Ottawa's Red Scarf Union, one of the most active and engaged fan groups in the PWHL, has released a statement denouncing plans for a new arena that will reduce capacity, remove accessibility, and that has been made without women's sports in mind.
Ottawa's Red Scarf Union is one of the most active in-person and online fan groups in the PWHL, and the group has weighed in on the proposed Lansdowne 2.0 plans that will see capacity for future Ottawa Charge games slashed at a new arena.
The organization released a comprehensive statement online this week looking at the plan calling it "a step backward for women's hockey."
Red Scarf Union (RSU) discussed several larger topics in their open letter and call to action including the capacity and design of the arena; public funding, cost, and transparency; fan experience, accessibility, and inclusion; consultation and leadership accountability; and long-term growth and legacy.
This week PWHL representatives spoke publicly, stating that the plan was "not viable" and was a "huge step back" for the team and league, which inevitably could put the future of professional women's hockey in Ottawa in jeopardy.
RSU echoed these sentiments and others made by the PWHL. This included the reduction of capacity for the new arena, which is set to drop by roughly 3,000 fans, from more than 8,000 to only 5,500 seated fans at the proposed new arena. While the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) assert the capacity for the new arena will be 6,600, that number includes 1,100 fans in standing room and other non-seated areas. It's a concern for the PWHL and RSU who don't see the model working for many fans.
"The design’s reliance on standing-room capacity is a direct threat to the inclusive, inter-generational fan culture that has fueled the Charge’s success," RSU wrote in their statement.
"Women’s hockey is a model for community-based growth: families, kids, seniors, and new fans alike — all deserving of a comfortable, accessible experience. Building a venue where a significant portion of attendees must stand for long stretches is incompatible with that mission. Accessibility is not negotiable. Ottawa has the opportunity to create a world-class, welcoming venue — not one that alienates the very community that filled TD Place to capacity."
The lack of accessibility in the new venue, combined with the reduced overall capacity that will leave thousands of fans outside the rink are significant threats to the long-term survival and growth of the professional women's game according to stakeholders.
According to the PWHL, they feel unheard by the City of Ottawa and OSEG, and in a recent radio interview, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe evaded a question asking about his consultation with the Ottawa Charge, instead stating OSEG had been in contact with all users of the facility. OSEG, however, owns two of those organizations: the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks and the OHL's Ottawa 67s, for whom the plans were made, as they were created before the Charge started using TD Place Arena in 2023.
RSU and the PWHL believe professional women's hockey is not only here to stay, but also that it's set to thrive and grow in the coming seasons.
"Women’s hockey is not a novelty — it’s a movement," RSU wrote. "Ottawa has proven to be one of the PWHL’s strongest markets, and the Charge have become a pillar of local pride. The proposed arena should reflect that success, not diminish it. Undersized facilities limit future attendance, corporate partnership growth, and the ability to host marquee events. Ottawa deserves an arena that matches its ambition and honours its momentum. In 2023, when Lansdowne 2.0 was first conceived, few could have predicted the surge of popularity in professional women’s hockey. But 2025 is not 2023."
RSU went on to say the plans ignore the momentum that women's hockey and the PWHL have built.
RSU's full statement and call to action can be viewed HERE.