Hot News: Search begins for new CFL commish

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION Winnipeg native a potential candidate

EDMONTON -- The search for CFL commissioner Mark Cohon's replacement has begun in earnest and a Winnipeg native has surfaced as a potential candidate.

Cohon will wrap up a successful tenure as commissioner following the Grey Cup and could step down as early as the new year or as late as spring, depending on when a replacement can be hired and brought on board.

League board of governors chairman Jim Lawson is helping oversee the hunt for a new commissioner and a search committee has been working with human resources firm Spencer Stuart.

One name bandied about this weekend at the West semifinal is San Diego Chargers senior vice-president and chief marketing officer Ken Derrett. Born in Winnipeg, Derrett worked for the CFL in the '80s and has a strong name in corporate Canada after spending seven years running Labatt's sports and entertainment arm.

Derrett joined the NBA in 1995 and climbed to senior vice-president of global marketing before joining the Chargers in 2001. He hasn't been contacted by the CFL at this point and his interest in the job is unknown.

The most interesting news surrounding the process to date is not so much who is on the committee, but who isn't. Ken King from the Calgary Stampeders, Wayne Morsky from the Saskatchewan Roughriders and John Ruddy from the Ottawa Redblacks make up the committee.

No David Braley (B.C. and Toronto), Bob Young (Hamilton) or Bob Wetenhall (Montreal). The big three in CFL ownership circles are taking a backseat in the early going, but no doubt will have to give their blessing before any new commissioner is hired.

There is a genuine concern around the CFL the perception of Braley, Young and Wetenhall having too firm a grip on league business could prove unattractive to strong candidates.

Commissioners ultimately work for team owners, but they have to have autonomy and power to steer the league they're hired to run.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is the most powerful man in the league.

'In the old days, basically the owners ran the league, and almost ran it into the ground,' said Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider. 'Now it's Bettman's league. Basically he's the force behind everything we do.'

The strongest candidates for the CFL commissioner job will want to operate in a similar manner.

The search committee is looking for a leader who will has the skills to grow sponsorships, solve the issues in Toronto and lead the push for expansion to Atlantic Canada.

The search committee hopes to begin interviews early in the new year at the latest.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 17, 2014 C5

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