TD Place, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa (U of O) have teamed up to announce a new partnership, which has the Panda Game being played at TD Place into the future.
The multi-year deal was announced Aug. 25, and has the 2015 edition of the cross-town classic being played at the home of the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s a privilege to once again host Panda and provide Ottawa’s university students, alumni and fans of major events with an opportunity to experience TD Place,” Mike Cerha, vice-president (entertainment and venues) at TD Place, said in a Ravens press release.
The Panda Game returned to Lansdowne Park in 2014 after a 15-year absence that was extended during renovations to the facility formerly known as Frank Clair Stadium.
It has been widely discussed as one of the best finishes to a football game in CIS history, with quarterback Jesse Mills connecting with wide receiver Nate Behar for a “Hail Mary” touchdown on the final play of the game.
“Last year’s game, in front of 12,500 fans, came right down to the wire with Carleton winning on a last second “Hail Mary” TD catch and it was a great way to re-introduce the game to its traditional home here at Lansdowne,“ Cerha said.
The final play of the game was featured on TSN’s SportsCentre as the highlight of the night. Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah told GoRavens.ca that he saw the event as beneficial for the growth of football in Ottawa.
“The Panda Game is one of the highlights of football not only in the city but across the CIS [Canadian Interuniversity Sports],” Sumarah said. “In its first year at TD Place it drew over 12,000 fans and my expectation is it will only continue to grow . . . The rivalry and tradition are second to none in the CIS and it is great having OSEG [Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group] partner with the two schools to make this a first class event.”
The 2013 edition of the Panda Game was the official renewal of the game after the lengthy absence, but was played at Gee-Gees Stadium on the Lees campus of the U of O.
However, the following year’s match-up was considered the real renewal of the series, and brought a larger crowd of 12,000 than the previous year’s attendance of 3,500.
The 2015 Panda Game will be held on Saturday Oct. 3 at 1:07 p.m.
