Ottawa Redblacks fans giving second-year team 'time to grow'

A quarterback in the CFL typically must be able to buy time by scrambling, and a new franchise has to as well.

There's no knowing how big a jump the Ottawa Redblacks, who begin their second season on Thursday against the Montreal Alouettes, will make in Year 2. Does 40-year-old QB Henry Burris get his Ponce de León on with a new cast of receivers? Is head coach Rick Campbell going to pan out? Do they find a feature back and a reliable placekicker by Thanksgiving? What is evident after a sampling of fan opinion is that buzz about the league's return to the national capital region has not ebbed in spite of the 2-16 debut season.

One constant that came up is that Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group president of sports Jeff Hunt looked after the creature comforts at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park site in downtown Ottawa. That tends to help a franchise gain credibility while it plays catch-up with the established franchises.

"It's like night and day compared to Renegades days," says Dan Lynch of Arnprior, Ont., who has season tickets on south side of TD Place with his spouse Monique Lynch and their daughter Cynthia Whitelock."Mr. Hunt and his crew are first-class, the people, the attendance and security people that we see and talk to at the games, are friendly and if you have a problem, they can resolve it in a hurry.

"In the past, with Lonie Glieberman [the last owner of the Renegades, whose final season was 2005], it was disaster," adds Lynch, who was also a Southsider in the Renegades and Rough Riders days. "We still watched the games but all the things he tried to do it to promote it were Mickey Mouse.

"They're certainly looking to please the fan and they've certainly pleased me, other than the no parking."

The fact that two franchises foundered in Ottawa within a span of a decade led many to wonder about the viability of the market. Ownership and leaguewide issues at that time, not to mention what Bleed Redblacks podcast host Mike Smith calls the "far from palatable" state of Lansdowne, were likely bigger contributors. Ottawa drew more than 24,000 fans to all nine home games and had, by CFL standards, a a high season-ticket renewal rate of about 80 per cent.

"Even with all the losses it was a great time," Cynthia Whitelock says. "The energy of the fans is contagious. Even if you aren't a big football fan you can't help but get sucked in. There is no doubt in my mind that the team will continue to get better and have more wins this year."

'Expectations are mixed'

That said, there are concerns about how big a jump Ottawa will make this season. A quick turnaround in the CFL is always possible with the high amount of off-season turnover due to the salary cap and free agency. While the terms of the expansion process left the '14 Redblacks with few accomplished receivers, Burris and new offensive coordinator Jason Maas can now spread Greg Ellingson, Ernest Jackson, Maurice (Mo) Price, Chris Williams and Brad Sinopoli from sideline to sideline.

It's only human nature, though, to be a doubting Thomas about whether Burris can turn back the clock. Or whether all the points left on the field last season during close losses were more bad luck or bad planning.

"We get a sense that expectations are mixed," Smith says. "Not enough faith in our starting QB [Burris] among the fan base [that] we hear from the most. Overall, how the team is treating fans off the field has been nothing but class act.

"My feeling is we can give this team some time to grow. Jeff Hunt and his team are taking the right steps to show us he isn't afraid to open the pocketbook. That helps fan motivation, no doubt about it."

The new team was always going to have a buy-in from the diehards. The return has also hooked in those whose football lens took in more of the NFL. Kasia Maves says she and her spouse, Jonathan, have a bucket list to go to all 31 stadiums in the other league. A lack of tailgating space at TD Place, which is after all a condominium and shopping hub that also has a stadium and a hockey arena, does alter the gameday experience. Still, it punches its weight in Maves' mind, especially since the grassy end zone berm is a play area when sons, Lucas, 3, and Jacob, 18 months, get restless.

"As a young family, it was an absolutely amazing experience last year and without question we planned on buying another three-game pack for this season," Maves says. "I hope Ottawa lightens up on the team and supports it 100 per cent. This is a great opportunity for Ottawa and our love of the CFL is strictly because of the Ottawa Redblacks.

"I hope I can keep the tradition going with my family for years to come."

It's important to take a long view. The Rough Riders maintained strong support long after their last above-.500 season in 1979, when they went 10-6. The long-time fans who have waited this long to see a well-run team in Ottawa can subsist on the sizzle until the steak arrives.

"As a fan I'm happy with the product," Lynch says. "I'm happy with the direction they're going. I'll go Year 5. If we haven't got to the playoffs by then, then I'll probably have a knot on." 

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @naitSAYger.