Ottawa returns to National Lacrosse League as the Black Bears

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A bit more than 20 years ago, professional lacrosse came into the nation’s capital with a bang and, after three unsuccessful seasons, the Ottawa Rebel was gone with a thud.

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Pro lacrosse in Ottawa died quickly.

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This time, they insist, it will be different.

The National Lacrosse League, in partnership with GF Sports and Entertainment and Senators Sports and Entertainment, announced Wednesday the New York Riptide will relocate to Ottawa and will be renamed the Black Bears. The team will begin play for the 2024-25 NLL season.

The Black Bears will become the 15-team NLL’s sixth Canadian franchise, joining the Calgary Roughnecks, Halifax Thunderbirds, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock and Vancouver Warriors.

GF Sports and Entertainment will maintain ownership and operation of the franchise, which will play all nine regular-season home games at Canadian Tire Centre.

“It’s a very different time for our league,” said Erik Baker of GF Sports and Entertainment. “Ontario’s kind of the home of the indoor game and I think we’re in a fantastic place to succeed. If you look at our league, there are plenty of examples where you have partnerships with NHL and NBA teams and they’re quite successful.”

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“If you look at the evolution, the maturity of the NLL, there’s been strong growth and they’ve got strong broadcast partnerships across North America,” said Erin Crowe, COO and CFO of Senators Sports and Entertainment. “It’s a really good fit for us. And it really brings a new dimension to the Ottawa sports landscape when you look at lacrosse versus the other sports we have.”

The Buffalo Bandits regularly draw more than 16,000 fans per game. Expectations for Ottawa would be to fill most of the lower bowl and, at least initially, draw around 8,000 fans.

Riptide goalie Will Johnston, who grew up in Barrhaven, was caught off guard, but excited when he found out he could be playing games in his home town.

“I was pretty overwhelmed (when I found out the team was moving),” said Johnston, who was selected by the Riptide in the third round of the 2021 NLL Draft. “I wouldn’t have dreamed in a million years I’d have an opportunity to play professional lacrosse in Ottawa. When I got drafted, that alone was a dream come true. But I wouldn’t have thought, even if Ottawa got a team, I’ad have the opportunity to play here.”

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Johnston, whose parents (Blair and Sue) live here, played minor lacrosse in Nepean.

“Lacrosse wasn’t terribly huge here when I started playing,” he said. “But the game has made tremendous strides in the city. You see that with the products playing in NCAA and professionally.”

Building the game and developing community relationships in the city is a key part of the team and league strategy. The NLL has an extensive grassroots campaign, NLL UnBOXed, in which elementary and middle-school kids are introduced to lacrosse in gym class. 

What can fans expect from the game-day experience?

In a nutshell, the game is played at a face pace, with plenty of intensity and physicality. Add in plenty of skill. Then there’s the fan-friendly in-game entertainment that keeps the party-like atmosphere alive.

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“We chose Ottawa for many reasons, including the strength of the Senators Sports and Entertainment brand, the demand and rapid growth of box lacrosse in the region and the fantastic arena,” said Baker. “Today, we look to the future as the Ottawa Black Bears, a name that reflects not only the attributes of the region, but also the values of this community and our franchise. We will be a community-dedicated team that will be relentless, proud, passionate and gritty. Ottawa fans will be proud to wear the Black Bears logo.”

There’s optimism for a game and a league that’s changed a lot since the Rebel flopped. There’s also a want to get a foothold in the Gatineau market, attract the interest of francophones as well. 

“Ottawa is an incredible market, with an established fan base, and a major-league arena,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “It’s a region where sports is ingrained in the culture. Ontario is really the hotbed of box lacrosse.”

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“From a consumer perspective, we’re going to have a lot of the lacrosse community here supporting us from the get go,” said Johnston. “Because of the entertainment aspect of the game, we’ll bring in a lot of new fans. I think we’ll have a lot of eyes on us early.”

The team will continue to operate as the Riptide through the conclusion of this season. So far, the team has five wins and five losses.

There’s also an advantage in that it’s not an expansion team starting with nothing; it’s an established team that already has some very good players on board. The Black Bears, whose inaugural regular-season home game is expected to happen in December, will inherit roster that’s headlined by league scoring leader and 2020 NLL first-overall pick Jeff Teat.

The team is coached by Dan Ladouceur, a five-time NLL champion.

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