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01-23-15 03:27PM |
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doubletakeout
Swing Artist
Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Manitoba
Posts: 480 |
Grand Slam Expansion
I've got goosebumps. Huge news, folks.
http://www.thegrandslamofcurling.co...next-2-seasons/
7 Grand slams in 2015-16. 8 in 2016-17.
Much more TV coverage for women's Grand Slam events.
Purses increase to $1.5M in 2015-16, a whopping $2.5M in 2016-17.
Thank you Sportsnet for having such faith in curling and continuing to grow the sport. It's been a huge investment and I'm glad to see that the station sees it as such a worthwhile property to expand it to such new heights.
I hope as well that there will be a wide range of new formats, allowing hot teams on the tour to have more chances to qualify for the events. Maybe award direct berths for winning some of the "B events" on tour.
What great news for curling and for us curling fans who love to watch it all!
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01-23-15 03:43PM |
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Gritsy
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Feb 2011
Location:
Posts: 32 |
I hope they do what the did in Brantford (I believe) a couple years ago. Have a 16 team Slam qualify 6, leave the last two spots for another 16 teams to battle it out for. Helps get some newer teams some cash and valuable points to climb into the top 16 for other slams.
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01-23-15 03:56PM |
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Justintwiss
Hitting Paint
Registered: Oct 2013
Location: St.Claude
Posts: 128 |
Nice to see that competitive curling is on the rise. I agree this is great for the sport getting added coverage. Would be amazing to find a way to get some new blood in the GSOC for sure. It is hard for a new team to climb high enough in the rankings playing on tour when the teams that are in the slams all the time get 4 or 5 times the points. There should be a good mix of elite teams and the teams that are trying to reach that elite level.
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01-23-15 03:57PM |
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Borough Boy
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Oct 2007
Location:
Posts: 48 |
Awesome news, I hope each and every current player goes back in time and reviews the teams and individuals who boycotted their chance at representing at Briers etc in order to get this off the ground.
Finally, years later this might actually grow into something amzaing.
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01-23-15 05:22PM |
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curlo
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 85 |
I really hope that they will also give more chances for lower ranked teams to play theeir way inn. right now only the top 20 teams get in and can earn enough points to get in later. Hopefully they can make events like a 32 triple knock out. Would be great if it was like tennis were the Grand slams are also the biggest in number of particpants.
Last edited by curlo on 01-23-15 at 05:30PM
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01-23-15 05:32PM |
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Radio-Man
Swing Artist
Registered: Jan 2015
Location: Ontario & Santa Monica
Posts: 268 |
Great news for curling fans. I'm especially happy for the women.
__________________
"I'm not seeking penance for what I've done, Father. I'm asking forgiveness... for what I'm about to do"
"It means that I'm not the Samaritan. That I'm not the priest, or the Levite. That I am the ill intent...who set upon the traveler on a road that he should not have been on."
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01-23-15 05:34PM |
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Justintwiss
Hitting Paint
Registered: Oct 2013
Location: St.Claude
Posts: 128 |
quote: Originally posted by Gritsy
I hope they do what the did in Brantford (I believe) a couple years ago. Have a 16 team Slam qualify 6, leave the last two spots for another 16 teams to battle it out for. Helps get some newer teams some cash and valuable points to climb into the top 16 for other slams.
I do like this idea. Have an event the week or 2 weeks before the slam. Have the lower ranked teams play for the remaining 4-6 spots in the slam. This way you can be ranked in the top 40 and still get a chance to play your way into a slam. Some light at the end of a tunnel for those teams that are so close to breaking through. Once you make one slam and play on that ice against the best teams it will only fuel the fire to get back there.
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01-23-15 11:19PM |
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nelski
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Twin Snowbanks
Posts: 2068 |
In hockey, they have the original six. I've seen the original boycott teams listed in forums here from time to time. In the history of the GSOC now Pinty's GSOC, these are our original six, to be revered. It was a vision, come to pass.
I too see importance in accessible slams for emmerging talent.
__________________
Lots of major youth (<21) events. Nice for Murdoch... and us :-D.
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01-24-15 02:02AM |
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peteski
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 631 |
I'm certainly happy there will be more curling on TV, but does anyone else think having this many slams cheapens what it means to win a slam? It could be argued that one of the reasons the golf and tennis slams are so big is that there are only four of them to win.
Also, it's interesting to notice that there is now a slam after the Players Championship. It always seemed like the Players was a bit of an afterthought after the Worlds, but still a good way to end the season. I'm not sure two Slams after the Worlds makes a ton of sense. Both fans and players might be out of enthusiasm at this point in the year.
