EDMONTON 鈥� In their 75th anniversary season, the Edmonton Elks have shifted from community to private ownership.
The new owner, heavy-construction magnate Larry Thompson, was introduced at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday. What isn鈥檛 clear are Thompson鈥檚 plans for the team name or if the club will remain at the 56,400 seat stadium.
Rumours have circulated that Thompson is keen on changing the team鈥檚 name back to "Eskimos". The CFL franchise adopted the Elks name in 2021.
"I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 a question for today,鈥� Thompson said when asked about the team鈥檚 brand. 鈥淭oday, I just want to be a fun, celebrative day for everybody, the fans, the city of Edmonton, the Elks club.
鈥淚 will be focusing in the future on 'Double E' more."
CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said the team鈥檚 strongest brand is the Double-E logo, no matter what the name of the team. It was changed after pressure from sponsors and Indigenous groups. It came at a time when Cleveland鈥檚 Major League Baseball franchise and Washington鈥檚 National Football League team dropped their long-standing racially charged names.
鈥淔irst and foremost, the brand I feel the most strongly about, and I think I speak for the alumni too, is the 'Double E'. I think the 'Double E' is a big part of Larry鈥檚 plan going forward. So I think largely that鈥檚 what will be the identity of this organization. Frankly, I鈥檓 very comfortable with that.
鈥淗ave we talked about it? We did, as part of getting to know one another, and the one thing Larry and I were very quick to agree on, we didn鈥檛 disagree on anything, we agreed that the 'Double E' is the brand that matters the most.鈥�
Interest in the team has steadily dropped even before COVID shut down the 2020 CFL season. The team closed the upper bowl of Commonwealth this season, but even with that, the lower bowl is often more than half empty. It鈥檚 a long way from the 1970s and 鈥�80s, when a football ticket was a hot item. The team has won 14 Grey Cups, including five straight from 1978 to 1982.
Thompson is a long-time first-row season-ticket holder. He said he attended his first CFL game back in 1972.
鈥淚鈥檝e been watching since I鈥檝e been 12 years old,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he first game I went to, I fell in love with the team, and I鈥檝e been watching them all my life.鈥�
The Elks haven鈥檛 been to the post-season since 2019, and have not played a home playoff game since 2015.
The team is 2-7 this year, but has won its last two.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 very simple,鈥� Thompson said when asked about what it will take to bring fans back. We need to bring back our winning ways.鈥�
The stadium is also an issue. It is almost 50 years old, and was not good enough to make the cut to host games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Thompson said he met with Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi on Wednesday to discuss options, whether it鈥檚 a 鈥渕ajor revamp鈥� of Commonwealth, or if it鈥檚 time for the team to think about a new home.
鈥淚t could be an entirely new facility,鈥� he said.
Thompson sold his construction company, Thompson Construction Group, in 2023. It had 1,500 employees when the deal was made. He said that sale provided him the opportunity to pursue the Elks.
The sale price is 鈥渃onfidential,鈥� but interim chief executive officer and president Rick LeLacheur confirmed that it includes all assets the club holds
Last fall, the team created a special committee, charged with heading up a search team for a private owner.
Thompson said LeLacheur will remain until a new president is found, and that the search is ongoing.
鈥淭o move away from 75 years of community ownership was not taken lightly,鈥� said LeLacheur. 鈥淭he special committee and the board had a list of priorities for who they were looking for in the future of this club. They wanted to ensure we鈥檇 continue with a sense of community going forward鈥�
"There鈥檚 no doubt that Larry鈥檚 more comfortable on a road-building project, or working on his hobby with his antique cars and motorcycles, or actually sitting here as a fan in row one. But now he鈥檚 the owner of a CFL franchise."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2024.
Steven Sandor, The Canadian Press
