UNA Sports Group Leads Investment in The Curling Group to Build the Future of Professional Curling

UNA and Relay Ventures back the company behind the Grand Slam of Curling and Rock League as it scales a fast-growing, global audience.

NEW YORK & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UNA Sports Group (“UNA”), a sports investment firm that builds franchises in emerging, high-growth leagues, today announced a strategic investment in The Curling Group (“TCG”), the company behind the Grand Slam of Curling, the Rock Channel media platform, and Rock League, a new professional league bringing together the world's best male and female curling competitors under a team-based franchise model. The investment expands UNA’s pioneering portfolio, which also includes the X Games Club New York summer and winter franchises in the MoonPay X Games League, where UNA was the first single group to own two clubs, and an investment in Unrivaled, the women’s professional 3-on-3 basketball league. UNA is leading the eight-figure investment round, with participation from Relay Ventures (“Relay”).

As part of the investment, David Rader, UNA’s Co-Founder, President, and COO, will join TCG’s board. Del Wright, UNA’s Co-Founder, CEO, and Managing Partner, will serve as a board observer. UNA will also work alongside TCG’s leadership on strategy, commercial partnerships, and growth initiatives.

The investment comes as curling’s audience grows rapidly. At its 2026 season opener in Victoria, the Grand Slam of Curling generated 105.5 million social impressions (+437%) and 50.7 million video views (+489%) compared to the opening event of the 2025 season, while adding nearly 118,000 new followers. On CBC, viewership of the event’s Sunday women’s final rose 203% year-over-year, ranking among Canada’s 50 most-watched programs of the day despite NFL, NHL, and MLB playoff competition. Curling’s audience also stands apart from most professional sports: women make up about 54% of the Grand Slam’s linear TV audience and about 65% of Rock League’s streaming audience.

Broadcasters are backing that growth. This season, TCG signed five-year agreements with CBC and Sportsnet that bring more than 300 hours of Grand Slam of Curling and Rock League coverage to Canadian linear television, roughly double previous years, and a three-year agreement with ESPN that brings more than 300 hours of live coverage to ESPN+ in the U.S.

“We look for sports where fan demand is already strong and the commercial opportunity is just beginning to take shape, and curling is a perfect example,” said David Rader. “Curling’s audience is growing, getting younger, and going global. The TCG team has built the pieces to serve it: a premium event series in the Grand Slam of Curling, a direct line to fans through Rock Channel, and a brand-new league in Rock League. We’re excited to join the board and help build a business that matches the sport’s momentum.”

TCG has built a vertically integrated platform spanning media, live events, sponsorship, athlete IP, and direct fan engagement. It acquired the Grand Slam of Curling, now in its 26th season, from Rogers Sportsnet in 2024 and launched Rock Channel, its direct-to-fan media platform, that fall. TCG also owns and operates Rock League and all six of its franchises, each fielding five men and five women and representing the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

“Curling is woven into Canada’s sporting identity, and we’re building a modern sports entertainment company to take it to the world,” said Nic Sulsky, Co-Founder and CEO of The Curling Group. “Partnering with a U.S.-based investor like UNA is a vote of confidence in the sport, and a bridge to the American market, where our audience is already growing fast. UNA’s experience building franchises in emerging leagues, and its team’s prior experience across the NHL, NBA, and Formula 1, make them the right partner for our next stage. Three years from now, I want people to see a sustainable business built around curling competitions in Canada and the United States. Five years from now, I want them to see that we’ve changed what the sport can be globally.”

“The best opportunities in sports are the ones hiding in plain sight, and curling has been hiding in plain sight for decades,” said John Albright, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Relay Ventures. “TCG has the assets, the audience, and now, with UNA, the partner to unlock it. We’re investing with conviction in what comes next.”

TCG’s investors also include Pro Football Hall of Famer and competitive curler Jared Allen, who also serves as an advisor to the company.

“As an entrepreneur and an early investor in TCG, I’ve seen firsthand how much untapped demand there is for this sport,” said Allen. “By securing a strategic partner in UNA, TCG has proven there is significant momentum behind curling in the U.S. and around the world. As a big fan of both TCG and the sport, I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of what comes next!”

The announcement comes ahead of the Grand Slam of Curling Masters, which begins Tuesday, November 3. Rock League, which made its debut with a condensed season in April 2026, returns in January for its first full season: five events running through April 2027, including the league’s U.S. debut in Utica, New York, and a championship round in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

About UNA Sports Group

UNA Sports Group is an investment firm focused on acquiring and partnering with leading professional sports franchises and platforms globally. The firm invests in high-quality assets at the intersection of sport, media, and culture, with an emphasis on long-term value creation. UNA’s portfolio includes the X Games Club New York summer and winter franchises in the MoonPay X Games League, where UNA was the first single group to own two X Games League clubs; an investment in Unrivaled, the women’s professional 3-on-3 basketball league; and a stake in The Curling Group, owner of the Grand Slam of Curling, Rock League, and Rock Channel.

UNA combines institutional investment rigor with extensive operational expertise across teams, leagues, venues, and media. Through a partnership-oriented approach, UNA collaborates with ownership groups and management teams to enhance operating performance, strengthen brand equity, and expand commercial opportunities. Core capabilities include sponsorship strategy, venue monetization, media rights, and integrated commercial operations. For more information, visit unasportsgroup.com.

About The Curling Group

The Curling Group is a sports business venture dedicated to revolutionizing the sport of curling through strategic investments and a commitment to innovation and content production. In 2024, The Curling Group acquired the Grand Slam of Curling event series, including global media rights. TCG also launched Rock League, the world’s first professional curling league. Featuring six elite mixed-gender global franchises, Rock League aims to deliver world-class competition, drive innovation within the sport, and connect curling fans across continents.

About Relay Ventures

Relay Ventures is one of Canada’s leading independent VC fund managers. The Firm is presently investing out of its fifth fund which commenced in 2022. It has invested in more than 130 companies and successfully exited more than half through M&A and IPO. The Firm invests in early stage companies in fintech, proptech , sportstech, media, and gaming.