Edmonton Elks, CEO/president Victor Cui 'mutually half methods'

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EDMONTON — Victor Cui is out as president and chief government officer of the Edmonton Elks.

The CFL membership made the official announcement Tuesday afternoon, saying Cui and the Elks have “mutually parted methods.”

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The Elks stated a seek for Cui’s substitute will start within the coming weeks.

The change on the high comes amid a depressing season for the Elks, who carry an 0-9 document into Week 11 of the marketing campaign.

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“I’ve made the troublesome determination to step again from the membership and give attention to my household,” Cui stated in a launch. “Regardless of the workforce’s present document, I’ve full confidence that the positives we’re beginning to see on the sphere will result in success transferring ahead.

“I wish to thank the board for this unimaginable alternative and look ahead to my position as a lifelong fan.”

Within the meantime, the franchise’s day-to-day enterprise operations might be dealt with by current enterprise operations senior management.

“We thank Victor for his work throughout his time with the membership. This was a troublesome determination for everybody concerned, however as a board we consider it’s in the most effective pursuits of all events to maneuver in a brand new route,” stated Tom Richards, chair of the workforce’s board of administrators.

Cui had served as Edmonton’s high government since January 2022, changing Chris Presson, who was fired following the ’21 season.

Cui, an Edmonton native, grew up watching the workforce play and referred to as his determination to affix the franchise, ‘a dream come true.’

However the Elks have struggled on the sphere throughout that point, having compiled a 4-23 regular-season document.

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Edmonton has additionally misplaced a CFL-record 22 straight house video games relationship again to 2019 and stays the league’s lone winless membership this yr.

Chris Jones, Edmonton’s head coach/GM, was already with the franchise when Cui was employed. Lately, although, Cui indicated making any modifications to the Elks’ soccer operations division could be “very troublesome.”

The Elks did undertake some daring new initiatives beneath Cui’s management.

On July 29, the Elks’ 27-0 loss to the B.C. Lions was broadcast in Punjabi, a primary in skilled soccer. Final season, Edmonton obtain one other franchise first when it had a regular-season matchup carried in Cree.

However Edmonton posted an working lack of $3.3 million in 2022, making it 4 straight years by which the community-owned membership has run at a deficit.

Edmonton averaged 23,787 spectators final yr, a far cry from the league-high 31,517 followers it averaged in 2015. The Elks drew an introduced crowd of 19,921 to their 38-29 house loss to Winnipeg final week.

Edmonton visits the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-5) on Thursday evening.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 15, 2023.