Departing CFL commissioner Orridge prepares to hand off the job — with no one yet in place to take it

The 2017 Canadian Football League season is less than a month away from kicking off. While teams have started training camps, the league is busy with the search for a new commissioner.

After just two years in the role, Jeffrey Orridge announced in April he would be stepping down at the end of June. Orridge pointed to "differing views" with the board of governors as his reason for leaving.

CBC Sports sat down with Orridge to talk about the work he's done, what achievements he's proud of, and his stance on the link between football and degenerative brain disease. 

[Editor's note: Answers have been edited for length and clarity.]

CBC Sports: What does differing views mean?

Jeffrey Orridge: I'm not going to get into details on differing views but suffice to say the board of governors and I had different views on the future of the league. The important thing is that we have a strategic plan in place. That strategic plan has been working. We've had tremendous results from it already, in terms of being able to get the attention and keep the engagement of that next generation of fans. Viewership among women is up. TV viewership is up. All those key indicators bode well for the future and I think that's what's important.

CBC: When did the conversation around differing views start taking place?

Orridge: Nothing is seamless, ever. There may be differing views depending on the time and circumstance and subject matter we're discusing at that time. You've got 27 different people (on the board), nine different teams and a commissioner who has a point of view. There's always going to be the possibility for tension or not completely being aligned. It was a discussion and decision that the board of governors and I agreed to part ways and it was based on differing views of the future.

CBC: You were hired with the expectation of taking the league to the next level. Do you think you've done that?

Orridge: I'm very comfortable with what we've done collectively over the last couple of years both on the field and of the field. I think the job of the commissioner is promote the league and also to protect the league. To promote it in terms of making sure our avid fans continue to get the news and information they've been accustomed to and also engage that next generation of fans. We've focused on social media, a new website, and getting involved with the leaders in fantasy gaming. Having a CFL presence in the Madden, EA Mobile Game. It's all those things to keep us relevant. Off the field, in terms of integrity of the league, of violence against women policy and expanding our relationship with the You Can Play Organization. 

CBC: Was the job what you expected it would be?

Orridge: I think what's really interesting is there is no degree or school on how to be commissioner. You're learning constantly. There's no blueprint to follow. In your first year it's such a complicated job and such a complicated role, but if you're clear on the vision and mandate on what you set out to accomplish, and what the board and you are aligned with accomplishing, that's what's important. It has met and exceeded my expectations in terms of the challenges and the opportunities. There are benefits and burdens of being the commissioner.

CBC: How difficult has it been to take hard stances on issues in the league?

Orridge: I'm hired to fulfill the mandate of the board of governors. I'm hired to help create policies that are beneficial to the league. I'm fulfilling my job when I'm enforcing the policies that we've all agreed to; enforcing the rules and regulations that the league has to adhere to. And that's what I've done. In the absence of policies that make it more difficult for the league to advance, we need to devise those policies and implement them. Like enhancing the drug-testing policy. Those things are important for the integrity of the league and to instill confidence in the fans in the league.

CBC: What do you want to say about the linkage between football and degenerative brain disease?

Orridge: We all take concussions very seriously. I've got two sons (ages 12 and seven) and they're very active in sport. I want to make sure they're as safe as possible when participating in any sport. Football is not the only sport where there's a possibility of being concussed. Everything from competitive cheerleading to gymnastics to youth soccer. So we all have to take those things very seriously. We need to put those things in place that will help and that's what we're doing here.

By the end of 2017 we have a program called the Safe Contact Program, where we're working with Football Canada to ensure that amateur coaches get certified in safe blocking and tackling techniques. It starts at the grassroots.

The second thing is we've instituted an injury spotter in the command centre where if there's a player in distress we can just call down and send the video to the medical staff. We've added concussion protocols to augment what we're currently doing. We're putting all these things in place for player health and safety.

We recognize that concussions are serious and we want to do everything we can to protect the people who participate in the game. The players are our most valuable asset.

CBC: To be clear, you stand by your comments (that there is a lack of conclusive evidence linking football and degenerative brain disease) that came under scrutiny regarding this issue?

Orridge: I would like nothing more for there to be conclusion, scientific and medical evidence that every one of those experts agree upon. But the latest addition of the British Journal on Sports Medicine states — these experts state — that at this point more research is necessary and at this point there's no conclusive evidence to say there's a linkage between sports-related concussion and CTE.

I'm not an expert on this but we work very closely with the scientific and medical community. I'm merely stating based on scientific and medical evidence that according to those experts, they haven't determined, and they're working towards that and we all hope that one day there will be some conclusive documentation that is agreed upon in the scientific and medical community.

CBC: What are you proud of?

Orridge: I think I'm most proud of the progress we've made in the last two years. The fact that we continue to be more relevant to our fans and extend our reach and continue to deepen our relationships with our corporate partners and fans. It's also not just what happens on the field but the integrity of what happens off the field. As long as we continue to use sport in that way, to espouse social good, and create positive change not just for the players but the fans, those are the things that are important.

CBC: Did you ever really feel comfortable in this role?

Orridge: I felt at home when I first got here, but once again, there's no blueprint for this job. It is learning as you go because challenges and opportunities arise every day. There were times when you feel like, we made the right decision at the right time and then there are other times you recognize the ideal is not what's able to be accomplished at that time. I'm very comfortable and confident in the decisions I made with the help and endorsement of many people.

CBC: What's next for Jeffrey Orridge?

Orridge: It may sound trite but I continue to be blessed with opportunities to help youth and kids. To contibute to my community and country and that's what I'm going to continue to try to do.

CBC: What advice do you have for the next commissioner?

Orridge: Assess what we have and all the positive momentum, the great foundation that was laid for me to take advantage of and what we've been able to do in the last couple of years and build on that. Capitalize on the momentum that we've started with new and innovative things under my watch. Everything from social media to a dynamic website to all kinds of new engagement. Scoring is up. Penalties are down. There's parity in the league. Capitalize on that and always be innovative.

There's so much competition in the global market place. It's not just competing for eyeballs or share of wallet in Canada, it's the global landscape that's challenging not just in sport but also entertainment. So you always have to be looking for the next opportunity to provide engaging, compelling entertainment for your current fans and to acquire those new fans.