In 1971, Ashford was hired by Bowie Kuhn as a public relations adviser, a role in which Ashford spoke and held clinics on the west coast, and as far away as Korea. He also served as umpire-in-chief for the Alaskan summer league for three years. He appeared in television commercials, playing a cashier in an ad for A&P Grocery stores. Ashford also appeared as an umpire in the 1976 film "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings", and in episodes of "Ironside", "The Jacksons", and "What's My Line?", in which Ashford appeared in his first major league season. Ashford was also a contestant on 17 November 1955 TV edition of "You Bet Your Life".