The Edmonton Eskimos fired general manager Ed Hervey Friday morning, citing two major reasons.
Speaking at Commonwealth Stadium Friday morning, Eskimos CEO Len Rhodes said the decision came down to philosophical differences over access to the team, and contract negotiation issues.
“During the course of recent negotiations for a possible contract extension, it became clear that we would be unable to meet Ed’s expectations,” Rhodes said.
“As far as the philosophical differences, they were primarily related to stakeholder access to our club.
“The resistance to provide access became an increasingly difficult issue over the past year. It became a barrier to what we feel is required to grow our organization in terms of success in a marketplace that is increasingly competitive. Fan access, media access, season seat-holder access, sponsorship access and showcasing our athletes are all important areas allowing us to grow our fan base and ultimately the success of the Edmonton Eskimos Football Club.”
WATCH ABOVE: Edmonton Esks president & CEO Len Rhodes said Ed Hervey was fired over philosophical differences and an inability to come to an agreement over Hervey’s contact extension.
Rhodes pointed out that one year after winning the Grey Cup, attendance was down last season. He stressed the desire to be a progressive team that is open and accessible.
“One thing we have versus NHL hockey players — our guys are more accessible.
“They are real people, they are like you and I, the guy next door, and they have beautiful stories. They grew up sometimes with many challenges, they have beautiful things to share and they can relate to the fans and the fans can relate to them.”
WATCH ABOVE: Edmonton Eskimos president and CEO Len Rhodes said bringing fans and media in closer contact to the team is important, comparing their accessibility to that of NHL players.
Rhodes said the decision was his and the team’s board of directors backed him. Hervey was let go, effective immediately, on Friday morning.
Hervey, 43, had served as Edmonton’s GM since 2013 and built a Grey Cup-winning squad in 2015.
READ MORE: Edmonton Eskimos give general manager Ed Hervey contract extension
Hervey played college football at USC, where he converted to receiver from quarterback but left school without his degree to pursue a pro career. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and also spent time with Oakland (twice) and Denver before joining the Eskimos in 1999.
Hervey played eight seasons with Edmonton, winning two Grey Cups while registering 476 catches for 6,715 yards and 43 TDs. He retired in 2007 to become a scout with the club.
He was promoted to head scout two years later and became the Eskimos’ GM in 2012. Hervey added the vice-president of football operations title in February 2015.
Last year he fulfilled a promise to his mother to earn a college degree when he received a bachelor of arts degree in multidisciplinary studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
READ MORE: Eskimos GM Ed Hervey to receive university degree
More to come…
— With files from The Canadian Press