I was treated to a great hockey game experience on Fri Feb. 10th at 7pm. The Frontenacs beat Oshawa in a tense shoot-out during OT. Go Fronts!
Unfortunately, the family I was sitting beside didn't make me feel like a valued supporter of the team, or of the Leon's Center.
I've been to 2 games this year at the Leon's Center. In Ottawa, I am a season's ticket holder for the Sens. There, I always have the same seats, and on either side of those seats various different people show up as the season rolls out. We are always friendly neighbors, and respect each other's space.
The family at the Leon's center, also obviously season's ticket holders, seemed to view their space as their personal living room, and I wasn't welcomed near them. There were 2 sitting in front of me, 2 beside me, and 3 behind me. An older man sat beside me, who was also a season's ticket holder, but he was very friendly and jovial.
First, the older woman up front asked me and the older gentleman to move down, to give them space. The older guy corrected them, saying this was his seat and I said that I had paid for my seat as well. It was a busy Friday game, and us moving down would have simply inconvenienced someone else. There was no reason to move, aside from this woman wanting us to.
When we said we weren't going to move, that's when the real drama began. The mother who sat beside me gave me attitude for the entire game, would push me with her arm, make sniffing noises at me, and complained to the rest of her family about me.
Let's be clear, I was in the seat I paid for. They just didn't want me there in "their space".
So, words to the wise: everyone who wants to support the game and venue with ticket and food purchases should be welcomed in that space. Don't push people away. Those seats you paid for? Other people paid for theirs as well. You don't have any more right to that space than anyone else.