First home game with no audience number restrictions for Kitchener Rangers
The Kitchener Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Sarnia Sting on Friday marked a significant milestone.
It was the first home game at the Aud with a full capacity crowd allowed in the stands, under the province’s recently relaxed restrictions.
“There’s only been six days’ notice compared to three or four months, which is when regular season games are released,” said Rangers COO Joe Birch. “You have that time to prepare.”
While the puck dropped at 7:30, doors were open an hour before and saw lines to get in.
“It’ll be nice to see everybody because it’s been so long since we’ve had this,” one fan said before the game.
Max capacity at The Aud is 7,777, but staff expected just shy of 5,000 of those seats to be filled.
The Rangers usually sell about 5,000 season tickets, but were only able to sell about 65 per cent of that for this season.
Fans have to show proof of double vaccination and wear masks when they’re not eating.
“We’re really happy where we’re at with for tonight’s attendance,” said Birch.
Last Friday, the Rangers were allowed 50 per cent capacity and able to sell out.
Birch adds that, just because they’re not filling up all 7,000 seats this Friday, they’re confident attendance will keep rising in the coming weeks, as pre-pandemic crowds typically started to get bigger after mid-November.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.