Mark Cohon to leave CFL in 2015

I, like many others, wondered “who the heck is Mark Cohon” when the CFL hired him as their commissioner 8 years ago. At the tender age of 40, he came to the CFL as a relative unknown after toiling away as an assistant to David Stern in the NBA. But after 8 years at the helm, Mark has to go down as one of, if not the best commissioner the CFL has had. A modest unassuming man he has navigated the CFL ship (which never seems far from a reef) through TV deals, through two tough labour negotiations and has overseen the revival of football in Ottawa. Not bad for an 8 year tenure.

I do not know Mark personally but have met him a few times at Grey Cup. What to me singles him out from other past commissoners of the CFL is how much he really got this league. In particular how he really got the fans. Whenever I’ve heard him speak, it seems like 10 minutes didn’t go by without him reverting to the CFL fans and how they’re the back bone of this league. When he first introduced the fan forum on Grey Cup weekend (a chance to meet the commissioner and ask him questions), I thought, yeah right, who wants to go to that! Well, now it’s a standard item on my Grey Cup itinerary. Friday, 11am. Last year, the forum started 45 minutes late. Not because Mark didn’t get there, but because he walked the line of about 300 people waiting to get into the Delta ballroom in Regina and shook every persons hand and engaged them in conversation without regard for the urgency of the clock.

It’s that regard for the fans, and his regard of the history of the league and his passion for it that defined him as a Comissioner.

At 48 I’m sure Mark will have plenty of opportunities ahead regardless of where his career takes him. I’m simply glad he saw fit to serve the CFL for 8 years. Good Luck Mark Cohon, and thanks for your dedicated service to the Canadian Football League.