Rain didn’t stop Ottawa Redblacks fans from showing up for the team’s home opener Saturday night. Thousands packed TD Place and the surrounding Lansdowne area despite a soggy evening, with forecasts calling for up to 15 millimetres of rain. Fans arrived prepared with umbrellas, ponchos, and rain jackets as they gathered to kick off another CFL season. “Hope springs eternal always on home opener, right?” said fan Jeffrey Marshall. “The team looked good in its two preseason games.” There is renewed optimism surrounding the RedBlacks heading into the season after a busy off-season that included hiring former Toronto Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie and adding several new players to the roster. “We’ve obviously made a lot of changes,” said OSEG president Adrian Sciarra. “New coaching staff, a lot of new free agent brought in and the roster has been turned over. We’re really excited about the year ahead.” Many fans share that optimism. “I really think they have a good shot this year,” said fan Shaun Kenny. “If they got to the Grey Cup, I’ll fly to Calgary.” The home opener also provided a boost for businesses in the Glebe, with many fans stopping for food and drinks before heading into the stadium. “The fans are excited and we’re excited,” said Jordan Cruz, manager of Craft Beer Market. “We’re seeing it.” Saturday also marked many fans’ first game-day experience at Lansdowne since construction on the Lansdowne 2.0 redevelopment project began. Marshall said the work has created some minor inconveniences but hasn’t changed the game-day atmosphere. “We’re, far more concerned about what happens next year when the North side standards come down,” he said. The Ottawa Redblacks dropped their home opener to the Edmonton Elks by a score of 29-21. They stay home to take on the Toronto Argonauts on June. 20, 2026
