After the Ottawa Charge drew 17,114 fans to the Canadian Tire Center this weekend, it's clear a bigger, not smaller venue is in the team's future. It could also mean the Charge will be moving to CTC sooner rather than later.
The PWHL and Ottawa Charge fought to stay in Downtown Ottawa at TD Place Arena.
The Ontario Sports and Entertainment Group and City of Ottawa however, asserted that the team didn't need a venue the size of TD Place Arena, and at times they questioned whether the interest in women's sport and women's hockey would be maintained.
OSEG and the City of Ottawa claimed that a 5,500 seat arena would be suitable for the Charge moving forward.
They were wrong.
Through nine games at TD Place Arena this season the Charge have averaged 7,225 fans.
On Saturday, the Charge auditioned at what will likely serve as their future home, whether it's temporary or permanent, at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.
The result was a record-high home attendance for the Charge who drew 17,114 to see the Charge take on the Montreal Victoire. Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie voiced the importance of the moment.
“It's a dream come true. It's something I don't take lightly," said Leslie following the game. "I feel honoured to be in this position to play for my hometown team, to play in front of 17,000 fans — and young girls who are aspiring to be PWHL players. It means a lot. I feel like I must pinch myself at moments to realize where I'm at and just how special it is. I don't take it for granted.”
The PWHL has unequivocally stated they will not play at Lansdowne 2.0. They believe it diminishes the efforts of women in sport to accept subpar facilities and treatment from a group and facility designed solely to support men.
"We've certainly been clear with OSEG and the City that we will not go backward, we will not play in a 5,500 seat building," said PWHL executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer in November. "These women have worked too hard to get to the point today where a 5,500 seat building is well below what we average in Ottawa."
"We will not play at Lansdowne 2.0, that's the one option not on the table, but every other option is on the table."
At times, those options included a fear the Charge may need to relocate outside Ottawa permanently. That relocation may come, but only to nearby Kanata, home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators. The Senators currently call the the roughly 18,000 seat venue home, but also have plans to move to a newly constructed venue in the heart of Ottawa in the future, likely related to the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats. The PWHL and Ottawa Charge may eventually follow the Senators to LeBreton, or if things work out at Canadian Tire Centre, the Charge could eventually become only the second team in the PWHL, alongside the Vancouver Goldeneyes at the Pacific Coliseum, with their own primary venue.
How Soon Could The Charge Move?
Nobody foresees the Ottawa Charge staying at TD Place Arena for long. Should the Charge make the 2026 PWHL playoffs, there is belief the team could move to the Canadian Tire Centre for this postseason.
The team could also be looking to move to Canadian Tire Centre full time as early as next season. The relationship and treatment received from OSEG and the City of Ottawa has soured to a point where it's believed the team and league are looking to separate themselves as soon as possible.
Even if OSEG and the City of Ottawa had been willing to support professional women's hockey in the city, the Charge would have still needed to move to the Canadian Tire Centre temporarily while construction took place. Now it looks as though that move could come sooner, and become more permanent.