Leafs Taking over Sens Scotiabank Place

by SensSational19 on Feb 7, 2012 3:14 PM EST

As an American, Living in Philadelphia PA (home of the Flyers), and a huge Sens fan since meeting Alexei Yashin circa 93 while working briefly in Canada (putting together parts of our US based bank MBNA) I always found it very odd that a proud franchise such as Ottawa would allow Leaf nation to out number Sens fans at their own rink? why? I think Adnan is spot on- with his recent post..

I cant pretend to haven the faintest of clues as the hockey culture in Toronto/Ottawa- Philly is a huge,HUGE hockey (Flyers) town, $175 first level seats (sold out every night) AND I HATE THE FLYERS,, but youll never see Devils, Caps, Rangers, Boston or Pens/Crosby fans take over that building.. OK, OK,, its the USA- hockey is not nearly as big in those towns as it is in Canada-

Baseball is the US sport right? Philadelphia Phillies would be the equivalent to how Philly fans view Baseball like Ottawa fans view hockey,, the NY Yankees are easily the Toronto Maple Leafs of the US, and roughly the same distance NY to Philly as Toronto to Ottawa- There is no way in HELL, Phillie fans ever let Yankee fans take over thier park, its an unwritten rule, you dont sell or give your tix to a broker for these games, you dont personally sell or give your tix to yankees fans, yeah there's a few that make it to every game,,,,,,,, but nothing like what I saw Saturday night watching/hearing LETS GO LEAFS at a Sens Home game.. This is crazy!!!

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Big thing to understand

For thousands of leaf fans and extended family, it is cheaper to drive six hours or , buy 100 level tickets and parking, and even stay a night, then it is to go to Toronto. Corporate Seats also limit the availability of good seats in Toronto. Ottawa is not alone, Buffalo-Toronto games are regularly worse then what happened on Saturday. Hell Buffalo plays so many Friday night games because they want to attract Toronto area fans to come.

Is it annoying as hell, yes, were the Tampa Bay Devil Rays situated right between Hockey’s equivalent of Boston and the Yankees. Were only just entering the first true generation of fans who grew up Sens fans, not converts. Also keep in mind, the Maple Leafs are a fanbase that hasn’t seen a cup final in over 40 years and grasp any level of success since the league went beyond 6 teams, they are ludicrously proud of their franchises achievements despite millions of fans not even being alive nor sperm when it occurred.

It should be noted Vancouver fans do the same thing in Toronto when they play there once a year but its downplayed by Toronto media.

by Sensfan90 on Feb 7, 2012 3:48 PM EST reply actions

info from my extended family*

by Sensfan90 on Feb 7, 2012 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

Good Point

Ottawa still needs to pull the Under Armour Commercial attitude and “Protect this House”
Even 20/80 Leafs fans is acceptable
Saturday seemed like 60/40 Leafs
I couldnt tell wat the ratio was from TV, but man they were loud.. and typically when they start that LETS GO LEAFS chant the Ottawa crowd gets reved up an drowns them out… but not Saturday

by SensSational19 on Feb 7, 2012 4:19 PM EST up reply actions

The same thing happened in Hartford, with Bruins and Rangers fans

by Mike Hurley on Feb 7, 2012 4:36 PM EST reply actions

Difference between Ottawa and Philly (one of many)

is that Philly’s pro baseball team is well-established. No one living today can plausibly say, “Well, I’m a Yankee fan because when I was growing up in Philadelphia we didn’t have a baseball team of our own.”

by dzuunmod on Feb 7, 2012 5:01 PM EST reply actions

Enough excuses

Although I will provide one more…

There are actually a fair amount of Leafs and Habs fans that have season tickets and they generally support the Sens during the year except when the Leafs are in town.

Even more purchase the mini packs to get a hold of some Leaf game tix. In fact, the Laff and Habs fans do a tremendous amount to help pump up our attendance numbers.

Now I will rant about how much I hate the Laff fans invading our house on the main page.

by OD99 on Feb 7, 2012 5:08 PM EST reply actions

I think the problem gets overblown a little by a game like saturday's

The Leafs took the Sens part of the crowd right out of the game early on. and their fans fed off of it. Those first two goals go past Reimer? Completely different story. The fanbase is getting better by the year, but still need something on the ice to rev them up.

Scholar, Gentleman, Shameless Sens Homer with a Heart of Gold.

by Johnny_Spectacular on Feb 10, 2012 3:08 AM EST reply actions

Tis true.

Beat the Leafs, and beat them early, and the Leafs fans in the crowd suddenly morph into ACC Leafs fans – sullen, quiet and bitter.

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 10, 2012 3:20 AM EST up reply actions

I think that pricing has an impact too. If you are a casual Sens fan, or even a rabid one who can only afford to go to a few games a year, you may deliberately choose not to attend a game against the Leafs or Habs because those games have premium pricing. So those games are left to those who really want to go to them. A Leafs-Sens game is a bigger deal for a Leafs fan living in Ottawa than a Sens fan living in Ottawa, who can see his/her team playing in lots of other games.

by OttawaWendy on Feb 11, 2012 12:28 AM EST reply actions

Canadiens fans

Went to a game last year against the habs. I’d say it was easily 70-30, probably the same for leafs games. Fact is these teams have built fan bases over almost 100 years, not to mention being bigger hockey markets. Who knows, maybe in 20 years we’ll have a larger fan base too, one that can out buy those other teams fans tickets and take back “our house”. But until then we all just need to be a little more obnoxious and loud (not enough to get thrown out or hit with a beer can) when they come to our games.

by SENS SENSability on Feb 11, 2012 12:14 PM EST reply actions