Panda Game

Last updated
Panda Game
PandaGameLogo.svg
Teams
First meeting1955
Carleton 14, Ottawa 6
Latest meetingOctober 1, 2023
Ottawa 18, Carleton 16
Next meetingOctober 6, 2024
Stadiums TD Place Stadium, Lansdowne Park [lower-alpha 1] (1955–1996, 2014–present)
TrophyPedro the Panda (3rd Version)
Statistics
Meetings total54
All-time seriesOttawa leads, 37–17
Largest victoryOttawa, 44–0 (1957)
Longest win streakOttawa, 7 (1957–1963)
Current win streakOttawa, 5 (2018–present)

The Panda Game (French: Match Panda) is an annual Canadian football game between the two OUA football teams in Ottawa, Ontario: the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton University Ravens. It is the most significant rivalry in Canadian university football. Its name is derived from Pedro the Panda, the trophy presented to the winner each year. The game is part of the regular East division season, but is celebrated profusely due to its history. The week preceding the game sometimes referred to as "Panda Week". uOttawa is located in the downtown Sandy Hill neighbourhood of the city, while Carleton is between Old Ottawa South and Dow's Lake.

Contents

Creation and further history

In 1955, Bryan McNulty, a University of Ottawa student and associate editor for the Fulcrum and Thomas White, decided to promote the rivalry between their school and Carleton University. They asked a local jeweller, Jack Snow, to donate a stuffed panda that would be named "Pedro" to be used as a Gee-Gee mascot (as they had not adopted the Gee-Gee horse mascot yet). [1] McNulty and White later convinced Snow to display the panda in his front window and then organized the first "Pandanapping", a ritual in which Pedro would be stolen from each campus in various ways. "Pandanapping" would progress over the years to the point where major vandalism was involved and almost jeopardized the game's future.

In a short matter of time, both Pedro and the Panda Game itself became national icons. In 1958, after a 25–0 Gee-Gee victory, Pedro went on a world tour. He made visits to McGill University in Montréal, Dalhousie University in Halifax, the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, UCLA in Los Angeles, and Alabama State University in Montgomery. It is said that Pedro was even sent to Peru, Mexico and Europe. [2]

The game quickly became the most well-known football game in Canada behind the Grey Cup and the Vanier Cup. The attendance at the Panda Game one year exceeded 16,000, which was higher than that of the Vanier Cup that same season.

1987 tragedy

By the time the 1980s had come, the Panda Game had gained a reputation for being a drunken party more than a football game.

The 1987 edition brought heavily packed stands. Dozens of fans leaned up against a railing, causing it to collapse. 30 Ravens fans fell roughly 16 feet onto concrete. Many students sustained broken bones and concussions, while one female student broke her neck and spent 20 days in a coma. [3] [4]

The future of the Panda Game was in doubt after the incident, but the tradition ultimately carried on. The 1988 game was heavily monitored by police and there was a general lack of enthusiasm about the event.

Cancellation, eventual return

The aging stadium at Lansdowne Park fell into disrepair in the 1990's. The folding of the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1996 left the venue without a full-time tenant. As it was economically unfeasible to maintain the venue so as to safely host a single football game annually, the game was moved to Carleton's Keith Harris Stadium in 1997.

The resulting loss of revenue aggravated an already precarious financial situation for Carleton's football team. In 1998, Carleton University decided to cancel their football program at the end of the season after numerous years of sustained financial losses. This decision rendered the Panda Game tradition dead and left the Gee-Gees as the lone collegiate football team in the city for the first time in 53 years.

The late 2000s brought rumours that Carleton may once again look to field a football team sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, serious plans to rebuild and modernize the facilities at Lansdowne Park were put into place. After years of planning, in 2013 the Ravens once again took the field and would mark the return of the Panda Game tradition. 2013's Panda Game was a success with approximately 4,000 fans packing the brand-new Gee-Gees Field, the game resulted in the Gee-Gees getting their hands on a Pedro trophy after a dominant 35–10 win. [5]

Return to Lansdowne Park

University of Ottawa students rush the field at TD Place following the walk off 55-yard field goal win by the Ottawa Gee Gees at the 2023 Panda Game. Ottawa Gee Gee fans rushing the field at the 2023 Panda Game.jpg
University of Ottawa students rush the field at TD Place following the walk off 55-yard field goal win by the Ottawa Gee Gees at the 2023 Panda Game.

