Orridge stepping down as CFL Commissioner today; TSN

[Jon Gonzo]

Gaudaur was indeed the league's most successful commissioner. That was in an era when CFL teams' revenues and expenses were comparable to NFL teams', there were only three Cdn NHL teams, no basketball team, and baseball at first didn't exist in Canada and then was in start-up mode. It's just not a comparable situation IMO.

How successful were the tenures of Mitchell, Baker, Smith and Tory?

Mitchell: Montreal folded, the rich TV deal Gaudaur negotiated disappeared, CTV left, Calgary came close to folding, Sask had to run telethns.

Baker: Several teams were on life support during his tenure.

Smith: See Baker, plus U.S. expansion (which arguably kept the league alive but was far from a roaring success).

Tory: Had to go begging to NFL for cash to keep the league afloat; had to give away 4,000 tickets to Grey Cup in Hamilton.

Not sure I'd argue any of those guys as evidence of how important being a lawyer is. And then of course there's Orridge.

Most commissioners have had troubled tenures, especially in the modern era, because the CFL has been a troubled league. Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. I simply stated that being a Lawyer is apparently beneficial. That was in response to your comment about not knowing how Law would help in this particular role (paraphrased). Many of them have been one. Good or bad, they got the job.

I am not saying the new commish will have a legal background, or should.

I also believe that Marc Cohon may have been the best of all time, and his business background played well for him. He's basically a pro executive.

My point, and I'll stand by it; this league doesn't need some corporate egghead who spews power phrases and cliches and has no clue what this thing is all about. This 'thing' is unlike any other business going. The new commish should have an understanding of this league and it's unique charm.

I know a couple qualified candidates. May the best one win.

Sounds like Wayne Parrish is the latest to lobby for it. He's background is Journalism, and has been involved in managing organized leagues as of late.

[paulwoods13]

Most commissioners have had troubled tenures, especially in the modern era, because the CFL has been a troubled league. Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. I simply stated that being a Lawyer is apparently beneficial. That was in response to your comment about not knowing how Law would help in this particular role (paraphrased). Many of them have been one. Good or bad, they got the job.

I am not saying the new commish will have a legal background, or should.

Thanks for clarifying. There's no question that several commissioners have had law degrees, but I don't think we should read too much into that because we don't know how much the legal background mattered in the selection process. Was Larry Smith hired because he was a former player who had business experience and happened to have a law degree? Or because he had a business and legal background and happened to be a former player? Or because he was a lawyer and former player who happened to know a thing or two about business? etc. In some cases, a law degree might even have been seen by some governors as a negative (after all, the league is not overflowing with academic accomplishments) that was outweighed by other factors.

My point, and I'll stand by it; this league doesn't need some corporate egghead who spews power phrases and cliches and has no clue what this thing is all about. This 'thing' is unlike any other business going. The new commish should have an understanding of this league and it's unique charm.

I agree, more or less. Understanding (and even loving) the league may not be absolutely necessary, but it would help, big-time. I think experience generating sustainable new revenue streams and building sustainable business relationships with large corporations is an absolute must. The ability to maintain a positive media presence and build relationships in that world is close to a must as well.

Sounds like Wayne Parrish is the latest to lobby for it. He's background is Journalism, and has been involved in managing organized leagues as of late.

Parrish is an intriguing candidate. He knows the league (although has not been close to it for a couple of decades), he has fairly high-level biz experience and he has a sports administration background. I wonder how much influence Michael Copeland, as former COO of the league under Cohon, will have on this. He presumably was passed over for Orridge. I can't see the league reconsidering that, given the problems Argos had off the field in 2016. If they had succeeded in packing BMO and selling GC tix, Copeland might well be in line for the commissioner's job at this point.

Steve Simmons also floated a couple of other intriguing names: Kevin Abrams, assistant GM of New York Giants, and Stewart Johnston, president of Bell Media Studios and TSN.

http://www.giants.com/team/staff/kev...5-bd131e8c113d

http://www.bellmedia.ca/executives/stewart-johnston/

Also Paul Beeston, but I have a hard time seeing him want to take on that sort of a challenge at this stage of his life.