Inside the CFL: CFL’s commish sees reason for optimism in league’s future

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 21, 2025.

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The new commissioner of the CFL is Stewart Johnston , the former senior vice president, content and sales, Bell Media.
After graduating from Queen’s University in 1997, he began his career with TSN, progressing through the ranks until he became president of that organization. In 2024, he became senior vice president, content and sales, Bell Media.
Earlier this year he took over the Canadian Football League.
I asked him what one of the most powerful men in sports, and a nice guy to boot, was doing in a place like this, a league that since its heyday 50 years ago has had to fight for survival.
“Well phrased,” he laughed.
“It’s a culmination of a number of things. It begins with a passion I’ve had since I was a kid for the game of football. I grew up playing in the backyard every day with my brothers. I’d go to the park, running routes, kicking field-goals and so forth. I ended up playing in high school. I grew up in Ottawa so I followed the Rough Riders closely. My neighbour was the old punter Gerry Organ. His son was the same age as mine so I got an introduction. Really, through all of that just a passion for football.
“Then through a partnership with the CFL from my previous career over the span of two-plus decades, I was able to see and judge what kind of place the CFL is in right now. That filled me with optimism for a number of reasons.
“First, I think the board is as strong as I’ve seen it in the time I’ve been working with the CFL. We’ve got some very strong owners very passionate about the league.
“And we’re coming off some pretty good growth metrics. We are seeing an increase in television ratings, in revenues and attendance, certainly it is different from market to market, but as a whole. That filled me with positivity about the trend lines throughout the league.
“And finally, the skills I’ve developed over the course of my career in leading a large organization that’s very involved in the entertainment and sports business I thought would be very applicable to this role. So bringing all of that together it became very clear to me this was something I really wanted to do.”
He understands the challenges facing him.
“There is a competition for attention like we’ve never seen before in our society. We are in the attention economy and no matter what demographic you’re in there are a number of entertainment options fighting for your attention across many platforms.
“So how do we make sure this incredible sport we’ve got, this fantastic and very entertaining game continues on that trajectory and fights and wins the attention of consumers? That is our over-arching challenge, reaching our audience whether it’s a live audience at games or audiences on your phone, tablet, computer or television, reading it, consuming it.
“Commercial partners have a lot of options also that they can review to invest in and we’ve got to make sure we’re demonstrating that we are a great place for them to drive their messaging and return on investment, as well as our media partners.
“All of us in the entertainment and sports business face the same challenge. To narrow it down, it means the younger demographic which almost every established sports league in the world wants to make sure is introduced to their game properly and develops fandom.”
The 2025 season has been one of the most entertaining in recent memory. The fans are responding. “So far this year,” Johnston said, “our television numbers are up 11 per cent. I come from that world. There are very, very few established sports in North America that can claim to have growing television numbers. I think the quality of the game on the field is excellent. There are a lot of positives but there is a lot of work to do. We need to think everyday of the challenges were facing and the opportunities we can capitalize on.
“I do believe success comes one small step at a time. It’s a grind. There is no magic potion. We have to work incredibly hard to engage with current fans and potential future fans.
“There is reason for optimism.”
This looks like a marriage made in football heaven.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 53 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.