COHON TO STEP DOWN
TORONTO – Mark Cohon, one of the longest serving and accomplished Commissioners in the history of the Canadian Football League, announced today that he will not seek a renewal of his contract which expires next Spring.
“When I started eight seasons ago, it was my goal to work closely with the Board of Governors to transform the CFL. Together, we have accomplished our goals and much more,” Cohon said.
“From our transformative TV deal with Bell Media, to the renaissance in new and remodeled stadiums across the country, to the reintroduction of CFL football in our nation’s capital, to the first comprehensive drug policy in CFL history, to a well-structured new CBA with our players, we have achieved so much,” he added.
“With the positive work we have done, the time is approaching for me to tackle new opportunities and new ventures, and I have informed our Board of Governors of my decision.”
Jim Lawson, Chairman of the Canadian Football League’s Board of Governors, said the league has made tremendous strides during Cohon’s tenure.
“Mark has vastly improved the league’s business model and brought innovation to our game, while at the same time connecting deeply with our broad and growing fan base,” Lawson said. “He will always be known as the fans’ Commissioner.”
Cohon thanked several groups for their contributions to the CFL.
“Football is the ultimate team sport, and all of the league’s accomplishments are the product of the vision and work of many people: committed franchise owners and chairs, team presidents and staff, and of course our players, who are elite athletes and even better people,” Cohon said.
“But the credit for everything and anything we do ultimately belongs to the people who make everything in the CFL possible: our fans.”
Cohon has done a great job on the business side of the CFL. Revenues have increased tremendously and the league is no longer held together with binder twine and duct tape. HOWEVER, the football side of the business is suffering worse than it has in maybe 25 years. I would prefer to have Cohon, or someone like him now, be the CEO of the CFL with a new Commissioner reporting to him. The league needs two people now. One business person and one football person.
I don't think the players will agree with all he has accomplished as he screwed them over with the new contract
Let me ask you something. When it's called Collective Bargaining with the emphasis on collective and bargaining meaning give and take where did he screw anyone over? The Players screwed themselves, by not being organized or not getting involved in their Association. On a separate note I expected him to be done next season as with the opportunities out there he'll write his own ticket. This was a stop, he did what was required and now he's moving onto bigger and better. Cohon's tenure was a resounding success. If I had one wish I want to see the Canadian ratio… Read more »
Obama, why don't you take a permanent hike and start your own blog. No-one wants your ranting
Which is why everyone replies to him.
Cohon sunk to a new low by allowing Reebok to belittle the league with those ugly Signature Uniforms.
Eight years later and not one bit closer to a team in the Maritimes.
He did the owners bidding. Sadly the owners are too self interested to completely understand the good for the entire league. 8 years and no improvement in reffing. Improved league exposure and tv contract but dismal on field performance. Like a good used car salesman he advertised and sold a product at a profit and is quickly leaving before the customer realizes the lemon purchased. A Toronto franchise with no home, financing difficulties in Hamilton, winnepeg, and sadly Regina will be his legacy. Good luck to the new commish. Tom Higgins will be looking for a job soon.
Her and Angelo Mosca should team up and take on Joe Kapp.
His legacy is that he's the one that took the league away from the CBC and Sportsnet with his ridiculous exclusive contract to TSN. I'm glad he's gone, trouble is it's one term too late.
yes, how terrible. the most lucrative tv deal the league has ever seen, withevery single game televised. I sure miss having to listen to half the away games on the radio.
I appreciated Rod's comment about the TSN deal on the Sports Cage. I see more NFL than CFL because I do not have cable TV. CTV has NFL games and play-off on Sunday. I go to watch the Rider away games at the 4 Seasons, but as far as other CFL games, I catch the highlights on the CFL website. CFL would be way more accessible if a few games were allowed on CBC.
Good man – League will find another person to step into this figurehead role. Truth of the matter is: the CFL Board of Governors (1 rep from each Team) run this League. Cohon just the one who relays the information (both ways) and represents the League on a daily basis. Does anyone think Wettenhall-Braley(2 teams)-Young, would actually give up control of this League to a CEO ?????
With his track record at getting the Argos sold or more stable and his total flop with the Maritime deal, I think he is fleeing a sinking ship.
Completely unrelated, but that might have been the funniest sportscage I've ever heard today. I can't believe you guys rehearse that and it just shows why you and Scruffy should do that show together every day. Who cares about the state of our field goal kicker when one guy is in the stands wearing a diaper while on the other side is an old woman smacking people with a cane! LOVE IT!!!
Darren
Don't forget Sharky Darren! Don't forget Sharky!
Who remembers the CBC "communist broadcasting corporation" handling of a Rider game that was preempted by Road to Avonlea…
Best thing that happened was to get rid of those gov't welfare bums (cbc)…
The Rock
Why do I suspect there is something more than just "time is approaching for me to tackle new opportunities and new ventures”? Is it because there has always been backroom issues with every other commissioner?
Why does a commissioner of the NFL, MLB and NBA essentially retire from that post and yet the CFL turns them over like getting a new dog?
'The Rock' does adequately describe the thing sitting on that poster's neck!
It's easy to complain, but the league is on very solid footing now. That contract with TSN is incredible. Most of the teams have solid ownership. There are new stadiums going up around the country and Ottawa is back. To those of us who remember the late '80s and '90s, that looks like success. I hope the league finds someone equally capable.
hes a good guy and was a success. the business is much stronger than before, he has labor peace. can't blame the commish for the on field product. TSN does a far superior job of broadcasting than CBC ever did. as for sinking ship..he may see that the Argo problem is beyond his capacity to solve and that plus Braley wanting to sell 2 teams isn't the brightest scenario. CFL commish's don't retire vs other leagues?..look at the pay difference lol. Roger Goodell, Bud Selig, David Stern were all paid >$25M yr. Bettman makes $8M. Cohon would be lucky to… Read more »