The Edmonton Elks parted ways with President and CEO Victor Cui on Tuesday. The 51-year-old was hired in January 2022 to succeed Chris Presson, who was fired following the 2021 season. In addition, Cui was hired one month after Edmonton brought Chris Jones back to be the head coach.
“I have made the difficult decision to step back from the Club and focus on my family. Despite the team’s current record, I have full confidence that the positives we are starting to see on the field will lead to success moving forward,” said Cui. “I want to thank the Board for this incredible opportunity and look forward to my role as a lifelong fan.”
The Elks lost their 22nd straight home game last week against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They have gone 4-23 in the regular season and are the last remaining winless team in the CFL with a 0-9 record. The last time they won a game at Commonwealth Stadium was on October 12, 2019, over the B.C. Lions 19-6 when they were known as the Eskimos.
In 2022, the Elks recorded a net loss of $3.3 million. It’s the fourth straight season where the Elks have lost money. Attendance dwindled by 9.2 percent from 2021 to 2022 as the Elks have averaged 23,787 fans per regular season game. This year, the Elks have averaged 24,709 fans per game but attendance figures from last week’s game against Winnipeg are unavailable.
“We thank Victor for his work during his time with the Club. This was a difficult decision for everyone involved, but as a Board we believe it’s in the best interests of all parties to move in a new direction,” said Tom Richards, Chair of the EE Football Club Board of Directors.
“The Board has the utmost confidence in the Club’s senior business leadership team, who continue to work hard during a challenging time for the Club. Collectively, we are committed to making sure the Edmonton Elks remain a community-owned team that all Edmontonians can be proud of.”
