B.C. Lions boss to maintain role until ailing owner recovers
B.C. Lions owner David Braley faces a “long, slow” recovery from a diabetic-related foot infection, says the team’s vice-chairman, Dennis Skulsky.
Skulsky announced in February that he would relinquish his duties as president and CEO of the Canadian Football League club effective April 1. But that decision has been put on hold. His stay will be lengthened because of Braley’s illness.
The Lions owner entered a Vancouver hospital on March 24 and remains there indefinitely.
“I’ll move on when the time is right,” Skulsky said. “It could be a month, it could be two months. It could be the end of the season. We’ll see. We need to have someone leading the club.”
Skulsky said Braley’s return to health isn’t going “as well as they would have hoped. He has an infection in his toe. And he’s got to recover from that.”
Braley turns 75 on May 31 and is approaching the 20-year anniversary since he rescued the Lions from bankruptcy and possible oblivion. He has made no secret of the fact the club is for sale. The Hamilton, Ont., businessman also owned the Toronto Argonauts from 2010 to 2015 before selling that club to Bell Media and Larry Tanenbaum.
“To be honest, a sale (of the Lions) is the least of our worries,” Skulsky said. “The focus now is getting David better. That’s No. 1. And we’ve got to get ourselves ready for the (2016) season. I’m here for as long as it takes.”
Skulsky became team president in 2010, succeeding the late Bob Ackles. He was publisher of The Vancouver Sun and Province until 2006, when he was named president and CEO of Canwest Publishing.
Last fall, Skulsky informed Braley that he planned to gear down into semi-retirement to spend more time with his family and because of his own health issues. Skulsky is also diabetic.
“To be honest, after 43 years of full-time employment, you get worn down,” he said. “It was a combination of wanting to spend more time with the grandkids and taking a break from high-pressure jobs, flying on too many airplanes. This is a great job. It’s really great when you’re winning. But when you’re not, it’s not as much fun.”
Braley said Skulsky’s new role as vice-chairman would restrict him to 25 per cent of his former duties. But that won’t happen until the Lions owner returns to good health.