Canadian Football League Names Its New First Black Commissioner: Jeffrey Orridge

TORONTO, Ontario – The CFL has named Jeffrey Orridge as its new commissioner.

The league introduced Orridge, who had been the executive director of CBC Sports, at a news conference in Toronto on Tuesday.

Orridge succeeds Mark Cohon, who served eight years as commissioner before leaving the post in January.

Orridge was born and raised in New York and has lived in Canada since 2007. He was the COO and head of global business development at non-profit organization Right To Play International prior to joining the CBC in 2011. He also spent time as a marketing executive with Reebok and as an executive with USA Basketball.

“My international experience and background have only reinforced for me the importance of the Canadian Football League,” Orridge said. “Its place in Canadian culture, on the Canadian sporting landscape, and in the hearts and minds of Canadians make this a responsibility I take very seriously and an opportunity for which I am very grateful.”

Orridge negotiated the media rights to several Olympic Games for the CBC, but was also at the helm when the CBC lost control of its NHL rights to Rogers last year.

He becomes the 13th commissioner in CFL history.

“[Orridge] has every skill set our board was looking for and he clearly understands what our league means to this country and what our fans and partners mean to this league,” said Jim Lawson, chairman of the CFL’s board of governors.

Orridge’s official start date is April 29.

Reprinted from cbc.ca.