It was announced that the 2014 Panda Game was to be held at the newly renovated 24,000 seat TD Place Stadium, [lower-alpha 1] thus returning the game to its former home at Lansdowne Park.

The Panda Game in 2014 was another wildly successful venture, the use of the modernized facility saw the crowd grow to 12,000 as the Ravens came away with a last second Hail Mary catch to win the game 33–31. Fans immediately stormed the field, and to this day the game remains unfinished, [lower-alpha 2] as the extra point was never attempted among the frenzy.

The 2015 edition saw a then-record attendance of 17,596. [6] It was also the highest scoring Panda Game of all time with a combined score of 93 points, [7] crushing the previous record of 77 points in 1975.

In 2016, the No. 7 ranked Gee-Gees came into the game undefeated (4–0) as they faced the No. 10 Ravens (3–2). Surpassing the previous season's record attendance mark, the 2016 Panda Game was a sellout as 23,329 fans watched Carleton defeat Ottawa 43–23. [8] It was the most attended U Sports football regular season football game in at least two decades. [9]

The 2020 Panda Game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the 2021 Panda Game, there were serious disturbances in Sandy Hill, resulting in several arrests and criminal charges. For the 2022 edition of the game, police increased their presence in the affected neighbourhood while officials threatened to cancel future Panda Games if such disturbances were repeated. [10] There were disturbances in Sandy Hill after the 2022 game, leading to seven arrests. [11]

Game results

YearSiteWinning teamScoreLosing teamScoreSeries tallyNotes
1955 [12] Lansdowne Park Carleton14Ottawa6CAR 1–0First official Panda Game
1956Lansdowne ParkCarleton14Ottawa10CAR 2–0
1957Lansdowne ParkOttawa44Carleton0CAR 2–1Biggest blowout in Panda Game history
1958Lansdowne ParkOttawa23Carleton0TIE 2–2
1959Lansdowne ParkOttawa42Carleton0OTT 3–2
1960Lansdowne ParkOttawa28Carleton6OTT 4–2
1961Lansdowne ParkOttawa13Carleton12OTT 5–2
1962Lansdowne ParkOttawa13Carleton10OTT 6–2
1963Lansdowne ParkOttawa41Carleton21OTT 7–2
1964Lansdowne ParkCarleton40Ottawa33OTT 7–3
1965Lansdowne ParkOttawa27Carleton19OTT 8–3
1966Lansdowne ParkOttawa28Carleton13OTT 9–3
1967Lansdowne ParkOttawa36Carleton20OTT 10–3
1968Lansdowne ParkOttawa28Carleton27OTT 11–3
1969Lansdowne ParkCarleton21Ottawa20OTT 11–4
1970Lansdowne ParkOttawa29Carleton20OTT 12–4
1971Lansdowne ParkCarleton28Ottawa14OTT 12–5
1972Lansdowne ParkOttawa31Carleton14OTT 13–5
1973Lansdowne ParkOttawa21Carleton14OTT 14–5
1974Lansdowne ParkOttawa48Carleton7OTT 15–5
1975Lansdowne ParkOttawa55Carleton22OTT 16–5Gee-Gees go on to win National Championship
1976Lansdowne ParkOttawa19Carleton14OTT 17–5
1977Lansdowne ParkCarleton36Ottawa16OTT 17–6
1978Lansdowne ParkCarleton24Ottawa13OTT 17–7
1979Lansdowne ParkOttawa28Carleton16OTT 18–71st Pedro retires
1980Lansdowne ParkCarleton30Ottawa21OTT 18–8
1981Lansdowne ParkOttawa29Carleton0OTT 19–8
1982Lansdowne ParkOttawa19Carleton7OTT 20–8
1983Lansdowne ParkCarleton28Ottawa23OTT 20–9
1984Lansdowne ParkCarleton30Ottawa18OTT 20–10
1985Lansdowne ParkCarleton34Ottawa27OTT 20–11
1986Lansdowne ParkOttawa30Carleton29OTT 21–11
1987Lansdowne ParkCarleton8Ottawa4OTT 21–12See "1987 Tragedy"
1988Lansdowne ParkOttawa29Carleton9OTT 22–12
1989Lansdowne ParkOttawa23Carleton11OTT 23–12
1990Lansdowne ParkOttawa30Carleton17OTT 24–12
1991Lansdowne ParkOttawa34Carleton15OTT 25–12
1992Lansdowne ParkOttawa17Carleton6OTT 26–12
1993Lansdowne ParkOttawa21Carleton3OTT 27–12
1994Lansdowne ParkCarleton27Ottawa15OTT 27–13
1995Lansdowne ParkOttawa35Carleton8OTT 28–13
1996Lansdowne ParkOttawa28Carleton0OTT 29–13
1997 Keith Harris Stadium Ottawa22Carleton19OTT 30–13
1998Keith Harris StadiumOttawa59Carleton17OTT 31–13Ravens team cancelled following season
2013 Gee-Gees Field Ottawa35Carleton10OTT 32–13Return of Panda Game
2014 TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Carleton33Ottawa31OTT 32–14Last second Hail Mary catch
2015TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Carleton48Ottawa45OTT 32–15Overtime victory, highest scoring game in Panda history
2016TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Carleton43Ottawa23OTT 32–16Sellout crowd (23,329)
2017TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Carleton33Ottawa30OTT 32–17Overtime victory, Sellout crowd (24,420) [13]
2018TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Ottawa38Carleton27OTT 33–1750th Panda Game
2019TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Ottawa32Carleton10OTT 34–17Attendance record (24,600)
2021TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Ottawa19Carleton17OTT 35–17
2022TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Ottawa37Carleton7OTT 36–17
2023TD Place Stadium [lower-alpha 1] Ottawa18Carleton16OTT 37–17Ottawa scores a walk-off 55 yard field goal to win. Attendance: 23,467

