EDMONTON - The Edmonton Elks鈥 board of governors created a list of more than 20 candidates to serve as the CFL team's interim top executive.
But there was a clear No. 1 choice at the top of that list, and that was Rick LeLacheur.
LeLacheur was lured out of retirement and introduced as interim president and chief executive officer on Tuesday. He replaces Victor Cui, who parted ways with the team last week.
鈥淲e are a proud, community-owned team,鈥 said board of governors chair Tom Richards. 鈥淩ick brings us some instant credibility with our shareholders and our community.鈥
LeLacheur has held the president鈥檚 role previously with both Edmonton 鈥 winning Grey Cups in 2003 and 2005 鈥 and, later, the B.C. Lions, where he was tasked at finding new ownership for the team. He retired in 2022.
Before LeLacheur became Elks' president for the first time, he was the head of Economic Development Edmonton, and led the hosting effort for the 2001 World Championship in Athletics.
LeLacheur described himself as a "CFL lifer."
鈥淥n the football side, I鈥檒l take it game by game,鈥 said LeLacheur. 鈥淥n the business side, I鈥檒l have to look into everything that鈥檚 been going on and the financials. It鈥檚 no secret that the team has been struggling.
"I鈥檓 not going to be able to flip a switch and change things overnight. This is a longer term fix, but I鈥檓 committed 鈥 to Tom and the board particularly 鈥 that I am going to be here for the next four months as we look for a new CEO.鈥
LeLacheur will have a strong voice in finding the Elks鈥 permanent president and CEO, but said when his time is up, he will not look to extend his stay.
"I won鈥檛 be a candidate for the full-time CEO going past my interim basis."
The Elks moved to 1-9 on the season after a win in Hamilton last week but are in the midst of a North American pro-sports record 22-game losing streak on home turf. That streak stretches back to 2019. The Elks host the Ottawa Redblacks on Sunday.
And the team has been bleeding fans. Edmonton averaged 23,787 spectators in 2022, compared to the league-high 31,517 fans it averaged in 2015. The Elks drew an announced crowd of 19,921 to their 38-29 home loss to Winnipeg two weeks ago, but the eyeball test would have pegged the crowd at a much lower number. And, of those in attendance, many were wearing Blue Bombers jerseys.
Cui, who grew up in Edmonton but made his name in Asia as the co-founder of the mixed-martial arts promoter, ONE Championship, was hired to be the Elks president and CEO in January 2022. But, after a season and a half on the job, Cui signed off on his resignation after coming to a mutual agreement with the Elks鈥 board that he and the club should part ways.
LeLacheur said he will spend the rest of the week meeting with senior staff, asking them to make priority lists for what they see as areas that desperately need attention within the organization.
As he wound down his career with the Lions, LeLacheur saw what was happening with the Elks, and could not believe his eyes.
鈥淚t hurts. Internally, it hurts,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 was so busy in B.C., but I watched it from afar. To see what鈥檚 happened, particularly the empty seats, it鈥檚 not a good thing. It鈥檚 not a good thing for the Elks, it鈥檚 not a good thing for the CFL.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a lot of teams throughout the years of the CFL go up and down. I think the ownership of all of the teams in the CFL is probably the strongest it鈥檚 ever been, right now.鈥
When Cui鈥檚 departure was announced, Richards said it was going to take two to three weeks to find an interim CEO. But, it took just one. And that鈥檚 because LeLacheur was the clear candidate targeted by the board.
鈥淲e had a list of over 20,鈥 Richards said. 鈥淲e asked the board and others to put forward names, and then we said 鈥極K, we have to start narrowing this down.鈥 And every one of us who ranked (candidates) had Rick as the No. 1.鈥
The search for that permanent CEO has already begun. Richards said a request for proposals has already gone out, and 鈥渢hree to four鈥 search firms are also involved. So far, one r茅sum茅 has come in.
"We鈥檙e in the very early stages on that front," said Richards.
This report by 好色tvwas first published Aug. 22, 2023.
