Rock League Launches Inaugural Curling Season in Toronto

Toronto's Mattamy Athletic Centre became the epicenter of curling's professional evolution on Monday as the Rock League launched its inaugural preview season, featuring six international franchises and top athletes from 12 countries competing for a US$250,000 prize pool.

Organized by The Curling Group, which also oversees the Grand Slam of Curling series, the event runs through Sunday and includes 60 elite curlers, including 39 who participated in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, where 25 earned medals. Each franchise blends five men and five women, divided regionally: two from Canada (Maple United and Shield Curling Club), two from Europe (Alpine Curling Club and Northern United), one from the United States (Frontier Curling Club), and one from Asia-Pacific (Typhoon Curling Club).

Competition follows a Ryder Cup-inspired format, with teams facing off in simultaneous men's four-player, women's four-player, and mixed doubles matches across three sheets. Games are shortened with shot clocks to accelerate play, lasting about two hours each. Round-robin action occurs through Friday with three daily draws at noon, 3:30 p.m., and 7 p.m. ET. Playoffs begin Saturday, including...