It breaks my heart to write this article, it truly does. I have fond memories of going to Ottawa 67’s games as a kid; entering the old Civic Centre and being awed by the OHL exploits of Corey Locke, Danny Battochio, and later, Tyler Toffoli. The barn would always be electric (probably due to the large number of kids the games usually drew), and the single greatest atmosphere I’ve ever personally seen at a non-Olympic game was the team’s ‘School Day’ game against the Peterborough Petes a few years back.
That being said, the Ottawa 67’s are in a horrible spot right now. The club’s attendance and performances dipped drastically in 2012-13 as they were forced out of their old, leaking home while it underwent renovation. The 2012-13 rendition of the club was the worst since 1985-86, racking up a grand total of 38 points en route to finishing dead-last in the OHL. The 2013-14 team, again marooned at the distant Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, scrapped and clawed their way to 52 points – and still finished last in the OHL’s Eastern Conference.
The Decline of the Ottawa 67’s
I’m not here to harp on poor performances. Former head coach Chris Byrne is long-gone, and new head coach Jeff Brown has breathed new life into what was a stagnant core. Currently 9-8-1, the 67’s sit 6th in the Eastern Conference and look as though playoff aspirations might be more than a pipe dream this season. On-ice, all seems to be (somewhat) back to normal for the club.
Off-ice, it’s another story. The 67’s drew under 5000 for their home opener back on October 10th, and drew a paltry 1723 – that’s right, under 2000 people at a 67’s game on Bank Street – the very next home game. On October 17th, the team’s longest-serving head coach, Brian Kilrea, returned to the bench as part of the team’s celebration of his 80th birthday. Kilrea, arguably the most lauded head coach in the history of major junior, was warmly received – by a crowd of just over 2300 fans.
So far in 2014-15, the 67’s are averaging just 2615 fans per game, good for 5th-last in the OHL. That number – which shows little sign of improving unless something drastic is done – would be the club’s worst attendance figure since 1997-98.
Thus, what has happened to the junior team that used to be so fun and popular in Canada’s capital? One could make the argument that the NHL team’s resurgence in 2014-15 has hurt the OHL team at the gate, but that didn’t seem to affect the 67’s attendance-wise in 2006-07. The NHL’s Senators drove all the way to the Stanley Cup Final that year, yet the 67’s still drew over 8000 a night – so that can’t be the issue.
I believe the attendance issue to be two-fold.
In relocating to Kanata for two seasons, the 67’s did lose some of their fans – that much was made especially clear in 2013-14, when the team’s attendance at the CTC fell by over 1300 from the previous season.
Secondly, ticket prices are just too damn high. In 2006-07, the 67’s average ticket price was roughly $13. That same season, the average ticket at a Senators game cost $53. Fast forward to 2014-15, and the 67’s average gameday ticket price has doubled to an outrageous $26, while the Sens’ average ticket price is $51 according to Statista.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the main reason why the 67’s have lost – by HockeyDB’s count – over five thousand fans in the past eight seasons.
It was painful to see some of the panoramic shots of Kilrea’s special night: the unpopulated corners, cordoned-off upper deck, and general emptiness to the arena were all dampers on what should have been a glowing night for the organization.
In contrast to other OHL teams, the 67’s ticket prices even seem steep; the cheapest gameday ticket in the nation’s capital comes in at $22, while the OHL’s most successful and consistent team – the London Knights – have tickets starting at $19.75.
When nosebleeds at a non-premium NHL game ($15-21) are significantly cheaper than good seats at an OHL game ($29), it stands to reason that people will stay away due to the price.
It’s sad to see the state of the team that I grew up with. I always preferred the environment of 67’s games (fanatical shirtless ten year olds included) to the lack of one at Senators games, but the lack of parking, steep ticket prices, and lack of a Championship-calibre team (always key in the Ottawa sports market) have made me, like many others, stay away this season.
There are certain ‘renovations’ that make the average fan scratch their head: the replacement of the large, central scoreboard with a sparkling HD video board – that one side of the rink can’t see – for one. Two, the fact that the ‘renovations’ resulted in the team losing its ability to use the arena’s luxury suites and press box.
In the short term, certain things need to be done to salvage what’s left of the team’s reputation. For starters, the entire ticketing scheme needs to be reworked. The fact that a kid‘s ticket costs more ($17 on gameday) than an adult ticket did seven years ago is very far from a formula for success – especially for a team that’s looking to re-ingratiate itself with a metropolitan sports market.
Seeing the Civic Centre (ahem, TD Place Arena) three-quarters empty is painful. I was there as a little kid when the 67’s won the Memorial Cup, and I remember what an exciting place it was up until three or four years ago. There is nothing I want more in Ottawa sports – not a CIS football championship for my own Carleton Ravens, not a Sens ‘cup victory, not an affiliated baseball team – than to see the 67’s return to the height of their popularity.
Once upon a time, going to a 67’s game was an experience. The electric atmosphere, the yearly playoff drives, and do-or-die brand of hockey on the ice was a welcome refresher from the oft-dull, 82-game grind of the NHL.
But right now, the Ottawa 67’s franchise is at its lowest point in quite some time – maybe ever – and needs something, anything to boost attendance and make it relevant in the Ottawa sports market
* – All attendance figures taken from hockeydb.com, Statista, and the Ontario Hockey League.
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