Rock League

Last updated

Rock League
Upcoming season or competition:
Curling current event.svg 2026 Rock League season
ClassificationProfessional curling league
Sport Curling
FoundedApril 24, 2025
First season 2026
OwnerThe Curling Group
Motto"Curling Unleashed"
No. of teams6
Related
competitions
Grand Slam of Curling
Official website thegrandslamofcurling.com/events/rock-league/

Rock League is an upcoming professional curling league operated by The Curling Group, who also own the Grand Slam of Curling. Rock League will launch in April 2026, initially consisting of 6 franchised teams consisting of both males and females.

Contents

History

In April 2024, the Grand Slam of Curling, a series of curling bonspiels that was mainly held in Canada, was announced to be bought by a consortium known as The Curling Group. The group included curlers Jennifer Jones and John Morris, alongside former American football players-turned curlers Jared Allen and Marc Bulger. [1]

On April 24, 2025, The Curling Group announced a professional curling league known as Rock League, which would begin play in April 2026 and hold events in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The league would initially consist of 6 globally franchised teams, with each team having five males and five females. The inaugural season would consist of six weeks of bonspiels in multiple formats. [2] Bruce Mouat, one of the six team captains announced that same day, likened the potential impact that Rock League would have on the momentum of the sport, which usually only sees a surge of interest during the Winter Olympics, to how Grand Slam Track is increasing momentum in track and field after the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. [3] Curling legends John Morris and Jennifer Jones were also announced as competition advisors.

Teams

The six teams announced with the founding of Rock League on April 24, 2025, are franchises that initially are owned by The Curling Group itself. Each team consists of ten curlers, five of whom are male and five that are female. For the inaugural season in 2026, each of the six teams will be regionally focused. Two teams each will represent Canada and Europe, with the United States and the wider Asia-Pacific region each having a team. Each team also announced a team captain on that same day.

TeamTeam captain
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Team Canada 1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Rachel Homan
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Team Canada 2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Brad Jacobs
Flag of Europe.svg Team Europe 1 Flag of Scotland.svg Bruce Mouat
Flag of Europe.svg Team Europe 2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Alina Pätz
Team Asia-Pacific Flag of Japan.svg Chinami Yoshida
Flag of the United States.svg Team USA Flag of the United States.svg Korey Dropkin

References

  1. Novy-Williams, Eben (April 9, 2024). "Grand Slam of Curling Sold in Bid to Make Over Olympic Sport". Sportico.com. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  2. "The Curling Group plans to launch professional curling league next spring". TSN. The Canadian Press. April 24, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  3. Weese, Lukas (April 24, 2025). "With new Rock League, curling is latest Olympic sport to get a professional boost" . The Athletic. Retrieved April 24, 2025.