After Jeffrey Orridge's term as commissioner, many were worried whether the CFL would get it right when they chose a new commissioner. The answer as the end of Randy Ambrosie's first season as commissioner nears, is a resounding yes.
His knowledge of the game' strengths and weaknesses, coming from having played in the league and been a secretary and board member of the CFLPA, followed by business experience as head of sales marketing, and then as president of firms, meant he had the skills needed for this demanding job. His passion for the game, together with his sense of humour and communication skills have helped him connect with fans in a way that Orridge never did.
Ambrosie's decision to limit team's to one challenge, not only reduced tedious delays in the game, it made the use of the challenge much more strategic, increasing the tension level when it was dropped.
By announcing the same day that Art Briles, disgraced and fired from his previous coaching because of a sexual abuse scandal, would not be allowed to join the Tiger Cats, Ambrosie saved the team and the league from severe embarrassment. He also saved the team from another highly questionable decision by ruling that Johnny Manziel, who had been involved in numerous controversies including domestic violence and suicide attempts, would not be allowed to sign a contract this year and have to meet certain conditions in order to be eligible to play next year.
When Canadian QB Brandon Bridge brought up the issue of Canadian QBs not counting as one the seven National starters, he got an audience with Ambrosie, who said "We should look at it".
Ambrosie has helped the league gain much needed attention through his eloquence in delivering the league's "Diversity is Strength" campaign aimed at building up interest in and attendance at CFL games, including even getting interviewed for the first time in its history on CNN by moving up the launch of this campaign from the fall to immediately after the white supremacist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. With the recent Canadian census stats showing that Canada is already 22% foreign born and that that percentage is almost certainly going to grow over the coming decades, diversification of the CFL fan base is a key challenge for the league.

The league still has lots of problems but Ambrosie's positive, think big approach, including expansion, even if that is likely a long way off because of a lack of stadiums, creates a positive atmosphere for the league.