The Ottawa Outlaws, the newest addition to the American Ultimate Disc League, prepare to leave for their first-season opening games against the News York Empire and the DC Breeze. Dave Scharf, Centretown News
Fans of Ultimate Frisbee and the Ottawa Outlaws will now be able to watch the team play from the comfort of their own home.
Rogers TV and the Ottawa Outlaws announced on March 31 that Rogers will be broadcasting all seven of the team’s home games live, for the 2016 American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) season.
The Outlaws, in their second season, are the newest team to the East Division of the AUDL.
According to the announcement, “this agreement is the first of its kind in professional Ultimate.”
“The Rogers deal is a huge opportunity to grow our fan base,” assistant coach Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood says. “We expect it will introduce a lot of people in the area to Ultimate for the first time, and hopefully they like what they see! It’s also possible that the profile offered by the TV deal will attract more out-of-town talent for next season.”
Mertins-Kirkwood is also the head coach for Carleton University’s ultimate frisbee team. The Outlaws will be moving from Carleton University’s MNP Park to TD Place for their home games, which Mertins-Kirkwood says is another sign of the sport growing in the city.
“As players and coaches we do this for the love of the sport, and we’d keep training and playing just as hard without the publicity,” Mertins-Kirkwood says. “But for those of us who have been around for so long, getting this level of public attention is really exciting. Ultimate is an incredible sport for so many reasons, and it’s really gratifying to see it growing as fast as it is.”
Ottawa Outlaw player and Centretown resident Karl Loiseau says the team is excited for the Rogers deal. He’s seen first-hand the impact live broadcast can make.
Loiseau describes a game that was broadcast in Montreal last season, that he says garnered attention from some unlikely people. “The number of acquaintances, many of which knew nothing about ultimate Frisbee, who messaged me saying they happened to see that game and thought it was pretty cool was astounding,” he says. “I think having our games broadcast live in Ottawa could have a similar effect. A number of people who have never heard of Ultimate will have a chance to be exposed to the sport.”
“I think it also adds some legitimacy to the sport. Ultimate has long been a niche sport,” says Loiseau. “Seeing it on TV at the professional level could give young players something to strive for and hopefully will entice more young people to give it a shot.”
Ultimate frisbee fan and player Colin Fernandes thinks when people are exposed to the sport, they will be pleasantly surprised at the athleticism and beauty of the game. “It was very eye opening how difficult and technical the game was until I played competitively,” Fernandes says. “Hopefully the live broadcast will help show off the potential ultimate has as a spectator sport.” Fernandes already has his home opener tickets and is looking forward to watching the talent displayed at TD Place. “Playing with some guys who brought their game to that level is inspiring to how hard I train and what I want out of the sport.”
The potential of the sport has changed drastically in the last few years, explains teammate Matthew Hogel. While he was in high school, the rugby program couldn’t field a team because of a teacher work action so he gravitated to ultimate frisbee to stay active and spend time with friends. That was 17 years ago. After playing at Queen’s University, Dalhousie University and for a number of competitive teams in between, he moved to Centretown and was blown away by the response of the city during the professional team’s first year.
“I never imagined I’d be playing ultimate professionally, even five years ago,” Hogel says. “I think it will mean a lot for kids to see us playing on television. I remember when I was younger how I idolized the players I saw on TV and who played in big stadiums, whether they in the NHL, playing triple-A baseball, or junior hockey. Being able to see the players you witness in person on TV, and being able to find the athletes you see on TV at the stadium will build up their appreciation for us as role models.”
The Ottawa Outlaws said in the March 31 announcement that they are very appreciative of Rogers TV for their continuing commitment to ultimate frisbee and to local sports.
“Everyone – the players, the front office staff, and the owners – are taking this endeavor seriously and it’s rewarding to see it explode so quickly,” says Hogel. “We work hard, we’re playing a game we love, we try to be very approachable, and we appreciate everything the fans give us.”