The Curling Group (TCG) reports raising $5 million in seed funding to broaden the sport’s global reach through strategic investments, innovation, and content production.

Toronto-based venture capital firm Relay Ventures led the funding round.

“Curling has global reach and is ready to go to the ‘next level,'” offered John Kawaja, TCG Board member and president of G/Fore. “As a former curler who has watched the steady growth of the game over the past decades, I’m energized to be a part of curling’s next chapter by supercharging the sport for fans around the globe.”

Co-founded by sports, media and entertainment industry veterans Nic Sulsky and Mike Cotton, The Curling Group announced its launch in April 2024 by acquiring the Grand Slam of Curling event series from Sportsnet (Rogers Communications, Inc.), the only international curling event series, featuring the best men’s and women’s teams.

“In recent years, global interest in curling has risen dramatically, sparked by its popularity during the Winter Olympics and a new generation of young and charismatic international curlers,” TCG said in a media release. “At the same time, niche sports markets are rapidly expanding, and popularity is booming thanks to the ability to engage and monetize growing fan bases through direct-to-consumer digital offerings and streaming platforms. Understanding these trends, The Curling Group is dedicated to professionalizing the sport while reimagining how curling content is created, distributed, and consumed.”

The company said the rise in curling’s popularity is reflected in the interest of pro athletes and celebrities, including former NFL star Jared Allen and current NFL players George Kittle and TJ Hockenson, who are part of The Curling Group’s initial investors. Two-time Olympic gold medal curler John Morris and Olympic gold medal curler Jennifer Jones also serve as strategic advisors.

The Curling Group’s newly-created Board of Directors include:

  • Maryann Turcke (Chair) – RBC Board member, former COO of the NFL, former president of Bell Media
  • Nic Sulsky – CEO of The Curling Group, former chief commercial and revenue officer of PointsBet Canada, former president of Monkey Knife Fight
  • John Albright – Managing partner of Relay Ventures
  • John Kawaja – President of G/FORE, former president of TaylorMade, former head of North American marketing for Adidas, and two-time Canadian Men’s Curling Champion (1983, 1990) and World Curling Champion (1983, 1990)
  • Nicole Musicco – Former chief investment officer of CalPERS, former partner at RedBird Capital

Image courtesy The Grand Slam of Curling