Grey Cup win, Newfoundland roots: Ottawa Redblacks owner credits home with success

The Canadian Football League's Ottawa Redblacks won the Grey Cup in thrilling fashion Sunday, and one of the team'sowners of the football teamsays growing up in Newfoundland played an important role in his success.

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Jeff Hunt was born in Stephenville, and he's still celebrating in Ottawa after the Redblackswon 39-33 in overtime over the Calgary Stampeders. It'sthe city's first football championship since 1976.

"It's just been a whirlwind of celebrations and activities back here in Ottawa since our win Sunday night, but it's a lot of fun," Hunt said on CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

His father's job as an RCMP officer brought Hunt all over the province, living in Stephenville, Corner Brook, Flower's Cove and St. John's, until moving to Ottawa with his family.

"When my parents moved to Ottawa, I was as I put it still on the payroll, so I moved with them," he said.

"[I] couldn't get in to Carleton University, so I started a carpet cleaning business."

'Following his heart'

That carpet cleaning business expanded to about 250 locations throughout Canada and the U.S. over the next 10years, before Hunt's business was bought out by Sears in 1998. He entered sports ownership later that year, a move he described as "following his heart."

"It's not the best way to make a dollar, but I've played sports my whole life I remember for years sitting in arenas or in stadiums watching the decline of football here and thinking, 'if I owned the team, then I would do this,' or 'if I owned the team, I would do that,'" Hunt said.

"It got to a point where I thought, 'why don't I own the team?' Then I can do what I thought as a fan for years would be the right thing to do. To me, the ultimate business was to combine my love of sports and my love of business."

Although it's only the Redblacks' third CFL season, Hunt has now been involved in sports ownership for nearly 20 years, first purchasing the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's in 1998.

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With his experience with the 67's, Hunt said he was invited by some business people to discuss bringing football back to the nation's capital. At the time, the city was without a CFL team after the Ottawa Renegades folded in 2009.

"What started out as a little conversation about how to bring CFL football back to Ottawa ended up evolving into a decade-long process," he said.

"So, $500 million later, government money and private money, we rebuilt the stadium and built this whole sports and entertainment complex."

Along with the Redblacks and 67's, Hunt is also involved with the United Soccer League's Ottawa Fury FC and TD Place Stadium in his role with Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

They immediately think'he's got to be a good guy, he's from Newfoundland.'- Jeff Hunt

Despite his successes in Ontario, Hunt said it was growing up in Newfoundland that shaped who he is and how he does business.

"I think it's opened some doors and it's shaped the way people have looked at what I'm doing here, they immediately think 'he's got to be a good guy, he's from Newfoundland,' so I'll take that," he said.

"Newfoundland's got quite a reputation across Canada, we should be very proud."