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Jason Greene is a “fan on strike.” He watches games from his home in Kanata but won’t buy tickets. Photo by Samantha Campling.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0Ottawa Senators fans are mad. So mad, in fact, that they’re not going to games.<\/span><\/p>\n Last month the team saw its lowest-ever attendance in a <\/span>game<\/a> against the St. Louis Blues, reigning Stanley Cup champions. And although it was an all-time low, the Oct. 10 turnout was in line with the declining attendance since 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n How does an NHL team based in the capital city of\u00a0 \u201chockey country\u201d get thrown in the penalty box by their own fanbase?<\/span><\/p>\n Fans cite two main reasons the team is seeing more red seats than red jerseys on game night: location and ownership.<\/span><\/p>\n Ottawa Senators or Kanata Senators?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Canadian Tire Centre, which can hold up to 17,000 fans, is located in Kanata, Ottawa\u2019s far western suburb. For many fans, getting there is too far a venture.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been an enormous barrier going to see the Senators by virtue of them being in Kanata,\u201d said Jordan Holmes, a 20-year Ottawa resident who lives in the Byward Market.<\/span><\/p>\n He called himself a \u201cfair-weather fan,\u201d going to about two games a year if the team is doing well. He says that this would change if the team moved to a more central location.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI would go and see a Sens game on a Tuesday after work, even if they were dead last in the league just for the fun of it and to support the team,\u201d Holmes said.<\/span><\/p>\n By any measure, the Canadian Tire Centre is not close to downtown.<\/span><\/p>\n Fans can\u2019t walk there from Ottawa\u2019s biggest attractions, such as Parliament Hill or the Byward Market. The Canadian Tire Centre\u2019s website <\/span>suggests<\/a> that it would take the common bus or car commuter 15 minutes to get from downtown to the arena. However, even with the best conditions \u2013 no traffic, good weather and no all-too-common transit delays \u2013 that commute time is impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n Driving from downtown? It\u2019s at least 50 minutes during rush hour traffic. By bus? Close to an hour and a half. This becomes an even bigger issue for weeknight games when commuters are coming straight from work. This differs from other Canadian cities such as Calgary and Toronto, where the NHL arenas are downtown.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.0.6″ custom_margin=”15px|||||”]