Curling embraces WWE and darts in new professional league

Fans in costume, spectacular pyrotechnics and pounding walk-on music may not be commonly associated with the world of curling.

But a new professional competition for the sport is hoping to change its stuffy stereotype.

Rock League, which gets under way in Canada on Monday, aims to bring the energy of professional wrestling and electric atmosphere of darts to the rink.

Scottish curlers are among the 60 male and female athletes who will take part in the innovative format and hopes are high that the pilot project will lead to the league being fully rolled out next year.

The launch comes off the back of the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, which saw interest spike following controversial clashes in the men's and women's tournaments.

Team GB's men, entirely made up of Scottish athletes, took silver in the final while the mixed double team of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat reached the bronze medal match.

Rock League founder, Nic Sulsky, said he hoped the competition would capitalise on a rise in popularity from the games.

However, he told the BBC's Radio Scotland Breakfast programme the "energy" off the rink was as important as the drama on it.

"One of the things that really drives sports fans to loving sports and loving the athletes is their desire to have fun," Sulsky said.

"But what has held curling down to a certain degree is that it has suffered a little from the stereotype of being quiet and being tame.

"A sport like darts, there's a real fun and energy where people show up in costumes.

"You look at other properties like wrestling and WWE is one that really puts a highlight on telling stories of who those incredible entertainers are, whether that is walk-ups and music.

"It's those types of things that help emphasise the excitement and the fun of the sport."

Five of the six franchises taking part in a pilot for the full competition at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto from 6-12 April feature Scottish players.

Mouat will captain Northern United, where he will be joined by Dodds and former junior rink member Robin Brydone.

Olympic gold medallist Eve Muirhead will be general manager of the Alpine Curling Club, where Hammy McMillan Jr will be one of her players.

Meanwhile, Grant Hardie, Ross Whyte and Bobby Lammie will represent Frontier Curling Club, Maple United and Typhoon Curling Club respectively.

The winners will claim a share of a $250,000 (£189,000) prize pot.

Each team features five men's and five women's players.

Two teams will compete across three rinks in men's fours, women's fours and mixed pairs simultaneously.

However, the customary fourth rink will not go to waste and will instead host a VIP bar for fans to get as close as possible to the action.

McMillan told The Saturday Show some fans had already tried to bring the raucous atmosphere of Darts' World Championship at the Ally Pally to the rink.

Some have dressed as bananas to represent the 'peel' – a shot designed to knock an opponents stone out of the way.

Others celebrate the 'draw,' a shot where the rock is thrown to stay in play, by dressing up as crayons.

"We do really hope the Rock League kicks off," he said.

"The owners of the league see it a bit like darts, they are encouraging fans to dress up in costumes.

"I think we are going to see some cool, inventive things from the fans."

Curling is the latest sport to introduce a revamped, condensed format in a bid to attract a new generation of fans.

Cricket's The Hundred format, a limited overs variety of Twenty 20, has proved popular among supporters since it was launched in 2021.

Curling commentator and former player, Logan Gray, said it did have the potential to upset some of the sport's "traditional" fans.

But he said the prospect of maintaining interest outside of the "four-year Olympic cycle" could help clubs and rinks across country survive.

Gray told Radio Scotland Breakfast: "Every four years, there is curling on the telly.

"The public gets to know the players, they work the game out as it goes along.

"But it only happens every four years, you don't have the time every weekend to invest in that and go on that journey.

"This is something that is short, sharp, more exciting."

He added: "Across the world, there's facilities out there that are struggling, especially with utilities issues.

"We need to try something different to get new people in the door and to keep the sport affordable."