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The Curling Group establishes itself as a dynamic sports venture dedicated to elevating and expanding the sport of curling globally. The company’s core offering includes the impending Rock League, the world's inaugural professional curling league, set to debut with six elite mixed-gender international franchises in 2026. Complementing this, The Curling Group owns and operates the prestigious Grand Slam of Curling event series, alongside developing an ecosystem of related media properties such as Rock Channel for streaming and The Rock Shop for merchandise, aimed at deepening fan engagement and accessibility.
Co-founded by seasoned sports, media, and entertainment executives Nic Sulsky and Mike Cotton, The Curling Group officially launched in April 2024. Their collective insight centered on the untapped potential within curling for professionalization and broader audience appeal. Sulsky, a recognized brand builder and product innovator, along with Cotton’s extensive industry background, converged to form a strategic initiative to modernize the sport's infrastructure and presentation for a contemporary global audience.
The company primarily targets avid curling enthusiasts and new spectators drawn to high-caliber sports entertainment. Its vision is to deliver world-class competition and foster innovation within the sport, ultimately connecting curling fans across continents and cultivating a more robust, globally engaged community. The Curling Group aims to usher in a new era for curling, positioning it for enduring growth and increased prominence on the international sports stage.
The Curling Group has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round.
The Curling Group has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
The Curling Group (TCG) is a sports business venture dedicated to revolutionizing curling through strategic investments, innovation, content production, and event ownership, rather than a traditional technology company.[2][4][5] Launched in 2024, TCG acquired the Grand Slam of Curling—the world's premier international curling event series—from Sportsnet, securing global media rights and committing to enhance fan engagement, digital presence, and monetization.[2][3][5] In April 2025, TCG announced Rock League, the world's first professional curling league launching in April 2026 with six elite mixed-gender global franchises, backed by a US$5 million seed round from investors like Interlock Equity.[2][5] TCG serves curling's 284 million global fans, athletes, and sponsors, solving challenges like outdated branding, limited revenue streams, and underdeveloped digital ecosystems by infusing capital for growth, branded content, and tech-driven modernization.[2][3]
TCG was co-founded in 2024 by sports, media, and entertainment veterans Nic Sulsky (CEO) and Mike Cotton, alongside former NFL star Jared Allen and two-time Olympic gold medalist curler John Morris.[2][3] The idea emerged from recognizing curling's untapped potential amid rising investments in niche sports, strong female fanbase, and global scale, prompting the April 2024 launch via acquisition of the Grand Slam of Curling from Sportsnet (Rogers Communications).[2][3][5] Early traction included securing US$5 million seed funding from Interlock Equity to accelerate content creation and innovation, with Sportsnet retaining Canadian broadcast rights.[2][3] Pivotal moments: the 2024-25 Grand Slam season under TCG operations and the 2025 Rock League announcement, advised by Olympic stars Jennifer Jones and John Morris.[5]
TCG rides the wave of sports tech and media digitization, blending content innovation, fan engagement platforms, and data-driven experiences to transform curling—a sport with 284 million fans but outdated infrastructure—into a modern, monetizable entity.[2][3] Timing aligns with skyrocketing valuations for niche sports, women's athletics sponsorship surge, and global streaming demands, amplified by post-Olympic momentum and tech tools for virtual engagement.[2][3][5] Market forces like Interlock's sports tech investments favor TCG, positioning it to influence curling's ecosystem by elevating athlete earnings, expanding digital reach, and creating pro pathways via Rock League, potentially inspiring similar ventures in other underserved sports.[2][5]
TCG is poised to launch Rock League in April 2026, revealing team details, formats, broadcasts, and locations soon, while scaling Grand Slam innovations like enhanced tech and content.[5][6] Trends like AI-driven fan analytics, metaverse viewing, and women's sports equity will shape its path, amplifying global growth amid curling's Olympic cycles. Its influence could evolve from event operator to curling's central IP holder, sparking a pro ecosystem and attracting VC interest—tying back to its core mission of revolutionizing a beloved sport for the digital age.[2][5]
The Curling Group has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
The Curling Group's investors include Relay Ventures, Framework Venture Partners, OMERS Ventures.
The Curling Group has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in September 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2024 | $5.0M Seed | Relay Ventures | Framework Venture Partners, OMERS Ventures |