FC Edmonton returns home, welcomes fans to the stands
Edmonton’s professional soccer team opened its gates to fans Saturday evening for the first time in nearly two years.
The pandemic forced FC Edmonton to play its 2020 season in a bubble in Prince Edward Island. This season started in a bubble in Winnipeg, but as restrictions have lifted and the country looks toward reopening, the team is now back at home and ready to hear the roar from fans.
“It gives us that extra energy,” head coach Alan Koch told CTV News Edmonton.
“You can feel that positive vibe. Now that we are standing here it is incredibly exciting.”
Eric Newendorp, president and general manager, said he was excited to be back at Clarke Stadium.
“We couldn’t be happier to be back here,” he shared.
“It’s going to be emotional to see fans and supporters here,” Koch added.
“Being in a bubble is an absolute grind. I had never been in a true bubble like that before.
“You are essentially cut off from the free world because you are stranded in a hotel the entire time.”
Frontline health care workers were honoured at the game for their contributions during the pandemic. Health care workers were eligible to receive two complimentary tickets to enjoy FC Edmonton action.
“It’s the least we can do,” Newendorp said.
FC Edmonton comes home with a 2-4-2 record and hopes having their own soccer pitch back will give them a fresh start.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.