Overview
- The weeklong pilot opens in Toronto on Monday with six multinational franchises in a new pro format.
- Each roster has five men and five women, and franchises win matchups by taking at least two of three simultaneous games in men’s fours, women’s fours, and mixed doubles.
- Matches use fewer ends and shot clocks to speed decisions, with a bonus that makes a stone covering the pin in the seventh end of fours worth two.
- The rink adds show elements including walk-on music, fan costumes, and a VIP bar set between the sheets to bring spectators within arm’s reach.
- Players plan early lineup experiments and work through language hurdles on mixed-national squads, while organizers offer $250,000 this week and plan a five-week North American season starting January 7 with a title event in early April.