Randy Ambrosie to retire in 2025 after 7 years as CFL commissioner

In November, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie will hand off the Grey Cup for the final time.

Ambrosie made the surprising announcement Saturday that he will retire sometime in 2025. The 61-year-old Winnipeg native will formally step down once his successor has been found.

"I feel like I'm jumping out at a point where I've helped to take the league to a much better place," Ambrosie told The Canadian Press. "I'm jumping out at a time when the foundation of the league is infinitely stronger than it was.

"Now, I get to turn it over to the next person and wish them well. I will be the biggest CFL cheerleader, which I feel I have been, and I get to continue that for many years to come. It just felt the right time for the league and for me to make this change."

Ambrosie, who played nine seasons (1985-93) as an offensive lineman with Calgary, Toronto and Edmonton, was named the league's 14th commissioner July 5, 2017, succeeding Jeffrey Orridge. His seven-plus year tenure is the second-longest ever behind the late Jake Gaudaur (1968-84).

WATCH | Ambrosie describes challenges facing the CFL post-pandemic: 

The challenges facing the CFL

3 years ago

Duration 1:58

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the pandemic forced the league to rethink its business model in his first state-of-the-league address since 2019. There are plans for a revenue-sharing initiative between teams and a new gambling partnership, but players say they want officials to do a better job marketing their plays to football fans.

The timing of Ambrosie's decision is shocking. Last year, during his annual Grey Cup address, Ambrosie said he had no immediate plans to step down.

Conventional thinking suggested Ambrosie would remain on the job at least through the '26 season, when the league's broadcast deals expired.

"It's been almost seven-and-a-half years of seven days a week, sometimes feeling like 24 hours a day," Ambrosie said.

By retiring in 2025, Ambrosie said he's giving his successor time to get acclimated with the job and prepare for negotiations on new TV deals. Once the new broadcast deals are signed, the league's collective bargaining agreement with the CFL Players' Association can be reopened despite still having two years remaining on it.

But there've been signs of discontent. In September, Winnipeg president Wade Miller was critical of both Ambrosie and CFL after Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was forced to leave the club's 35-33 Labour Day win over Saskatchewan reportedly with a head injury.