(press release)
The Ottawa Senators (@Senators) announced additional details for the team’s annual Fan Fest, presented by Canadian Tire, in support of the Ottawa Senators Foundation and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, which will take place this Sunday, Sept. 17 at Canadian Tire Centre (@CdnTireCtr).
Held in conjunction with Scotiabank, CTV and TSN 1200, Senators Fan Fest will feature four unique fan press conferences, two team practices, a Senators’ intra-squad game, autograph sessions, a Locker Room Sale featuring new and used hockey equipment along with interactive games and entertainment throughout the arena.
Advance tickets to Fan Fest, which includes access to each of the event’s components are now available for purchase for $10, taxes and fees included, at all Ottawa area Canadian Tire locations. Tickets can also be purchased online through www.ticketmaster.ca for $10 (including taxes, but excluding CRF and convenience fees). Tickets will be available on-site for $15, while Senators’ season-seat members can purchase tickets through their Senators online account or by contacting their account manager.
Gates to Fan Fest will open at 9 a.m. with the official welcome and state of the franchise fan press conference featuring Senators president and CEO Tom Anselmi, general manager Pierre Dorion and assistant general manager Randy Lee on the Canadian Tire Stage located in the Gate 1 plaza at 9:15 a.m.
Senators players will be split into two teams on Sunday. Fans will have the opportunity to watch team practices at 10 a.m. and at 12:40 p.m., while the two teams will go head-to-head in an intra-squad game that is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m.
Following the practices and intra-squad game, more than 50 Senators players and prospects will participate in autograph sessions at 1:30 p.m. and at 2:45 p.m. Each fan will receive a scratch-and-win ticket upon entering Canadian Tire Centre, which will permit access to exclusive autograph sessions or a chance to win prizes courtesy of Canadian Tire and the Senators. Fans can also obtain a wristband to meet Senators players and prospects at various locations on the 200-level throughout the day (limit of one wristband per fan at any given time).
Starting at 9:15 a.m., fans will have the opportunity to participate in four exclusive press conferences where they get to ask questions to designated members of the club’s executive team, players, prospects and members of the Sens Alumni. The press conferences will take place on the stage located on the Gate 1 plaza and will have the following themes:
State of the Franchise (9:15 a.m.) – Emcee’d by TSN 1200’s Dean Brown, fans can join Anselmi, Dorion and Lee to discuss the Senators franchise on and off the ice.
One on One with the Captain – Erik Karlsson (12:30 p.m.) – Fans will have the opportunity to ask questions of Senators captain Karlsson when he visits the Canadian Tire Stage.
Kids Only Press Conference (1:30 p.m.) – Senators players will answer some of the toughest and more unpredictable questions from some of team’s youngest fans.
Sens Jeopardy (2:45 p.m.) – Senators players go head-to-head for dressing room bragging rights while answering in the form of a question during Sens Jeopardy.
On-site activations – The Canadian Tire Target Shooting Challenge will give fans the opportunity to test their hockey skills along with the chance to win great prizes, courtesy of Canadian Tire. The Egg Farmers of Ontario will be in attendance providing fans with the latest installment of their ‘egg-citing’ Senators recipe cards and a chance to win prizing by playing the fan favourite game, Plinko. Local Ottawa Ford dealers will be also be on-site with an interactive hockey game and a chance for participants to enter to win a two-year lease on a new 2017 Ford F-150 truck.
During the course of the morning activities, entertainers including balloonists and face-painters will welcome fans to Canadian Tire Centre. Throughout the day fans can also participate in several interactive components from the Sens Street Tour, take their photo alongside the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and a cutout of 2016-17 recipient Craig Anderson, try their hand at street curling with Curling Canada and more!
Locker Room Sale – The Sens Store will host their annual Locker Room Sale in the Molson Canadian Brewhouse (200 level) featuring new and used team equipment along with game worn jerseys. Admission to the Locker Room Sale will require a Fan Fest ticket and patrons are encouraged to line up at Gate 2 if arriving prior to gates opening at 9 a.m.
Parking – Free parking is available throughout the day at Canadian Tire Centre.
Live broadcast – Fans unable to attend Fan Fest in person will be able to watch a live broadcast on CTV2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., while TSN 1200 will be live from Canadian Tire Centre between 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
About Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charity dedicated to providing kids from low-income families with the opportunity to experience the benefits of organized sports and physical activities. With an extensive, national network of more than 280 local chapters, Jumpstart helps kids in communities across Canada by assisting with the costs associated with registration, equipment and/or transportation. Supported by the Canadian Tire Family of Companies, which includes Canadian Tire, PartSource, Gas+, Sport Chek, Atmosphere, National Sports, Sports Experts, Mark’s and Canadian Tire Financial Services, Jumpstart has enabled 1.4 million Canadian kids and counting to get in the game since 2005.
Follow Jumpstart on Twitter and Facebook to learn about how the charity is giving kids across Canada a sporting chance.
For more information on Fan Fest, please visit www.ottawasenators.com.