But as I say, I am good with more curling on TV so I don't want to be too negative. Just some thoughts.
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01-24-15 06:41AM |
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curler2014
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Dec 2014
Location:
Posts: 56 |
I think this is a dumb idea. Good luck to the GSOC, it will be interesting to see how long it takes before it is scaled back or trashed...don't know if anyone has noticed, but there may be about 10 people in the seats viewing the majority of the draws. I can't believe the sponsors are on board.
4 is the right number, 5 this year seemed a little odd, now 7 and 8? This may seem good for the GSOC, but I am willing to bet that it is going to backfire on more ways then one... Will be interesting to see the CCAs response to this. I can just sense something coming down the pipe.
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01-24-15 08:41AM |
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misty1
Supreme Champion!
Registered: Sep 2011
Location:
Posts: 6002 |
quote: Originally posted by curler2014
I think this is a dumb idea. Good luck to the GSOC, it will be interesting to see how long it takes before it is scaled back or trashed...don't know if anyone has noticed, but there may be about 10 people in the seats viewing the majority of the draws. I can't believe the sponsors are on board.
4 is the right number, 5 this year seemed a little odd, now 7 and 8? This may seem good for the GSOC, but I am willing to bet that it is going to backfire on more ways then one... Will be interesting to see the CCAs response to this. I can just sense something coming down the pipe.
Thinking about it more i agree with you. the grand slams are special and now with 7 or 8 there will basically be one a month. Get rid of the stupid elite 8 thing and replace it with something else. 5 i think is fine, maybe even 6 but 7 or 8 is to much.
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01-24-15 12:41PM |
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Radio-Man
Swing Artist
Registered: Jan 2015
Location: Ontario & Santa Monica
Posts: 268 |
How is this not good for the game? The comparison to golf and tennis is apples and pears imo. It's about growing the sport, making teams better (and therefore the game), and giving more incentive for fringe teams to get better. More opportunities to play against the best and for more money seems like a no brainer in this pursuit.
And do people really think that butts in the seats are what drives sponsors decisions? Clearly not. Maybe this all gets scaled back one day but I applaud the attempt to push the game forward.
__________________
"I'm not seeking penance for what I've done, Father. I'm asking forgiveness... for what I'm about to do"
"It means that I'm not the Samaritan. That I'm not the priest, or the Levite. That I am the ill intent...who set upon the traveler on a road that he should not have been on."
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01-25-15 04:39PM |
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krisblonski
Knee-Slider
Registered: Aug 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 9 |
quote: Originally posted by curler2014
I think this is a dumb idea. Good luck to the GSOC, it will be interesting to see how long it takes before it is scaled back or trashed...don't know if anyone has noticed, but there may be about 10 people in the seats viewing the majority of the draws. I can't believe the sponsors are on board.
4 is the right number, 5 this year seemed a little odd, now 7 and 8? This may seem good for the GSOC, but I am willing to bet that it is going to backfire on more ways then one... Will be interesting to see the CCAs response to this. I can just sense something coming down the pipe.
These events are made for TV. It's about the eyeballs, not the butts.
This is just another step towards a full blown pro tour. I don't see anything wrong with it at all. Honestly the only thing I would personally adjust is make the number of Men and Women's events equal.
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01-25-15 08:43PM |
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decade
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Jan 2011
Location:
Posts: 1962 |
Is this another step in the wcts march to take over olympic and world qualifying from the CCA ? Or is the next step declaring the slam champ, the brier winner? Would save having to hold a brier or scotties.
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01-25-15 09:19PM |
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JustAnotherHack
Swing Artist
Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268 |
My only concern is the lack of sponsors/funding for second and third tier events... and how this might pull more sponsors to those top tier events and teams and away from those other events.
This great for the top tier teams (and the ones on the fringe or working their way up), but the second and third tier teams are lacking for sponsors and spiels... and I don't see this helping.
Don't get me wrong though, I think Sportsnet has done a good thing by expanding the Slams, but I hope this translates to some trickle down for those other events.
__________________
Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
- Calvin (Calvin & Hobbs)
Last edited by JustAnotherHack on 01-25-15 at 09:27PM
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01-26-15 08:18AM |
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IN-OFF-FOR-2
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Mar 2013
Location:
Posts: 1875 |
Agree
quote: Originally posted by peteski
I just wonder if they should all be "slams".
