UFC to open Toronto office; ex-CFL commissioner named Canadian head
Ultimate Fighting Championships officials today announced they’ll open a dedicated Canadian office and have named former Canadian Football League Commissioner…
Ultimate Fighting Championships officials today announced they’ll open a dedicated Canadian office and have named former Canadian Football League Commissioner and one-time Adidas Canadian president Tom Wright as the division’s new head.
UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC president Dana White made the announcement today at a press conference at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Canadian city, which is the country’s largest, will be home to the UFC’s Canadian office.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to grow as an individual,” Wright said.
The new executive was the 11th Commissioner of the CFL and served from 2002 to 2006. Fertitta said the executive, who recently worked with LEVEL5 Strategic Brand Advisors in Toronto, brings a perfect resume to the new position.
“He brings a nice blend of business and sports experience to [the job],” Fertitta said.
White and Fertitta said the Canadian office and Wright’s hiring are part of their “full-court press” to expand regulation of the sport in the country, specifically in Toronto, which currently bans the sport. UFC officials eventually plan to host a show in Toronto, and Fertitta said the office will help spread word about the sport’s growth, safety track record, and ability to bolster local economies.
“There’s no doubt he’s the main to lead the charge,” White said. “He’s going to get it done ASAP.”
