Leos Name New Club President

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David
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BREAKING:
Matthew Sekeres‏ @mattsekeres
Rick LeLacheur, former Edmonton football club president, is new @BCLions president. Following in footsteps of Dennis Skulsky, makes two straight Edmontonians running the Leos.
Solid addition to the Den. I don't know his Vancouver contacts, but has a good track record with the Esks. Things are looking up, boys. :thup:


DH :cool:
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squishy35
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dtrain
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Shouldn't there have been a press conference, introduce him in person?
Seems like a missed opportunity.
JohnnyMusso
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He will not start till early January. He current job ends at the end of 2017. Likely press conference will come in January, for too busy with his current job.

Good move for BC. Seems Lions getting lots done, while the Als are spinning their wheels.
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Hambone
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I'll have to quiz my EE buddies about this one. For the most part I think Esk fans were happy with him until he hired Tillman. Many turned against him then.
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David
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It's natural to think that this hire has Ed's thumbprints on it (and he may well have had a hand in it), but I wonder if Skulsky was the one who was instrumental in getting LeLacheur here. Dennis is an Edmonton guy and may be tight with him from his time on the board. If so, this could lend further credence to the Waterboys being the next owners of the BC Lions as this would be a seamless transition for a new ownership group.

Doubtful he would be coming west for a "one (or two) and done." :2cents:


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Hambone
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David wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:32 pm
Doubtful he would be coming west for a "one (or two) and done." :2cents:


DH :cool:
Maybe he's just another of those damned Albertans who want to retire in the fair climes of the West Coast. He turns 70 in August.
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I like his resume, but was hoping we would see someone younger and local who has a pulse on the city and isn't in denial of where the team sits on the city's hierarchy of sporting and entertainment options.

Hopefully we see a complete revamp and regeneration of our marketing department.
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Hambone
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Rocko604 wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:18 pm
I like his resume, but was hoping we would see someone younger and local who has a pulse on the city and isn't in denial of where the team sits on the city's hierarchy of sporting and entertainment options.

Hopefully we see a complete revamp and regeneration of our marketing department.
My EE buddy Paul considers him a friend. He first met him back in the US experiment days on a trip to Sacramento when the Esks sold extra seats on their charter to fans to fill the plane, similar to Operation Orange. At that time RL was just a fan like him, taking the club up on the offer to fly with the team. He says Rick is knows the business and community aspects of running a CFL club very well. In addition to beg Prez and CEO of EE and his current gig with horse racing he also spent time heading up Economic Development Edmonton. The involvement in horse racing should not be understated. Not unlike the CFL horse racing has really struggled in recent years to stay relevant on the sporting scene. No doubt many similar challenges.
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CardiacKid
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Hambone wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:15 pm
David wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:32 pm
Doubtful he would be coming west for a "one (or two) and done." :2cents:


DH :cool:
Maybe he's just another of those damned Albertans who want to retire in the fair climes of the West Coast. He turns 70 in August.
I will keep an eye out for him in Parksville....
This seems rather surprising, I haven’t seen any reports or hints that the Lions were ready to announce a new President. Anybody get wind of his hiring?

Thank Bloody God this got done. Another year of a quasi-President would have been highly questionable.
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Hambone wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:15 pm
Maybe he's just another of those damned Albertans who want to retire in the fair climes of the West Coast. He turns 70 in August.
That was my thought exactly. LeLacheur is about seven years older than Skulsky and is about the same age that Bob Ackles was when he died just before his 70th birthday.
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Toppy Vann
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I'd not pick stock into his age one way or the other but it does make you wonder if this is part of a future sale of the club to a some sort of group he might be a part of is he just another safe Braley/Buono pick where the boat doesn't get rocked.


If this fellow is not part of a potential new ownership group the pick looks underwhelming following on the heels of Dennis Skulsky who, apart from his local connections was hardly a marketer. Not sure this fellow is either irrespective of his experience in football, racing and athletics leading at senior levels.

Not sure who locally there is but I'd not have blinked an eye if Scott Ackles was rolled out as President - but I really know little of him other than he left Alberta for BC. I 'd have liked to see someone with a marketing, customer experience/engagement flare as today's consumer is all about the experience.

I never understood why he left the President role for the Stampeders other than it sounded like he wanted to be here in Vancouver. The stories made it sound like his family was back on the coast.




https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ ... le1091746/
Ackles joined the Stamps in March of 2007 as senior vice-president of club operations and became the club’s 27th president on Dec. 12, 2007.Forzanicropped.jpg

Under his watch, the Stamps set a franchise-record for attendance and had the Canadian Football League’s largest season-ticket base in 2009.

He also was at the helm of the highly successful 2009 Grey Cup Festival.

“The Calgary Stampeders would like to thank Scott for his leadership the past three years and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said John Forzani, the club’s managing partner of business operations.

“We’ve known for some time that he wouldn’t return for 2010 and he did a tremendous job this season, culminating with a very successful hosting of the Grey Cup.”

Ackles has far better credentials than the new appointee.
http://www.bcfootballhalloffame.com/dir ... ckles.html
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B.C.FAN
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I don't know that Scott Ackles wants the job. He certainly didn't indicate much interest in my one conversation with him about it two years ago, even though I told him that fans were touting him as a potential successor to Skulsky. Ackles seemed content with his position as vice-president of sales, marketing & communications at Paladin Security Group Ltd.
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Lowell Ullrich likes their recent moves:
http://3downnation.com/2017/12/18/lelac ... on-exodus/

“Truth be told, Braley could bring the great Norm Kimball to lead the charge back to respectability but if the guy on the ground running the operation isn’t spending the money in the right places a turnaround is difficult.

But in coaxing the 69-year-old LeLacheur back to the CFL the Lions have an experienced hand who demonstrated an ability to roll up his sleeves and get things done in the Alberta capital.”

“If LeLacheur reconnects even half of the Lower Mainland business community which have pulled their support since the passing of Bob Ackles back to the Lions, it’s a step in the right direction. It’s clear the best part of the Lions’ 2017 season has come after playing their final game.”
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Other than his experience running the Esks for a few years, he also was involved and chaired the World Athletic Championships in Edmonton back in 2001. I dealt with him a bit in that capacity. IIRC he is an accountant by profession. He's no marketer, and his age, leads me to think this is a shorter term administrative stabilization type hire.
Don't expect a lot of sizzle with him personally, but I'm sure he's savvy to know to bring in some strong marketing people.
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