A CFL source, speaking on condition of anonymity, has suggested that the Edmonton Elks may be sold to private ownership. According to the source, Larry Thompson, former owner of Thompson Brothers Construction, is being considered as the new owner. It also seems like Thompson might be eager to restore the team to its original identity of the “Edmonton Eskimos.”
Edmonton’s CFL team, known as the “Eskimos” from 1949 to 2020, faced increasing scrutiny over its name, which was deemed offensive to Canada’s northern Indigenous Inuit population. The controversy intensified in 2020, prompting significant pressure from major sponsors, including Boston Pizza, Belair Direct, and Sports Interaction, to change the name.
As a result, the team temporarily rebranded as the “EE Football Team” during the summer of 2020 before officially adopting the name “Elks” in 2021. This rebranding was part of a broader trend in professional sports, with both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) also addressing and revising team names with offensive connotations toward Indigenous peoples.
If the transaction proceeds, it would leave the CFL with just two community-owned franchises: the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Currently, the Elks are in last place in the Western Division with a record of 2-7, although they have recently won their last two games.
Last November, the Elks formed a five-person committee to evaluate its ownership structure in response to financial struggles. The team, which has been community-owned since its founding in 1949, reported a $3.3 million deficit in 2022 and has been seeking private investment to stabilize its future.
On Sunday, the Elks beat the B.C. Lions 33-16. Their next game will be on Saturday against the Tiger Cats
Thompson is expected to be introduced as the Elks’ new owner on Thursday morning.
