Ottawa Black Bears: Everything you need to know about Ottawa’s new men’s lacrosse team

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Who are the Ottawa Black Bears?

Ottawa’s professional lacrosse team, the national capital’s new franchise in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

Their first contest was a rousing success, producing an 11-5 victory against the Toronto Rock before a crowd of nearly 7,000 spectators at the Canadian Tire Centre.

How are the Black Bears doing this season? Did they win their last game?

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No. Josh Byrne had two goals and eight assists as the Buffalo Bandits, last season’s NLL champions, blasted the Black Bears 18-7 on Dec. 13. Jeff Teat topped Ottawa offensively with five points, including three goals.

Before that, in the season opener, Jacob Dunbar had three goals and three assists in Ottawa’s 11-5 victory against the Toronto Rock on Nov. 29.

Their schedule includes three away games (Dec. 28 at Toronto, Jan. 4 at San Diego, Jan. 10 at Georgia) before the next home contest against the Vancouver Warriors on Jan 17, 2025.

Will the Black Bears make playoffs?

It’s too early in the season to say, with the Black Bears having a 1-1 record after that season-opening win against the Toronto Rock and their 18-7 loss against the Buffalo Bandits.

Last season, the RipTide finished 8-10 and in a five-way tie for eighth place in the standings, but New York and three other clubs lost out to the Rochester Knighthawks for the final postseason berth on a tiebreaker.

How did the Black Bears land in Ottawa? Are they related to the Senators?

The Black Bears used to be the New York RipTide, but on Feb. 21, 2024, it was announced the NLL club would relocate to Canada’s capital for the 2024-25 season.

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The franchise owners are GF Sports and Entertainment and Senators Sports & Entertainment, the same group that owns the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators.

All home games this season will be played at the Canadian Tire Centre.

“I know when GF was looking for a new home Ottawa was actually at the forefront,” says Chelsea McDermott, the Black Bears’ vice-president of business operations.

“I think with the Rebel, albeit a team that did fold (in 2003), there’s definitely a market for lacrosse here in Ottawa. When we launched our search for Junior Black Bears, which was teams of kids that were U13, U15 and U17, we had an absolutely overwhelming response. Lacrosse is in this market and we are excited to be part of it, to say the least.

Is this Ottawa’s first professional lacrosse franchise? 

No. The Ottawa Rebel was unveiled on Oct. 16, 2020, following the purchase of the former Syracuse Smash franchise.

The Rebel’s first NLL game at the Corel Centre (now Canadian Tire Centre) was a 16-7 loss against the Toronto Rock before a crowd of 12,193.

Victories were hard to come by for the Rebel, with just nine overall and never more than four in a season, compared to 37 losses.

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After two seasons in the home of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators, the Rebel shifted to the Civic Centre (now TD Place Arena) for its final season. On July 30, 2003, the NLL announced a one-year suspension of the Rebel franchise and a redistribution of its players to the other 11 clubs.

The Rebel never resurfaced, though, with the franchise moving to Edmonton to become the Rush and then moving again to Saskatoon in 2015.

Post-Rebel, on Dec. 5, 2015, the Lansdowne LAX Showdown brought an NLL exhibition matchup between the Toronto Rock and the Saskatchewan Rush to Ottawa’s TD Place Arena. Toronto won 14-8, led by Brett Hickey’s five goals.

What’s with the logo and the jersey?

Featured colours are deep red, gold and black. The Black Bears’ logo sits on the front of the jersey, and there are bear claw logos on both shoulders. According to the team, the motif wrapping around both sleeves and the waist of the jersey features a chain of figures holding hands.

Black Bears forward Larson Sundown, it adds, suggested incorporating that design along the arms and waist.

“I thought it was really important, given the area we’re moving into, to highlight the Indigenous communities in the surrounding areas, such as the Akwesasne, the Kanesatake, the Kahnawake and the Tyendinaga, but also make sure that we highlight the rich lacrosse community and rich history that is in Ottawa and eastern Ontario,” Sundown, a member of the Tonawanda Seneca people from Basom, N.Y., said on the team website.

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Tell me more about the National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League has 13 other clubs:

All teams play 18-game regular-season schedules, with the top eight in the standings then qualifying for single-elimination playoff quarterfinal contests. The semifinal and final rounds will be best-of-three series, leading to the crowning of the NLL Cup champions.

Incorporated under the name Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse on March 13, 1986, with Chris Fritz as president and Russ Cline as executive vice-president, the NLL initially had four teams: Washington Wave; Baltimore Thunder; Philadelphia Wings; and New Jersey Saints.

The Saints won the inaugural regular-season contest 11-8 over the Wings before a crowd of 5,976 at New Jersey’s Meadowlands Arena.

Is there a women’s lacrosse league?

Soon. The Women’s Lacrosse League was announced in November, with four U.S.-based teams and the first match expected in February 2025. Four franchises so far include the Boston Guard, California Palms, Maryland Charm and New York Charging.

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What’s the vibe fans can expect at a home game?

It’s a jam. Expect non-stop music and a lot of fast-paced action, says Chelsea McDermott, the team’s vice-president of business operations.