I think at most 4 or 5 should be SLAMS or it takes away the prestige of winning one. Love the idea of more big cash spiels though. Maybe call them WCT Shootouts. I'd also love to see some of the smaller spiels possibly used as qualifiers for these 7. Give some of the teams unable to travel or spend thousands to gain entry, give them a chance to possibly take the next step.
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01-26-15 12:40PM |
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curling gezzer
Knee-Slider
Registered: Jan 2015
Location:
Posts: 4 |
Grand Slam great, let all the elite players have their games, open residency (does seem to matter to some away)what ever rule changes they want. Let the poor (lowly) club players have their OCA playdowns with not byes, everyone is equal, because the present system isn't.
Last edited by curling gezzer on 01-26-15 at 12:43PM
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01-26-15 03:37PM |
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Jimbobogie
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2014
Location:
Posts: 538 |
quote: Originally posted by curling gezzer
Grand Slam great, let all the elite players have their games, open residency (does seem to matter to some away)what ever rule changes they want. Let the poor (lowly) club players have their OCA playdowns with not byes, everyone is equal, because the present system isn't.
Geezer, just wondering...what happens to the "lowly" winners of the provincial playdowns?
__________________
Jim
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01-26-15 04:07PM |
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newbroom
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 25 |
quote: Originally posted by peteski
I just wonder if they should all be "slams".
Don't get me wrong here, I love the slams and think they are great for Curling, however as you all know these events don't run by themselves. Something that is not mentioned here relating to the locations that host the Slams, what costs/risks are involved for a town/club to put on an event and what kind of return could the hard working Committee & Volunteers expect. Naturally the local restaurants & hotels may benefit, depending on the crowd. In addition are there benefits to Local Charities?
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01-26-15 04:51PM |
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Jimbobogie
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2014
Location:
Posts: 538 |
The traditional definition of "Grand Slam" implies the number four-it originates with baseball in which a "Grand Slam" home run drives in 4 players (in case anybody has never cared about baseball).
Golf's "Grand Slam" includes one tournament in Great Britain.
Rather than simply increase the number of "Grand Slam" events, IMHO the WCF would be better advised to try to give some real meaning to the "W" part of the name-have one of the Grand Slams in "The Homeland" and another in the US.
There aren't many new clubs being built in this country-it's time to reach beyond our boundaries.
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Jim
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01-26-15 06:14PM |
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mcgregorm89
Swing Artist
Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210 |
The original 4 slams should be renamed to majors like golf. They should also make a juniors tour like the web.com tour to develop the younger talent before they move on to the bigger stage. The grand slam of curling must be doing well for sportsnet and its great to see curling moving closer to a professional sport at least in Canada. The next step would be including events in the US, Asia and the curling champions tour in Europe but would they be any where near as popular. Rogers Sportsnet has done a great job ever since taking over the slams which were pretty much dead to having larger prize money, bigger sponsors and more events and tv coverage.
Last edited by mcgregorm89 on 01-26-15 at 06:47PM
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01-27-15 01:45AM |
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dwenzek
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Feb 2014
Location:
Posts: 17 |
The best way to build the slams is local support. Look at the National in SSM and how packed the crowd was in the final to cheer on the hometown hero. Yorkton also had the hometown hero with Steve Laycock, and I believe the stands there were quite full.
Why don't we have a slam in Gatineau and have Jean-Michel Menard play so the locals have a team to cheer for? Maybe a slam in Vernon and have the town cheer for Cotter? Hell, have one in Atlantic Canada and have the crowd go crazy for Dacey or Grattan!
Build the local community and help the local curling clubs. More Pro-Am's for both the young and veteran club curlers. Something small for the hosts. It makes the town feel more connected to the teams and want to come out and support them.
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01-27-15 09:09AM |
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mcgregorm89
Swing Artist
Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210 |
quote: Originally posted by Jimbobogie
Rather than simply increase the number of "Grand Slam" events, IMHO the WCF would be better advised to try to give some real meaning to the "W" part of the name-have one of the Grand Slams in "The Homeland" and another in the US.
There aren't many new clubs being built in this country-it's time to reach beyond our boundaries.
The world curling federation has nothing to do with the operations of the grand slams. The WCF is the international governing body which looks after all world championship events, the Olympics and national associations so the W in their name has meaning.
The world curling tour, which the slams are apart of have events in Canada, the US, Europe and even Japan, and the Asian tour is planning more events. I'm pretty sure they have the world covered but would slam events generate any profits outside of Canada? Also where in the press release did it state that the events would be Canada only? Right now your only speculating on the locations.
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