Slam summary

To sum, this was a fairly big day for the Slam circuit – sorry, make that the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series – and their still-newish owner/operator, Insight Sports Ltd.

The multi-year agreement (dollar value undisclosed) brings a series sponsor to the table, joining event titleholders BDO Dunwoody and Tylenol/McNeil Consumer Healthcare and an additional group of partners (like CBC Sports) and suppliers (like AMJ Campbell Van Lines). And there’s still some inventory to be sold.

This is also the first financial company to step up and grab a stake in the sport since, well, we’re not sure... perhaps CIBC, which used to sponsor the Canadian Seniors? That dates back about 10 years ago...

The School of Rock clinics, of which Capital One also receives naming rights, are likewise assured to run with a higher profile as each Slam stop arrives in town. With that comes the chance for more wide-eyed youngsters to enjoy the game and, perhaps, decide to make curling their chosen sport.

The affair garnered tons of media on site (here’s the official newser, and watch all the majors – Globe, Star, FAN 590, CBC-TV/Radio etc. – tonight and tomorrow for their takes on the announcement) which just goes to show that, maybe, just maybe, big bad Toranna can be more than just a hockey town.

And speaking of, that’s a neat segue into Toronto 2009, the mega-curling-event slated for the fall of ’09 at the Air Canada Centre, which will be the biggest thing to hit the beleaguered Toronto curling scene in many years. Good to the see the Toronto Curling Association on site today, and you can watch this here blog – and the future pages of your favourite curling newspaper – for more on Toronto 2009, coming soon ...