ESPN today announced it has acquired the rights from the Canadian Curling Association to deliver more than 300 hours of live action from the Seasons of Champions curling events on ESPN platforms in the U.S. through March 2015. The events will be produced by TSN, the official broadcaster in Canada. The announcement comes off the heels of ESPN’s debut coverage this past weekend of the 2014 European Curling Championships on ESPN3.
Curling events under the new agreement include:
- Wednesday-Sunday, Dec. 3-7 – Camrose, Alta. – 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup
- Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 8-11 – Calgary, Alta. – 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling
- Friday-Sunday, Jan. 16-18 – Banff, Alta. – Pinty’s All-Star Curling Skins Game
- Friday Jan. 31-Sunday, Feb. 1 – Corner Brook, Nfld. – 2015 M&M Canadian Juniors
- Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 14-22 – Moose Jaw, Sask. – 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
- Saturday, Feb. 28-Sunday, Mar. 8 – Calgary, Alta. – 2015 Tim Hortons Brier
“Through this agreement with the Canadian Curling Association, ESPN is making a new and exciting commitment to the sport,” said Brian Kweder, senior director of programming and acquisitions, ESPN. “We look forward to delivering these events nationwide to draw out the curling fan in all of us.”
“We couldn’t be happier to have ESPN on board, and to give curling fans south of the border this opportunity to watch Canada’s elite curlers in action,” said Canadian Curling Association chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw. “We know there’s an appetite in the United States, particularly with snowbirds who spend their winters in warmer weather, Canadians working or attending school south of the border, and the many curling enthusiasts that travel throughout the United States. We’re excited that these fans will be able to get their curling fix this season.”
Sweeping coverage of the 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – featuring the country’s top seven men’s and top seven women’s teams – continues today with round robin draws and culminates on Sunday, Dec. 7 with the finals live on ESPN3, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Event |
| Friday, Dec. 5 | 10:30 a.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Draw #7 |
| 3:30 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Draw #8 | |
| 8:30 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Draw #9 | |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | 10:30 a.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Tiebreaker (If Necessary) |
| 3:30 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Women’s Semifinal | |
| 8:30 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Men’s Semifinal | |
| Sunday, Dec. 7 | 12:00 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Women’s Final |
| 7:00 p.m. | 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup – Men’s Final |
ESPN3 is currently available to 95 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.