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Home , Calgary Stampeders, Randy Ambrosie, Rick Campbell

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CBJ

CFL SPORTS CCommissionerommissioner RRandyandy AAmbrosiembrosie LLeadingeading tthehe CChargeharge ooff MManyany GoodGood ThingsThings toto CComeome

By Angus Gillespie 4 SPORTS » LEAGUE

t would be quite easy to surmise the Stampeders. Over the course of nine Ithat life has come full circle for seasons he also played with the , who is just fi nishing and the Edmonton Eskimos, where he was part of up his second successful season a championship team in his fi nal season as commissioner of the Canadian in 1993. While still suiting up for the Eskimos, Football League. Ambrosie had taken over as the secretary of the Players’ Association THE 55-YEAR-OLD AMBROSIE was born in (CFLPA) in 1992, revealing his keen interest in the and played collegiate football with the business aspect of the league. University of Bisons where he earned a Upon retiring as a player Ambrosie entered Bachelor of Commerce degree. Upon completion the corporate business world and now he’s back in of his studies Ambrosie was selected 2nd overall sports again – albeit on the business end this time as an off ensive lineman in the 1985 CFL draft by around. Ambrosie is the fi rst Canadian-born CFL 5 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal 6 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

commissioner since Tom Wright stepped more rapidly into his business career. down in 2006, and the fi rst to have played in the Among some of the high-profi le executive league since Larry Smith left the position in 1997. business positions on Ambrosie’s resume include: “Interestingly enough I was in the fi nancial serving as the North American head of sales at business while I was playing,” recalls Ambrosie. HSBC Securities; head of sales and marketing at “In 1987, I joined what at the time was Nesbitt AGF Management; president of AGF Funds; and Thomson as an investment advisor.” president and CEO of investment fi rm MacDougall, It was invariably Ambrosie’s desire to leverage MacDougall & MacTier. his playing career to create a foundation for his “I’m so honored by the amazing things that I’ve life after football and he did that from a young age had the pleasure to do in my career over the years by working in fi nancial services. It was that kind of but the foundation stones were laid at the CFL,” he forethought that allowed him to accelerate much acknowledges. 7 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal Two Great Canadian Traditions

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Having been a former football player In addition to understanding players and himself, Ambrosie would seem to have an owners, another key facet of the position of inherent advantage in dealing with players and commissioner is being able to comprehend what understanding their position as it relates to the the fans expect from the league. With a robust business side of the league. The commissioner background in sales and marketing, Ambrosie knows fi rst-hand how hard it is to be both an elite recognizes the importance of building a brand. level athlete and a business executive so he is able Traditional methods are still impactful but the to provide answers on both sides due to his many advent of social media is a new communications life experiences. realm that must be embraced to maximize the scope of reaching younger football fans. “I’m so honored by the amazing “There is no doubt that social media and things that I’ve had the pleasure some of the newer marketing platforms are to do in my career over the going to be critical,” agrees Ambrosie. “One years but the foundation stones of the things that I’ve come to realize, not just were laid at the CFL.” here at the CFL but in my past ventures, there is seldom one thing that it takes to drive the – Randy Ambrosie, CFL Commissioner growth and success of a business. It’s almost 8 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 9 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

always is a combination of many things and that requires a multi-dimensional way of thinking.” 21-week season For the fi rst time in the history of the league’s 18-game regular season the CFL added a 21st week primarily as a means of providing players with more rest and recovery time, with the hope being that it will lead to less injuries and/or the ability to recover better. The league now runs from early June to mid-November with three bye weeks to give a bit more breathing room and time for players to rest and recover. “It was a big player safety and health issue for us,” confi rms Ambrosie. In the earliest days of taking the commissioner’s job and visiting with coaches and players, Ambrosie specifi cally recalls visiting Ottawa and REDBLACKS’ coach . Ambrosie has known the Campbell family for decades, having once played for Rick’s father in Edmonton. Ambrosie and Rick Campbell were discussing the REDBLACKS’ schedule and how they were playing three games in 15 days and how diffi cult it was for the players to be physically in peak form.

“It was a big player safety and health issue for us.”

– Randy Ambrosie, on the 3rd bye week that was added in 2018

“This is one of those times where my personal experience as a player came through because I thought long and hard about it. I 10 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

spoke to my wife and said I wasn’t sure that that the more time the body has to recover from I could have played three games in 15 days and aches and pains the better it will be. she laughed and said there was no way I could Whether the name is Johnny Manziel or have done it,” he says. an unknown player from a small, little-known “We’ve made several key moves on player college, the CFL makes it a priority to ensure safety that I’m quite proud about, but we’re all players are treated the same. Some players still assessing what the outcome will be,” he come into the league with a signifi cant personal continues. brand while others develop it during their time in The CFL has some preliminary statistics that the league. are showing injuries have decreased. One of the “Look at Mike Reilly in Edmonton,” off ers reasons could be that the players are receiving Ambrosie. “I don’t know that Mike came to the more rest between games. Additional evidence CFL with a household name, but today in this will be gathered before any concrete decisions country in the game of football and the world are made, but common sense would dictate of football is deserving of every of 11 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

every ounce of the status he’s earned. There is today. In fact, the Grey Cup was fi rst donated also and so many others who by Governor General Earl Grey in 1909 to the play this great game. You always want to profi le team winning the Senior Amateur Football players with a brand. The fans love our stars and Championship of Canada. we want to do everything we can to support and The CFL was formed in 1958 following the promote them.” merger of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union founded in 1907 and the Western 60th Anniversary Interprovincial Football Union founded in 1936. This is the 60th season of the CFL and 2018 The game of rugby was fi rst played in Canada marks the championship. The in the 1860s and it underwent a of 46-year disparity can be attributed to the fact iterations to the point of it resembling the that Lord Grey’s Cup originated with rugby. gridiron game we now know today. It’s an interesting historical evolution to the “Our league is an important part of Canada point where the league and the Cup fi nds itself and its history and culture,” says Ambrosie. 12 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 13 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

