New CFL commissioner always supported FRC; he’s gotta be good

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Congratulations and good luck, Stew!

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I figure I can call the new CFL commissioner by his first name because Stewart Johnston and I go waaaaaayyyyy back. While he was running TSN, I was secretary-treasurer for the Football Reporters of Canada. Every year I’d send an email inviting him to attend and speak at our Grey Cup brunch/AGM/Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

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I’d also politely ask if TSN would continue sponsoring the FRC.

Every year his amazing executive assistants would reply: “Yes, Stewart will attend the brunch and please submit an invoice for your FRC sponsorship.” On Grey Cup morning, having submitted the sponsorship invoice, I’d greet Stewart and his TSN entourage at our brunch, chat for a little while and thank him for supporting our organization. It was typically a short, friendly visit ending with, “See you next year!”

Johnston always insisted the FRC was important and that TSN would continue to support the group that selects all-stars and league award winners, inducts media members into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, diligently reports league happenings and negotiates the CFL’s media policy. How could a dues-paying FRC member not appreciate that?

Then we would enjoy our traditional buffet of bacon, sausages and scrambled eggs — except for the disastrous time in Calgary when the hotel’s catering staff was short-handed and the hour-long delay was a great way for then-commissioner Randy Ambrosie to joke in his speech about the FRC’s ineptitude.

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Ambrosie earned that right. The reporters who follow the CFL closely frequently criticize the league’s commissioner, but many of us realize he’s a decent guy with a target on his back, so turnabout is fair play.

When Ambrosie announced in October he was leaving the job after seven years, most of the media believed he was being pushed aside by the league’s nine governors, who actually run the league while using the commissioner as a front-man for their decisions. Ambrosie reportedly lost support from five of the nine teams — the Saskatchewan Roughriders were still on his side — forcing his retirement.

Ambrosie’s biggest gaffe during his term came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he seemed totally unprepared when requesting financial help from the federal government to offset losses caused by the cancellation of the 2020 season.

Ambrosie even got chided when announcing good news — because the league had $18 million in extra revenue every team’s salary cap would be increasing by $400,000 this season, but the announcement came after free agency had started and most players had already agreed to new contracts.

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A three-year-old partnership with Genius Sports was a disaster, giving away 10 per cent of league ownership for a statistical/gaming program that flopped badly. His idea to add global players to the roster resulted primarily in the departure of popular, veteran Canadian kickers. And like so many of his predecessors, Ambrosie wasn’t able to add a 10th Canadian franchise.

There were times when the CFL changed commissioners more frequently than socks. Ambrosie lasted substantially longer than Michael Lysko and Jeffrey Orridge. His term wasn’t as tumultuous as Larry Smith’s or Tom Wright’s, nor was Ambrosie as soothing as Mark Cohon or Doug Mitchell. But give Ambrosie credit for this: There has never been as strong a group of owners as the CFL has now, with seven wealthy backers and two community-owned franchises (in Saskatchewan and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers).

A former CFL offensive lineman, Ambrosie had a playing and financial background when he took over. Johnston is a media guy, responsible for TSN’s long-standing relationship as the CFL’s host broadcaster. As he climbed the Bell Media corporate ladder, Johnston has adapted to frequent downsizing of a multi-billion-dollar company while the delivery landscape has kept growing.

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A true football fan, Johnston has dealt with CFL governors and intimately knows the league’s inner workings, plus his knowledge of the TV agreement should help the league increase its broadcast revenues. During the four-month search for a new commissioner, Johnston’s name didn’t surface until The Canadian Press sports reporter Dan Ralph, attuned to the pending changes at TSN, announced a few days ago the boss was leaving to join the CFL.

Johnston is certainly prepared to handle many of the commissioner’s duties, including speaking at the FRC brunch. See you in the buffet line, Stew. Er … Mr. Commissioner.

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