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 TD Place Stadium is the official name of the stadium pursuant to a naming rights agreement between the Toronto Dominion Bank and Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, which owns the teams that use the facility on a full-time basis. The surrounding district is still officially known as Lansdowne Park, the name once commonly used for the stadium itself. Because the participating universities are not beneficiaries of the naming rights agreement with the aforementioned bank, many sources prefer to use the name Lansdowne Park when referring to the venue for the Panda Game.
  2. ↑ Canadian football rules officially require the extra point(s) to be attempted following a game winning touchdown. Had the attempt been made at the end of the fourth quarter in 2014, it could theoretically have been returned by Ottawa to the Carleton end zone, scoring two points and thus tying the game.

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References

  1. ↑ "Panda-Monium" . Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  2. ↑ "Panda-Monium" . Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  3. ↑ "Archives 1987 Panda Game" . Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  4. ↑ "Panda-Monium" . Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  5. ↑ "Gees-Gees Dominate Panda Bowl". 10 October 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  6. ↑ 2015 Panda Game a huge success for Ravens Football
  7. ↑ "580 CFRA News Talk Radio :: Carleton Ravens win 47th Panda Game :: News - Article". www.cfra.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-05.
  8. ↑ Carleton Ravens knock off Ottawa Gee-Gees in Panda Game
  9. ↑ "Ravens thump Gee-Gees to extend Panda Game win streak to three".
  10. ↑ "Ottawa police vowing 'zero tolerance' for disorder during Panda Game weekend".
  11. ↑ "Dozens ticketed, 7 arrested in 'unacceptable' Panda Game aftermath, say police".
  12. ↑ "Carleton College Ravens Defeat U of Ottawa, 14-6". Ottawa Citizen. October 12, 1955. p. 14. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  13. ↑ @TD_Place (September 30, 2017). "Looks like Pedro 🐼 is staying with the #Ravens another year. CONGRATULATIONS @curavens on your 33-30 OT #PandaGame victory!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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