Atlético Ottawa, the Canadian Premier League’s first expansion team, will finally see their first home game at TD Place Stadium on Saturday, August 14, after playing the first 15 matches in club history in the bubble environments of the Island Games in PEI and the Kickoff in Winnipeg.
To celebrate the club’s highly-anticipated debut in the nation’s capital, which comes 535 days after the team was first announced, Atlético Ottawa decided to give back to the community with a unique ticket structure for the home opener against HFX Wanderers FC — likely the first live outdoor sporting event fans will be able to attend in Ottawa since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The club will be allowed to host as many as 15,000 fans at TD Place, and for this first match tickets will be available on a “Pay What You Want” basis — including up to four free tickets. Starting from $0, the ticket prices are available in $5-increments, the maximum being $50 per ticket. Atlético Ottawa indicated that the reasoning behind this initial offer was to help mitigate some of the hurdles that members of their community may have faced during the pandemic and allow anybody who wishes to come support the club in its return home.
Proceeds from ticket sales for the home opener will be donated to the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa, so fans who choose to pay more for their entry will support an organization dedicated to supporting at-risk youth in the area.
“The pandemic has affected all of us,” said club president Jeff Hunt in a statement. “Many of our neighbours, friends, and colleagues have had a tough year, but there is light ahead!”
Ottawa mayor Jim Watson added: “Not only am I excited about the official return of professional soccer to the nation’s capital, I am proud of Atlético Ottawa’s generous initiative that will allow all fans to enjoy a thrilling live event at TD Place on August 14 all while supporting the great work of the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa. This first home game at Lansdowne Park will be a great opportunity to connect with neighbours and friends in a safe environment, without having to worry about breaking the bank.”
Just Announced! The Pay What You Want Home Opener at TD Place!
? ⚪ ?#ForOttawa #PourOttawa #AtléticoOttawa #CanPL #PWYW
Learn more: https://t.co/2u9BDxLcmm pic.twitter.com/wssFfHy3oz
— Atlético Ottawa (@atletiOttawa) July 26, 2021
Having completed their first eight matches of the 2021 CPL campaign in Winnipeg, Atlético Ottawa (along with the seven other CPL clubs) have returned home in preparation for their final 20 games of the regular season, to be played in home markets. Ottawa’s first post-bubble match will be a visit to Nova Scotia, where they’ll take on HFX Wanderers FC on Monday, August 2 (2 pm ET, live on OneSoccer).
After one more road game, Atlético Ottawa will finally be at TD Place on Saturday, August 14 to take on the Wanderers at 3 pm ET. Tickets for that match, as well as all other home games this season, are available here or at atleticoottawa.canpl.ca.