Canadian Baseball Network

View Original

Ottawa Titans, Trois-Rivières Aigles cancel seasons, Team Quebec road team formed

Due to complications and restrictions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ottawa Titans will not be able to field a team in the 2021 Frontier League season. Photo: Ottawa Titans

April 17, 2021

By Davide Disipio

Ottawa Titans

Ottawa, ON - Due to the uncertainty on the reopening of the United States/Canadian border, the Frontier League regretfully announced today that the Ottawa Titans and Trois-Rivières Aigles will not field teams for the 2021 season.

Accordingly, a Team Québec will be formed as a travel team and led by Québec Capitales Manager Patrick Scalabrini to balance out the 2021 schedule.

“With the continued closure of the U.S/Canada border and the uncertainty of when it will reopen, the Ottawa Titans in conjunction with the Frontier League have agreed to make 2022 our inaugural season,” explained Ottawa Titans Vice-President Regan Katz.

“This was not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one. We thank our staff, players, coaches, and manager for their commitment to the Ottawa Titans and look forward to seeing them on our field next May. A special thanks goes out to our fans, ticket holders, and our corporate sponsors for their tremendous support. We look forward to seeing you all in 2022. We wish Team Québec good luck in 2021 and the best in dealing with the challenges of being a road team. The Ottawa Titans will immediately shift focus to getting through this pandemic and preparing for the 2022 season.”

Team Quebec will be formed of the Canadian players from the Titans’, Aigles’, and Capitales’ current rosters along with the remaining players who are under contract with Québec. All non-Canadian players from Ottawa and Trois-Rivières will be subjected to a dispersal draft amongst the 13 United States-based teams next Thursday.

Team Québec will spend the first half of the 2021 season as a travel team, beginning in Sauget, Illinois on May 27. Should the border open, Team Québec will play what their remaining home games split between Québec City and Trois-Rivières. If the border does not reopen by July 13, Team Québec will finish the season as a road team.

“After having to suspend our 2020 season, we were excited to play 2021 with our full 16 teams and to bring the tremendous market of Ottawa into the Frontier League,” said Frontier League Deputy Commissioner Steve Tahsler. “Unfortunately, the continued and understandable impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are causing us to change our plans. Our three Canadian members have proven to be tremendous additions and great partners. We look forward to resuming a full league schedule for 2022.”

More information regarding pre-paid ticket plans and preparations for the Titans’ 2022 season will be announced in the coming weeks.