The Rock League, a young professional curling league, faced a setback as the Curling Group postponed a schedule update planned for Wednesday, citing growing pains. The five-event Season 2 schedule announced last December included stops in Moose Jaw, Sask., Halifax, Utica, N.Y., and Ottawa, with playoffs scheduled for April 8-18 at an undisclosed venue.
However, Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre, a key venue on the schedule, does not list the Rock League event. When asked about this discrepancy, the Curling Group communications director Jennifer Cram mentioned that all location and ticket details for Rock League 2027 would be announced on September 16.
The delay in the schedule update was attributed to a partner’s request for an additional day, as explained by Nic Sulsky, the CEO of The Curling Group. Some Rock League dates clash with provincial championships and national playdowns in other countries.
The Curling Group, which acquired the Grand Slam of Curling series in 2024, previously made last-minute changes to the Rock League schedule before its inaugural season. Initially planned as a six-week campaign with international stops, it was eventually condensed into a one-week competition in St. Paul, Minn., and later relocated to Toronto.
Despite early optimism surrounding the league’s launch, challenges arose with some high-profile Canadian curlers withdrawing before the competition. The league introduced rule changes and scoring tweaks, aiming to professionalize the sport. However, issues such as production problems and low attendance plagued the first season.
As the upcoming Grand Slam season approaches, concerns linger as the series lacks a title sponsor. Only one of the five competitions has an event sponsor confirmed, with the season compressed into a two-month window this fall. The series features events such as the Co-op Invitational in Victoria, GSOC Masters in Medicine Hat, GSOC National in Sydney, GSOC Open in Thunder Bay, and GSOC Players’ Cup in Kingston.
