The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have sparked a significant increase in curling participation across the United States, with clubs reporting hundreds of newcomers at learn-to-curl events. USA Curling notes this boom is larger than in previous Olympic cycles, driven by extensive television coverage and strong team performances. As the Paralympics begin, the trend shows potential to reshape the sport's growth in America.
The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics featured curling every day, achieving the largest viewership of any sport in NBC's coverage, according to a report from USA Curling shared with NPR. This exposure, totaling 30 hours of airtime, has translated into a nationwide surge in interest. Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling, stated, "We do get a good bump every four years, but I think this year seems more significant than in the past." Member clubs have seen 300 to 600 attendees at learn-to-curl events and open houses in recent months, with preliminary data indicating over 100 new members joining beginner leagues at several locations.
Currently, USA Curling has about 20,000 members, with the 21-to-40 age group comprising 38 percent and growing rapidly. Elizabeth Tigner, a league curler at the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel, Maryland, expressed enthusiasm: "It keeps it fresh and interesting. I think that's also good for our club, because one of the best things that you can do to get better at your own game is to teach people."
Smaller clubs are particularly benefiting. The Chesapeake Curling Club in Easton, Maryland, welcomed over 300 visitors this year and is hosting three times more learn-to-curl sessions than usual. President Michael Ehrlich noted, "We've just been talking today about maybe extending [our season], but that's a function of people's willingness to keep curling and our desire to spend money to rent." Veteran curler Martin Wyatt, who joined in 1979, added, "The more people we have the more money we have and the longer the season we will be able to afford."
In Bozeman, Montana, the local curling club reported a flooded inbox of inquiries post-Olympics, prompting a public open house on March 8 at 2:45 p.m. at the Haynes Pavilion. President Garrett Turner described the sport as "literally a game of chess on ice," highlighting its strategic depth. Youth involvement is also rising, with four young players competing in the club's annual tournament.
Further west, the Lake Tahoe Epic Curling Club in Stateline, Nevada—founded in 2013 and expanded to a dedicated facility in 2019—offers beginner classes that have drawn Olympic-inspired newcomers like reporter Hana Altenburg. The club serves players from the Tahoe Basin, Reno, and Carson City, fostering growth in the western U.S. through leagues, social games, and youth programs.
Gemmell believes this larger-than-expected interest could redefine curling's future in America, as the Paralympics' wheelchair curling competition begins daily.
