CFL commissioner tackles tough topics in mid-season update

The 2024 CFL season has been a busy one for commissioner Randy Ambrosie.

It started with Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly being suspended for violating the league’s gender-based violence policy.

That was followed by Montreal Alouettes defensive end Shawn Lemon being suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s gambling policy.

There’s one again been controversy surrounding the CFL command centre, and fans are questioning the schedule and asking whether the rouge should still be a rule.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ambrosie spoke with The Green Zone’s Jamie Nye and Drew Remenda to share his thoughts on some of the biggest topics on the minds of fans.

The command centre

The CFL command centre – which reviews controversial plays and calls before making rulings based on video reviews – is a topic of conversation every year for league’s fans.

The most recent controversy surrounding it saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders have to settle for a tie rather than a win because of a roughing-the-passer call made by the command centre against the Green and White on third down during an overtime game against the Ottawa Redblacks. Initially there was no penalty on the play, but then the command centre called everyone back to play the remainder of the game, leading to the tie.

Ambrosie said the league is continuing to make sure the command centre is focused on the “clear and obvious” standard when it reviews plays.

“We haven’t changed the standard, we’ve just reminded ourselves about what our standard is. I still believe, in the end, that the principal on which our command centre was created was to make sure the game wouldn’t be decided on what would be a clear and obvious error,” the commissioner said.

“I think we got away from it a little bit, and there will be lots of opportunity this off-season to discuss how we got there.”

“When I was talking with our guys, (I said) there should be no slo-mo, no back and forth. You look at the play as the referee will look at it, and if they got it wrong, they got it wrong. If it’s clear and obvious, the command centre can play a vital role,” he added.

“I think we’re back to where we need to be, and then there’s more discussion to come.”

The rouge

It’s been exactly one week since the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost a game based on a missed field goal, thanks to the rouge.

With no time left on the clock in a tied game against the Toronto Argonauts last Thursday, Argos kicker Lirim Hajrullahu missed a go-ahead field goal. But because the ball went through the end zone, the Riders couldn’t return it, and the Argos won the game on the one-point single.

Ambrosie said he’d be open to debating the rule this winter.

“I think we have to have that conversation in the off-season, as we’ve had in the past. On one side, we have one group that loves the history of the league and loves what makes it unique. Part of that argument is it’s not about giving up a point for failure; it’s about field position, and the point is earned because you gained field position and put yourself in the position to score,” he explained.

“The other side is if you can’t return the ball. The conversation and debate will continue. I think we should have the conversations. We should engage our coaches and GMs and continue to listen to our fans.”

Scheduling

Scheduling is always a topic of conversation for the CFL, and this season is no exception.

Edmonton Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson has called out the league multiple times about how his team has had to play on short weeks and deal with long travel. He’s been fined as a result.

Right now, the league plays its games from Thursday to Sunday in the summer months. Ambrosie said the current schedule is working, but said the league will continue to try and address the issues.

“Scheduling is always a challenge, because not all of our teams have primary control over their stadiums. When we started this Thursday to Sunday (schedule), we thought it would be really good for TV ratings, and it has been. We’ve got something really good happening here,” the commissioner explained.

“Of course we’re going to look at making the schedule as positive as we can, but in the end I go back to things I heard in Regina, Saskatchewan and all across the country seven years ago – what are you going to do to grow our game? And one of the things that’s clearly worked for us is the Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule,” Ambrosie added.

“But it does, at times, leave us with some shorter turnarounds, and that’s the thing we’ll sit down and talk about.”

Looking ahead

Ambrosie said he’s excited to see what comes out of the Labour Day Classic this weekend, and the inaugural CFL Touchdown Pacific game between the B.C. Lions and Ottawa Redblacks in Victoria, as well as the other big rivalry games, which are always staples on the league’s calendar.

The Roughriders host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Labour Day Classic on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.