Financially speaking the 92nd Grey Cup was a huge success pulling in an estimated $9 million in revenue, according to team president Brad Watters, but local fans didn’t get much bang for their buck.
The event was the single largest attended sporting event in Ottawa’s history, bringing in fans from across the nation to watch Canada’s rendition of the fall classic.
Each CFL team sent at least a small contingent of supporters and executives into town for the game, and someone, whether it is local businesses or hotels, or game organizers benefited from all those extra people.
Watters also stated the game marked a rejuvenation of football in Ottawa and that it will be a catalyst for the team’s future success.
The whole ordeal should have been a grand experience for every Ottawa fan young and old.
Local media and team officials dedicated pages and pages to the entertainment value the fans got.
But for all the good the game did for the team and the city what did the game offer to local fans?
An estimated 30,000-35,000 Ottawa residents packed Frank Clair Stadium, some on those rickety bleachers.
These numbers were undoubtedly boosted by the Renegades’ promotion of a Grey Cup ticket with purchase of tickets to the team’s final two home games of the season.
These same fans experienced an exciting two-way football game where the refreshments ran out.
Call it excessive demand if you want, I’d call it a lack of planning.
At least the beer shortage meant there were less people in the ungodly long lines for the washrooms. Yes, that does include both the men’s and women’s.
They were also treated to a half-time extravaganza featuring The Tragically Hip.
It would have been a far better performance had the stadium’s sound system not shorted out leaving a large number of fans unable to hear the show.
And to cap off the perfect evening for Ottawa fans, they got to see the Toronto Argonauts hoist the Grey Cup.
All this for the bargain basement price of $169. That is, of course, if you acted early and got the cheap seats.
Recently, Watters has even gone so far as to suggest the team bid on the game in 2012, which would mark the 100th Grey Cup and 2017, Canada’s 150th birthday.
But, of course, to do this, he wants a new stadium built with funding from the municipal, provincial and federal governments.
Can one game marred with technical difficulties and poor planning justify an expensive new permanent home for a team whose best season thus far was 7-11?
Maybe what the fans lost in the supposed party of the year this time will be repaid through how much the team benefited from the game itself over time.
But for now it appears that they’ve gotten the short-end of the stick