Curling launches first professional competition in Canada

This article appeared as part of the Daily Sensemaker newsletter – one story a day to make sense of the world. To receive it in your inbox, featuring content exclusive to the newsletter, sign up for free here.

Millions of people watch curling at the Winter Olympics every four years, but a new competition seeks to attract a more regular audience. The Rock League, which started yesterday in Toronto, is the sport’s first professional competition. It comprises six teams from Canada, Europe, the US and Asia, each with five men and five women, who will compete for a prize pot of $250,000. Every competitor will also receive a participation fee. The league, which will feature live music and player walkouts, draws inspiration from darts, golf and wrestling. Spectators are encouraged to wear fancy dress and can drink at a bar on the ice. The league uses a condensed format, aimed at speeding up matches that can last for up to 3 hours.