GROUP INCLUDING JOHN MORRIS BUYS GRAND SLAM OF CURLING

A new entity called The Curling Group made its mark on the Roaring Game in a big way Tuesday by announcing an agreement with Sportsnet to assume ownership and operations of the Grand Slam of Curling series at the end of the season.

The group, led by CEO Nic Sulsky and sports and entertainment executive Mike Cotton, includes former NFL star Jared Allen and two-time Olympic curling champion John Morris. 

The five-event Grand Slam circuit concludes this week with the Princess Auto Players’ Championship in Toronto. Sportsnet will continue as the exclusive Canadian broadcaster of the series, the network said in a release.

“The iconic Grand Slam of Curling is the world’s only international curling event series, and we are excited to build on its legacy as we write curling’s next rockin’ chapter,” Sulsky said in a release. “Our mandate is to take professional curling to the next level, delivering a reimagined, premium experience that will enhance curling’s engagement opportunities for the athletes, sponsors, and most importantly the sport’s global fanbase.”

Jennifer Jones, who’s competing in her final four-player event this week before retirement, is working with the group as a strategic adviser.

Operated by Sportsnet since 2012, the Grand Slam series features the top men’s and women’s teams in the world and includes a total prize money pool of $2 million. 

“This partnership will help grow the sport while allowing Sportsnet to do what we do best — provide fans a world-class broadcast and the most in-depth curling coverage,” said Rob Corte, Sportsnet’s vice-president of production. “The CurlingGroup is fully invested in taking the Grand Slam of Curling to the next level and we look forward to growing curling together for years to come.”

The 2024-25 Grand Slam of Curling season will continue as planned with five events on the calendar. The Curling Group will oversee operations and Sportsnet will provide coverage at all five locations. 

More details regarding future plans and growth of the tour will be announced by The Curling Group in the coming months, the release said.

“The Grand Slams have been an integral part of the curlingseason for us athletes ever since I started competing on tour over 20 years ago, providing a platform for the world’s best curlers to improve their game under high-stakes pressure,” Morris said. 

“I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the next stage of the Slams, as we look to expand the sport globally and provide a unique curling experience that fans will not soon forget.”

The Curling Group said it is dedicated to revolutionizing the sport of curling through strategic investments and a commitment to innovation and content production. The release said the entity is “poised to modernize the sport on a global scale.”

Financial terms of the deal were not provided. The acquisition includes global media rights, the release said. 

(Canadian Press)