In The Rings: The Curling Group pushes back planned Rock League announcement

The Curling Group postponed a Rock League schedule update planned for Wednesday, the latest hiccup in what has been a period of growing pains for the young professional curling league.

The five-event Rock League schedule was initially released last December with Season 2 stops planned for Moose Jaw, Sask. (Jan. 7-10), Halifax (Jan. 14-17), Utica, N.Y. (Jan. 28-31), and Ottawa (Feb. 4-7). The season-ending playoffs and championship were set for April 8-18 at a location to be announced.

However, a showcase venue on that schedule — Halifax's Scotiabank Centre — does not have Rock League on its event listings. The 10,500-seat arena hosted the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials last fall.

In an email, an arena spokesperson said they don't have any confirmation for a Rock League event.

"We will be publicly announcing all location and ticket details for Rock League 2027 on Sept. 16," The Curling Group communications director Jennifer Cram said via email when asked last month about that discrepancy.

In a text message received late Wednesday afternoon, Cram said there were plans to send out a news release on Thursday.

Nic Sulsky, the chief executive officer of The Curling Group, said later Wednesday via text that the delay was due to a partner asking for an extra day.

Some Rock League dates currently conflict with a number of provincial championships as well as some national playdowns in other countries.

The Curling Group, which bought the Grand Slam of Curling series in 2024, also made late changes to the Rock League schedule ahead of its opening season last spring.

Initial plans for a six-week campaign with international stops were changed last fall and the season was eventually downsized into a single weeklong competition in