“Unlike hockey, where the music stops during play, lacrosse is more similar to the NBA, where there’s constantly entertainment and action and music. I feel like lacrosse, because of how fast it is, is almost like the equivalent of scrolling on Instagram. There’s something new happening every 15 to 20 seconds. We have a 30-second shot clock, which forces the game to keep moving, change possessions and run the other way.

“It is a fast-paced game, so, whether you are there for the atmosphere and lively entertainment, or you’re there for the sport, or you’re there just as a parent looking to take your kid out for the night, there’s something for you there.”

Are there for activities for kids at the arena?

Well, first, there’s a mascot. His name is Cubby.

There are also pre-game activities primarily geared toward young lacrosse players, but available to any child who wants to participate:

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• Turf Time on the NLL playing surface before the opening faceoff
• Bench Warmers: Sit on the bench (while wearing helmets) during pre-game warmup for the two teams
• Anthem Buddies: stand beside an NLL player as national anthems are performed
• Be a Ball Kid: stand at the centre line during warmup and gather up lacrosse balls as they fly and bounce around the turf
• High Five Tunnel: Greet the NLL greet players as they head onto the turf before the game
• Cheer Team performances

The key is that arrangements must be made with the team in advance. Here’s how: Send an email to tickets@ottawablackbears.com or visit the team website: https://ottawablackbears.com/grouptickets/

Chelsea McDermott, the vice-president of business operations, says the Black Bears are targeting groups such school or community sports organizations.

The plan is for those activities to be in place for all regular-season home contests, though there could be changes according to the theme for a particular game. As well, there may be post-game activities for the two afternoon games in March, McDermott says.

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How do I get Black Bears tickets and what’s the price point?

Tickets can be purchased online.

Single game tickets:

• $34 for the Party Zone
• $38 for 100- and 200-level seats at the ends of the playing surface
• $48 for 100- and 200-level seats along the sidelines of the playing surface
• $92 for Club Bell, where pub food buffet and non-alcoholic beverages are included with each ticket.
• Additional Ticketmaster fee ($4.10) applies to each ticket order.

Season tickets:

• $299-$799 based on location in arena and services provided, taxes and fees included.

What’s the 2024-2025 Black Bears home game schedule? Are there theme nights?

Friday, Jan. 17 vs. Vancouver Warriors, 7 p.m. (Lacrosse for All)

Friday, Jan. 31 vs. Calgary Roughnecks, 7 p.m. (Every Child Matters)

• This will be a “reverse BOGO” game. For every ticket purchased, one will be donated to an Indigenous youth from a reserve in the region. The NLL team has also partnered with Kaniehtiio Horn, an actress/producer/director from the Kahnawake reserve near Montreal, for a session in which Horn and community leaders will emphasize Indigenous history and culture and, according to Black Bears vice-president of business operations Chelsea McDermott, “what we can do to support Indigenous culture moving forward.”

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Friday, Feb. 21 vs. Halifax Thunderbirds, 7:30 p.m. (Marvel Superhero Night)

Friday, Feb. 28 vs. Georgia Swarm, 7 p.m. (Destination: Canada)

Saturday, March 15 vs. Rochester Knighthawks, 3 p.m. (St. Patty’s Party)

Sunday, March 23 vs. Colorado Mammoth, 3 p.m. (Minor Lacrosse Day)

Saturday, April 12 vs. Las Vegas Desert Dogs, 7 p.m. (Fan Appreciation Night)

Bet you didn’t know that…

Ottawa’s Jay Thorimbert is the NLL’s all-time leader in faceoffs won, and by a big margin. The 38-year-old defender from Whitby, Ont., whose career began with a Boston franchise in 2009, is credited with more than 3,200 faceoff wins, nearly 800 more than the next-best total for retired NLL great Geoff Snider.

Who is the star player?

Jeff Teat is definitely the top gun. The 27-year-old left-shooting forward from Brampton, Ont., led the RipTide last season with 131 points, including 58 goals. That ranked third in the league, four points off the leading total, and Teat finished third in voting for the NLL’s MVP award, which was presented to Calgary Roughnecks goaltender Christian Del Bianco.

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Teat’s also coming off a summer-season MVP campaign with the Premier Lacrosse League’s New York Atlas, featuring league-best totals of goals (28), assists (36) and points (64) in 10 regular-season games.

Before becoming a professional, he played at Cornell University, leading the Big Red in assists and points in all four seasons between 2017 and 2020.

His father, Dan Teat, played in the NLL between 1997 and 2010, including stints with Rochester, Albany, San Jose, Buffalo, Edmonton and Philadelphia.

What can I get to eat at a Black Bears game?

Legacy Bar & Social & Bert’s Bar are open at the Canadian Tire Centre for Ottawa Black Bears games, and there are also regular in-arena concession outlets. If you’ve ever been to an Ottawa Senators NHL game, you’ll know what to expect.

How can I watch games from home?

Four Black Bears games will be telecast on TSN: Dec. 13, Dec. 28 and Jan. 17. All starting at 7 p.m.; Feb. 28 starting at 7:30 p.m.

Every other game is available for Canadian fans to watch online on TSN+.

As well, the National Lacrosse League offers an online streaming service called NLL+. All games will be available for viewing here except for those shown on TSN cable channels.

The league says NLL+ will be free for subscribers for the 2024-25 season.

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