The CFL has officially named former TSN president Stewart Johnston the league's 15th commissioner.
The 54-year-old Johnston has spent his entire professional career connecting viewers with the news, sports and entertainment while giving Canadians from coast to coast to coast a reason cheer for their heroes. The longtime Bell Media executive will now focus his wealth of insight and experience on building his vision for the CFL.
“Long before I worked with TSN and RDS to broadcast the CFL, I was a fan. Growing up, I sat with family and friends, watching the legends of the game," Johnston said in a statement.
"I’ve loved working closely with this league, getting to know its stars and being a part of the most unforgettable celebration in Canadian sports — Grey Cup Week. To think that I will present that iconic trophy to this year’s winners in Winnipeg this November is a dream come true.”
Johnston was born in Toronto and grew up in Ottawa. He graduated from Queen’s University with a business degree. In 1997, his passion for sports led him to TSN. Over the next two-and-a-half decades, he rose through the ranks, growing the company. A football fanatic, he has a deep understanding about the fandom that flows throughout the Canadian sports community.
Johnston is a seasoned and successful sports rights negotiator with intimate knowledge about content distribution strategies and key relationships across major distribution partners. His experience includes leadership of a national advertising sales team with over 1,000 employees. He revolutionized the process of media buying by combining industry-leading data with the reach of Bell Media’s platforms.
As senior vice-president, content and sales at Bell Media, Johnston translated more than 25 years of knowledge gained in the sports landscape into content development across all English- and French-language video, audio and digital platforms for Bell Media’s range of assets, including Canada’s No. 1 broadcast network, CTV; the largest-Canadian-owned video streaming service, Crave; as well as TSN and RDS, Noovo, Bell Media Studios and iHeartRadio Canada.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stewart as our next Commissioner,” Scott Banda, chair of the board of governors, said in a statement. “What he has built at Bell Media is nothing short of remarkable. His in-depth familiarity with sports business in Canada and his lengthy history of success in the media industry and as an executive, made him the ideal candidate for commissioner.”
As Banda and the board look to the future of the league, the governors also recognize the contributions made by the 14th commissioner, Randy Ambrosie, who will continue to lead the day-to-day operations until Johnston officially takes on the role beginning April 24.
“On behalf of the Canadian football community, I’d like to extend our gratitude to Randy,” Banda said. “Over the past seven-and-a-half years, he laid an extremely solid foundation for our game and league. It is on that bedrock that we now entrust Stewart with the task of taking the CFL to new heights.”
Looking ahead, Johnston sees unlimited possibilities to honour the league’s past, while setting the stage for the next generation of fans and players.
“It’s been wonderful to see how far the league has come, with special thanks to Randy’s stewardship,” Johnston said in a statement. “But it’s the future that excites me. It’s what’s to come that inspires me. As we look ahead, our mission is clear: to grow the game of football, to enhance the entertainment experience for our fans, and to ensure the sustainability and success of our league for generations to come.”
