The Winnipeg Jets are welcoming a full house of fans back to Canada Life Centre for the first time since December, and the downtown arena is expected to be hopping for Wednesday’s tilt against the Minnesota Wild.
“Everybody’s really excited about this game, this rivalry, and sharing the moment with all of the fans around you,” said True North Sports and Entertainment’s Christina Litz.
“Our players miss having a full house, and I know they’ll be so happy to have people cheering them on — although I should mention that even when we had 50 per cent (capacity) for the last week, boy, our Jets fans are loud and really do their part to encourage our team. So we’re expecting that tonight as well.”
“Certainly, it’s put a hop in everyone’s step.”
Although the arena still requires proof of vaccination and provincial mask mandates are still in place due to the province’s health orders, Litz said getting fans back to the 15,321-seat rink will be a boon not only for the Jets, but for Winnipeg’s downtown on the whole.
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“It’s been tough,” she said. “Obviously, we really rely on having a full house, of having fans in the stands. That’s one of the primary ways in which we generate revenue.
“When we’re not able to have fans at Canada Life Centre, this has economic impacts on all of the downtown.
“We’re just so grateful that Manitobans have done their part to get to the point where we can finally bring people back downtown and not only benefit True North, the Winnipeg Jets, and Canada Life Centre, but all of our business partners around us in the downtown core.”