The Curling Group has made adjustments to its original travel arrangements for the upcoming professional Rock League debut this spring. TCG, the owner of the Grand Slam of Curling series, has announced that it will not include European events in the league’s inaugural six-week season starting in April.
Nic Sulsky, the CEO of The Curling Group, stated that they have decided to focus exclusively on North America for this year’s competitions. The Rock League will showcase six global franchises, with Rachel Homan from Ottawa leading Canada 1 and Brad Jacobs from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., captaining Canada 2.
Initially, The Curling Group had intended to host events in Canada, the United States, and Europe when they unveiled plans for the Rock League last April. However, due to venue availability challenges in Europe, they have opted to postpone the European stops.
Sulsky emphasized the organization’s commitment to expanding the sport globally but acknowledged that logistical issues sometimes require more time. The rollout of Rock League details for the first two seasons, including venue locations, team names, schedules, and rosters, is scheduled for mid-December.
Among the previously announced team captains are Bruce Mouat from Scotland (Europe 1), Alina Paetz from Switzerland (Europe 2), Korey Dropkin from the U.S., and Chinami Yoshida from Japan (Asia/Pacific). Each team will consist of five male and five female curlers.
The release of Rock League information 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.
Sulsky highlighted the significant impact the Rock League will have on the curling community, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics, especially in an Olympic year. The Saskatoon event will be the fourth of five Grand Slam tournaments in the Olympic season, marking the second full season under The Curling Group’s ownership.
While the series has introduced new elements such as a wheelchair curling invitational and expanded Tier-2 competition, it has faced challenges with TV ratings and attendance. The latest events, including the AMJ Masters and GSOC Tour Challenge finals, saw lower viewership numbers compared to previous seasons.
Despite some setbacks, Sulsky praised the enthusiasm of fans at the recent Kioti GSOC Tahoe event, which saw strong support despite the absence of many Canadian attendees. The season will culminate with the Players’ Championship in Steinbach, Manitoba, from Jan. 6-11.