Elks president: Name change a ‘disaster’ for club - BERITAJA

EDMONTON – As the Edmonton Elks hole for their location opener Saturday, squad president Chris Morris says the fallout from the club’s 2021 sanction alteration remains 1 of the biggest obstacles successful rebuilding support among fans.

Morris, who spent 14 seasons connected Edmonton’s violative statement and won 3 Grey Cups pinch the club, said the franchise continues to woody pinch fallout from its 2021 sanction change.

“It was a disaster successful truthful galore ways,” Morris said of the modulation from the Eskimos to the Elks.

The nine changed its sanction aft years of disapproval from Inuit leaders and organizations who said the erstwhile sanction was violative and outdated. The move came amid broader unit connected sports teams to wantonness names viewed arsenic racist aliases stereotypical.

Morris said the determination alienated immoderate longtime supporters of 1 of the CFL’s about storied franchises.

“The group who had been section fans and the group who had grown to attraction and emotion and person a batch of respect for that contented were evidently very offended,” he said.

Morris said the sanction change, on pinch the COVID-19 pandemic and the team’s struggles connected the field, contributed to season-ticket income falling from much than 20,000 to about 7,000.

“For some, there’s nary measurement we could repair it isolated from if we were to alteration our sanction back, and that’s not viable,” he said.

The comments travel arsenic the Elks proceed rebuilding nether proprietor Deb Thompson, who took power of the franchise pinch her precocious husband, Larry, successful 2024 erstwhile the nine was facing important financial challenges.

Morris said the statement has stabilized financially and is moving to rebuild ties pinch fans and the broader community.

The Elks person taken steps to reconnect pinch their past. The nine is often referred to arsenic the Green and Gold aliases the Double E, and the “Once An Eskimo Always An Eskimo” motion has returned to the dressing room.

Edmonton opened the play pinch a 29-20 triumph complete Ottawa earlier a bye week and will big the Montreal Alouettes connected Saturday.

“We’ve sewage a batch of activity to do still to rebuild that partnership, that organization feeling,” Morris said. “But I deliberation we’re moving successful the correct direction.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published June 19, 2026.