According to Ambrosie there is a responsibility on everyone who is a part of the CFL to ensure everything is done to grow the game and share it with existing fans while bringing in new fans as well. Strong television numbers confi rm that the league is indeed attracting large viewership numbers, which in turn makes sponsors and advertisers extremely pleased.

“Our league is an important part of Canada and its history and culture.”

– Randy Ambrosie, CFL Commissioner

“Not only are our overall ratings up overall, but we are up dramatically in the important 18-49 category,” says Ambrosie. “From my vantage point this league is destined to be bigger and stronger. We’ve got a great broadcast partner in TSN.” Perhaps one aspect of the job that has surprised Ambrosie the most is just how public the role of commissioner would be and it’s something he’s enjoyed immensely. The responsibilities provide ample opportunities to visit stadiums and speak with owners, players and fans right across the country. In the business of football the commissioner’s job has all the complexities that any other CEO level job would entail – it just happens to revolve around a sports product. “Being away from the game for quite a number of years I’ve been amazed at just how 14 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

quickly I have found myself getting those “I was kind of facing a blind terror last year same feelings back that I had as a player. There’s as we went through all of the things I’d have nothing like the excitement of sports. It creates to do and I had no frame of reference,” laughs an energy level that gets your motor running Ambrosie. “But now we fast forward to today and brings about an undeniable energy,” says and I’ve now got a much better feel for how Ambrosie. busy the week will be.” Prior to the discussion with Ambrosie he had “I always look forward to seeing fans from just wrapped up a series of meetings with the coast to coast that gather for this national Grey Cup organizing team and going through celebration,” continues Ambrosie. “It’s one of the the complete schedule of events in Edmonton. greatest days on the Canadian calendar.” Needless to say he feels much more at ease this year on his second go-around having last year’s Expansion experiences to reference. The topic of CFL expansion is defi nitely on the 15 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

table, but it has to make good business sense for “We need to lay down those last miles of the league. Followers of the league would love track and having our league extend all the way nothing more than to see a balanced east and with a team in Halifax,” he says. , with fi ve teams on each side. It’s a desire that will hopefully come to fruition in the “We are right now in active not-too-distant future. conversations with a group that “We are right now in active conversations are determined to put a team in with a group that are determined to put a team Halifax.” in Halifax,” confi rms Ambrosie, who feels that it is an unfi nished piece of business for the CFL. He – Randy Ambrosie, CFL Commissioner likens it to a national railway that doesn’t quite stretch from coast to coast. 16 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 17 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

From a business perspective, the CFL has had excellent support from Halifax Mayor Mike Savage and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil. “I’m excited to see that project through. Obviously the big issue is building a stadium but the community seems excited and we’re happy to support the eff orts of this group that are working on it. I think it would set the league on a path to a bigger future and I’m looking forward to seeing it come to fruition,” says the commissioner. CFL 2.0 Ambrosie and his executive team are now well into the planning of what they are calling CFL 2.0, which has its roots in developing a much more international Canadian Football League. There are at least 30 countries in the world that are now playing competitive gridiron football. The game has grown by leaps and bounds over the last two decades. To this point most all players have come from North America with very few exceptions. Ambrosie realizes there is an opportunity to welcome the rest of the world and for the league to be an aggregator of international talent. “Our board of governors is excited by the idea of a bigger international Canadian Football League. Everywhere I turn I see opportunities to grow and build our game,” says Ambrosie The CFL has initiated conversations with a group that are operating a professional football league in Mexico. Ambrosie was also recently in England and talked to the group that is running 18 SPORTS » CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 19 NOVEMBER 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal

the British American Football Association. There is great football being played in Germany, Austria, France and Italy. Many of these countries and their leagues could potentially serve as farm systems with the best players graduating to play here to Canada. Ambrosie is looking forward to bringing the best football players around from around the world and have them entertain fans of the CFL. “I love going to work and being partners with all nine team presidents. And then, the governors who are amazing people who’ve had personal successes that would be the envy of anyone,” he says. There are so many layers to this unfolding story and that’s the interesting part for Ambrosie. He revels in the opportunity to work with great people, sponsors, international companies and engaging with fans from across the country. “We’ve had a very good year both on the fi eld and off it, but what’s fascinating to me is the appetite that this board of governors have for us to take the league to new heights. They are a remarkable group to work with,” concludes Ambrosie. “The fans are excited about having a bigger, stronger league. As good as things are in 2018 everyone has high expectations for what we can accomplish in seasons to come.” CBJ

www.cfl .ca AS SEEN IN THE NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE OF THE CANADIAN BUSINESS JOURNAL

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