The Curling Group is making changes to its initial travel arrangements for the upcoming debut of the professional Rock League this spring. Instead of the planned events in Europe, TCG, also the owner of the Grand Slam of Curling circuit, has opted to keep the competition within North America for its inaugural six-week season starting in April.
Nic Sulsky, the CEO of The Curling Group, mentioned that the decision to focus on North America this year was due to venue availability challenges for the originally intended European stops. Despite the organization’s ambition to expand globally, logistical constraints have led to the revised approach.
The Rock League will introduce six global franchises, with notable captains such as Rachel Homan from Ottawa leading Canada 1 and Brad Jacobs from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., heading Canada 2. The detailed information about the Rock League for the first two seasons, including team names, locations, dates, and rosters, is set to be unveiled in mid-December.
Among the other team captains already announced are Bruce Mouat from Scotland (Europe 1), Alina Paetz from Switzerland (Europe 2), Korey Dropkin from the United States, and Chinami Yoshida from Japan representing Asia/Pacific. Each team will consist of five men’s and five women’s curlers.
The launch of the Rock League details will follow the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax from Nov. 22-30 and precede the HearingLife Tour Challenge in Saskatoon from Dec. 16-21. The upcoming Rock League is expected to bring significant changes to the sport, impacting both fans and athletes, especially in an Olympic year where team dynamics play a crucial role.
The fourth stop on the Grand Slam circuit in Saskatoon will be part of the five-event series in the Olympic season. While the series has introduced new elements like a wheelchair curling invitational and expanded Tier-2 competitions, challenges such as declining TV ratings and ongoing attendance issues persist.
Recent finals, including the AMJ Masters and the GSOC Tour Challenge, saw viewership figures averaging around 123,000 and 202,000, respectively. However, these numbers were lower compared to the previous season-ending Players’ Championship finals. The scheduling conflicts, like coinciding with the U.S. Olympic team trials, have also posed challenges for the Grand Slam events.
Despite some setbacks, the enthusiasm at the recent GSOC Tahoe event was notable, with Jason Smith and former NFL player Jared Allen participating. The event witnessed impressive performances, particularly by Rachel Homan and Bruce Mouat, although attendance concerns were apparent.
The competition also faced tough competition from Toronto Blue Jays playoff coverage, impacting viewership numbers during the American League Championship Series. The Grand Slam season is set to conclude with the Players’ Championship in Steinbach, Manitoba, from Jan. 6-11.