Curling's $11.2M Bet: How Nic Sulsky Bought a Sport to Rebuild It

What happens when an entrepreneur recognizes that one of the world’s most-watched Olympic sports has never been built to maximize its global audience?Nic Sulsky saw an established sport with elite international athletes and a premier competition that fans outside Canada could not easily watch. After acquiring the Grand Slam of Curling, his team launched Rock Channel, created the mixed-gender Rock League, built a live data infrastructure, and raised $11.2 million to begin connecting the sport’s media, events, athletes, sponsors, and fans.In this conversation, Nic explains why The Curling Group operates as a media company, how it tripled Grand Slam revenue while remaining focused primarily on Canada, and how localized broadcasts, athlete-driven storytelling, and international distribution could turn curling into a far larger global sports property.In this episode, you’ll hear:How a single Instagram data point is shaping where The Curling Group decides to expand nextWhy Rock League tested its concept with a 1 week preview season instead of launching at full scaleWhat makes curling suited to a mixed-gender league where women and men compete together How virtual in-ice advertising could allow sponsors to see market-specific broadcastsNic's "95% instinct" rule, and the chainsaw story that explains why he built a team to challenge his ideasResources and Links:Connect with Nic Sulsky on LinkedIn.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.