The CFLPA announced today that Executive Director Brian Ramsay is pursuing a new opportunity and will leave the organization effective at the end of September.

The CFLPA’s Board of Directors will be naming an Interim CFLPA Executive Director in the near future. CFLPA President Solomon Elimimian as well as the other current members of the Board of Directors, Administration and its roster of special Advisors will remain in place and continue to guide the Association. “I would like to thank Brian for his tireless advocacy on behalf of our membership as we have seen new heights as an organization under his leadership. I am excited for Brian, and I wish him every success,” said Elimimian. 

“It has been a true honour to serve each and every member of the CFLPA for the past nine years,” said Brian Ramsay. “Today, the CFLPA sits firmly on top of a strong foundation and is led by a great Executive with clear vision as well as strong and dedicated player representatives. I am proud that we always listened closely to the players and for the many achievements we’ve had together on behalf of the players.”

Ramsay joined the CFLPA as its first full-time Executive Director in 2016 and immediately made positive changes that encouraged a more active and engaged membership whose input helped steer progressively stronger bargaining teams during collective negotiations in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Ramsay continued, “This was not an easy decision but it’s being made with the confidence that the CFLPA has a very bright future with powerful leadership and significant momentum to keep moving forward.”

Under Ramsay’s leadership, the CFLPA has:

• prioritized and improved player safety by advocating for data-driven rule changes that have resulted in reductions to serious injuries
• established and developed mental health and substance abuse programs for CFLPA members
• introduced new initiatives that have made equipment safer, including the adoption of minimum helmet standards
• negotiated a reduction in contact practices that resulted in 33% fewer head injuries in the first year of adoption
• extended rehabilitation coverage for football related injuries by five times the previously set time period
• formed and led a coalition of professional athletes (NHLPA, PHPA, PWHPA, NLLPA, NBPA, MLBPA, MLSPA) to pursue workers’ compensation coverage for all athletes in Canada
• introduced more wellbeing and workplace skills development supports for players and their families through the CFLPA Academy (85% of active players are enrolled in the Academy which means that more players than ever before will be better prepared for life after football)
• negotiated year over year increases to the salary cap while reintroducing revenue sharing and guaranteed contracts for the first time in CFL history
• ensured a more transparent and democratic Association by encouraging more members to be active and vocal, resulting in a union approval rating over 90%
• improved day to day business processes to put the CFLPA on stronger financial footing
• introduced strategic partnerships with some of the largest and most influential unions in North America including the United Steelworkers
• been partners in innovation through early adoption of technology designed to help grow the game
• held the CFL and its owners more accountable to the players 

More details on Brian Ramsay’s future pursuits will be shared publicly in the coming days.

The entire CFLPA would like to thank Brian for his dedication and contributions to the Association and wish him and his family the very best.

About the CFLPA: The Canadian Football League Players’ Association (CFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Since 1965, the Association has worked to establish fair and reasonable working conditions while protecting the rights of all CFL players. In addition to negotiating and enforcing the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the CFLPA provides a variety of member services, builds corporate and community partnerships, and works diligently for the betterment of its membership. For the latest news regarding the CFLPA, please visit www.cflpa.com or follow us on social media @CFLPA.