers as they head onto the turf earlier than the sport
- Cheer Staff performances
The bottom line is that preparations should be made with the crew upfront. Right here’s how: Ship an electronic mail to tickets@ottawablackbears.com or go to the crew web site: https://ottawablackbears.com/grouptickets/
Chelsea McDermott, the vice-president of enterprise operations, says the Black Bears are focusing on teams such faculty or neighborhood sports activities organizations.
The plan is for these actions to be in place for all regular-season house contests, although there could possibly be adjustments in accordance with the theme for a selected recreation. As effectively, there could also be post-game actions for the 2 afternoon video games in March, McDermott says.
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How do I get Black Bears tickets and what’s the value level?
Tickets can be purchased online.
Single recreation tickets:
- $34 for the Occasion Zone
- $38 for 100- and 200-level seats on the ends of the taking part in floor
- $48 for 100- and 200-level seats alongside the sidelines of the taking part in floor
- $92 for Membership Bell, the place pub meals buffet and non-alcoholic drinks are included with every ticket.
- Further Ticketmaster price ($4.10) applies to every ticket order.
Season tickets:
- $299-$799 primarily based on location in area and companies supplied, taxes and costs included.
What’s the 2024-2025 Black Bears house recreation schedule? Are there theme nights?
Friday, Jan. 17 vs. Vancouver Warriors, 7 p.m. (Lacrosse for All)
Friday, Jan. 31 vs. Calgary Roughnecks, 7 p.m. (Each Baby Issues)
- This shall be a “reverse BOGO” recreation. For each ticket bought, one shall be donated to an Indigenous youth from a reserve within the area. The NLL crew has additionally partnered with Kaniehtiio Horn, an actress/producer/director from the Kahnawake reserve close to Montreal, for a session wherein Horn and neighborhood leaders will emphasize Indigenous historical past and tradition and, in accordance with Black Bears vice-president of enterprise operations Chelsea McDermott, “what we are able to do to help Indigenous tradition transferring ahead.”
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Friday, Feb. 21 vs. Halifax Thunderbirds, 7:30 p.m. (Marvel Superhero Evening)
Friday, Feb. 28 vs. Georgia Swarm, 7 p.m. (Vacation spot: Canada)
Saturday, March 15 vs. Rochester Knighthawks, 3 p.m. (St. Patty’s Occasion)
Sunday, March 23 vs. Colorado Mammoth, 3 p.m. (Minor Lacrosse Day)
Saturday, April 12 vs. Las Vegas Desert Canine, 7 p.m. (Fan Appreciation Evening)
Wager you didn’t know that…
Ottawa’s Jay Thorimbert is the NLL’s all-time chief in faceoffs gained, and by a giant margin. The 38-year-old defender from Whitby, Ont., whose profession started with a Boston franchise in 2009, is credited with greater than 3,200 faceoff wins, almost 800 greater than the next-best whole for retired NLL nice Geoff Snider.
Who’s the star participant?
Jeff Teat is certainly the highest gun. The 27-year-old left-shooting ahead from Brampton, Ont., led the RipTide final season with 131 factors, together with 58 objectives. That ranked third within the league, 4 factors off the main whole, and Teat completed third in voting for the NLL’s MVP award, which was introduced to Calgary Roughnecks goaltender Christian Del Bianco.
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Teat’s additionally coming off a summer-season MVP marketing campaign with the Premier Lacrosse League’s New York Atlas, that includes league-best totals of objectives (28), assists (36) and factors (64) in 10 regular-season video games.
Earlier than turning into an expert, he performed at Cornell College, main the Massive Pink in assists and factors in all 4 seasons between 2017 and 2020.
His father, Dan Teat, performed within the NLL between 1997 and 2010, together with stints with Rochester, Albany, San Jose, Buffalo, Edmonton and Philadelphia.
What can I get to eat at a Black Bears recreation?
Legacy Bar & Social & Bert’s Bar are open on the Canadian Tire Centre for Ottawa Black Bears video games, and there are additionally common in-arena concession retailers. In the event you’ve ever been to an Ottawa Senators NHL recreation, you’ll know what to anticipate.
How can I watch video games from house?
4 Black Bears video games shall be telecast on TSN: Dec. 13, Dec. 28 and Jan. 17. All beginning at 7 p.m.; Feb. 28 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Each different recreation is offered for Canadian followers to observe on-line on TSN+.
As effectively, the Nationwide Lacrosse League affords a web based streaming service known as NLL+. All video games shall be out there for viewing right here apart from these proven on TSN cable channels.
The league says NLL+ shall be free for subscribers for the 2024-25 season.
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