On March 19, Michael Lysko was relieved of his duties as CFL Commissioner by the board of governors.
On April 29, Paul Tagliabue became the first NFL Commissioner in history to visit the head offices of the CFL.
The Ottawa Renegades played their first regular-season game on June 28 at Frank Clair Stadium.
Plus, the CBC announced a record TV audience of more than 5.2 million Canadian viewers for the Grey Cup game between the Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos.
On November 20, four days before the 2002 Grey Cup game, the CFL unveiled a new logo: a red football (with white laces and circles at both ends) located in front of a maple leaf, also red, with black CFL lettering located beneath.