'I’ve learned to become comfortable being uncomfortable': Eskimos president and CEO discusses first year on the job

Esks’s new CEO tries to keep team afloat He’s been on the job for less than a year, now Eskimos Team President and CEO Chris Presson has to keep the team going during a pandemic. Adam Cook reports.

Edmonton — Chris Presson has been on the job for less than a year and faces the biggest challenge of his professional life, trying to keep one of the CFL’s flagship teams afloat during a pandemic and financial crisis.

“Almost 30 years in this business and I’ve never encountered anything like this.

"Initially it was changing really week by week, then, it became day by day and now it’s really down to hour by hour,” said Presson.

The first-year CFL executive has already had to make tough decisions after the season was stopped because of COVID-19. Twenty-six employees were laid off temporarily, including longtime equipment manager Dwayne Mandrusiak, who was entering his 50th season.

“I was just on the phone with one those I had to layoff. Just checking in and seeing how he was doing. We certainly had to do it in order to try and live another day,” Presson said from his home in Phoenix, AZ.

The CFL is a gate-driven league. Its main revenue stream is ticket sales and fans in the stands. The league is awaiting a decision from the federal government on its request for financial aid.

“We need it simply because if we have a shortened season that presents challenges, not only in 2020, but in 2021 as well,” said Presson.

The Eskimos have not cancelled season tickets or offered refunds to fans yet because the team doesn’t know if or when games can be played.

As for a possible season, Presson says starting in September would be the earliest.

“We can’t use our facility until at least August 31 and so what does that look like for the four other teams in our league that are in the same situation? The city has assured me as recently as last Friday that when we’re ready to go, they’ll be ready to go and I never doubted.”