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Rock On: Curling’s Global Stars to Take the Stage in New League
There is news of the breaking variety this Thursday a.m. from the hurry-hard world.
A fortnight following its season-ending Grand Slam of Curling Players Championship – and a week or so after taking some of its big names to Nashville for an all-star game – The Curling Group is raising the curtain on a new initiative. The sport’s first professional sports league, branded Rock League, will launch in April 2026 with six mixed-gendered global franchises. Each international team will be comprised of five men and five women with two teams from Canada, two from Europe, one from the U.S. of A., and the other franchise from the Asia-Pacific region.
“As we've said from the start, The Curling Group's vision has always been to elevate and professionalize the sport—creating a future where athletes can build real, lasting careers in curling,” said Nic Sulsky, the co-founder and chief executive officer of TCG. “We're working toward a world where young athletes who love curling don’t have to choose between their passion and financial stability, where chasing their rock dream is just as viable as going pro in more traditional sports.
“Rock League will be the launchpad for elite male and female curlers to become the global stars they deserve to be.”
The teams will be captained by: Rachel Homan (Canada); Bruce Mouat (Scotland); Brad Jacobs (Canada); Alina Paetz (Switzerland); Chinami Yoshida (Japan); and Korey Dropkin (U.S.). Play begins next year after the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and the world curling championships, with a plan to stage events in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Olympic champions Jennifer Jones and John Morris, who serve as strategic advisors for TCG, will have similar duties with Rock League.
Podcast: Inside Canada’s Gaming Integrity Push
It has been a fortnight and more since Paul Burns has been our guest on the Gaming News Canada Show. So given the various happenings around the Canadian gambling industry since his last appearance at the beginning of 2025, we asked Paul Burns to join us once again.
With apologies to the late James Stewart and Frank Capra, Mr. Burns went to Ottawa earlier this month for the Council of Europe Workshop on the Macolin Convention gathering, which included panel conversations featuring the CGA head honcho, Dave Phillips and Doug Hood from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, and Sportradar’s integrity services lead Jim Brown weighing in on the province’s regulated sports betting industry’s work to combat match fixing. During our conversation, Burns told us that the collaboration between the AGCO, licensed sportsbooks, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders means “the regime is working”.
We also asked Burns for some thoughts and layers on three years of open, regulated sports wagering and igaming in Ontario and what's to come in Year 4, and the introduction of the iGaming Alberta Act by the ruling UCP party into the provincial legislature in the land of oil, gas and Connor McDavid. He also delivered an early look at what will take place during the June 17-19 Canadian Gaming Summit in the city below Caledon.
Worth A Watch & Listen
Our most popular Gaming News Canada shows from the past few months.
The Parleh’s Kevin Kennedy on the rise of iGaming content in Ontario 🎙️ 🎥
John Levy on life After PENN, Ontario’s rise & theScore’s legacy 🎙️ 🎥
Ilkim Hincer: Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Regulated Gambling in Canada & the U.S. 🎙️ 🎥
4 Nations, 1 Big Bet: Sportsnet, DraftKings & BetMGM on Hockey’s Future 🎙️ 🎥
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To discuss our coverage of your company's news and announcements and to become a sponsor or advertiser on Gaming News Canada, please contact steve@gamingnewscanada.ca.
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