This weekend’s championship win will spell new opportunities for the Ottawa Titans, the team’s GM says. Martin Boyce, general manager of the baseball club, said the organization is “over the moon” following the team’s win over the Evansville Otters on Saturday to claim the club’s first-ever Frontier League championship title. “When it was the top […]
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This weekend’s championship win will spell new opportunities for the Ottawa Titans, the team’s GM says.
Martin Boyce, general manager of the baseball club, said the organization is “over the moon” following the team’s win over the Evansville Otters on Saturday to claim the club’s first-ever Frontier League championship title.
“When it was the top of the ninth, everyone was chanting … everyone was on their feet. People were engaged and it was so rewarding to see so many people feel this joy at the ballpark,” he told OBJ Monday.
On May 8, the team set an attendance record for its home opener, with 10,271 people. On Friday, the Titans broke that record with 10,303 fans for a sold-out game with an added standing-room section. Saturday’s championship game also attracted more than 10,000 attendees.
It creates a strong argument for future ticket-holders and corporate sponsors.
“It might help us reach some new partners with whom we weren’t on their radar. I think it’ll be great to get this attention and really show people and this is a place that the people of Ottawa really love and are engaged with.
“One of the big things that we’ve received is great feedback from our existing sponsors on just how engaged the fanbase is. Often in sports, you will find only a small group of engaged fans and then a lot of casual fans. We have been able to turn a lot of casual fans into engaged fans and they’re passionate. I think that if companies are looking to partner with a sports team, you’re getting a very loyal and engaged fanbase, which goes a long way for marketing and branding.”
The recent playoff games also meant an increase in revenue through ticket and concession sales, which will help the team as it looks to the 2027 season, Boyce said.
“In some ways, it’s as simple as just being able to do more, whether that’s more in-game entertainment or small fan experience improvements. If you have a good year in any business, you’re able to improve small things and make those work. But being able to show that 10,000-plus people want to come out to a baseball game on back-to-back nights, it really shows some very long-term potential for the team that we might see internally or externally.
“In the long-term, it’ll be good for us to build new partnerships and, on a bigger scale, undertake larger projects such as improve the ballpark,” Boyce explained.
Greater visibility won’t only benefit the team, Boyce added, it will also help the Ottawa Titans Field of Dreams Foundation, which supports children’s charities in the National Capital Region.
“Obviously, with that number of people in the building, our 50/50 numbers, which go entirely to the foundation, were huge and great. But just the awareness is the biggest thing. We can talk about the foundation and explain what it does and who it helps … (Fans) are more likely to support and we’re more likely to find new partners who will come on board to match donations and sponsor the foundation,” he said, adding the foundation has raised nearly $100,000 so far in 2026.
Barely 48 hours since hoisting the trophy, Boyce said the Titans are already thinking about 2027.
“We are very optimistic about 2027 on all fronts, but especially from an attendance and ticketing standpoint. We saw tremendous growth this year, a 17.5 per cent increase in regular season attendance. We had another additional roughly 32,000 come through over four games in the playoffs. We anticipate 2027 to be another great year for us,” he said.
“I think baseball is going to continue to grow in Ottawa and I think the Titans’ fanbase is going to continue to be one of the strongest in the city. We’re so proud to be able to say that we’ve sold out a 10,000-seat ballpark multiple times … I think the people of Ottawa are seeing that too and want to be a part of it. This season, including playoffs, we’re going to finish with just under 150,000 fans this year. If you look across the various sports in town, that’s up there. A lot of people are coming through Ottawa Stadium and we’re optimistic that number is just going to keep growing.
“At the end of the day, this is a business but it’s also a professional baseball team. Our goal is always to win a championship. It’s very rewarding and it’s great for business as a whole because everyone loves a winner in Ottawa.”
