Can curling keep up its momentum after the Winter Olympics?

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Broadcasters around the world have reported huge viewing figures for this year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. In the US, NBC has said viewership increased by ninety-six percent compared to the 2022 Beijing Games, while in the UK, the BBC has said this was its most-watched Winter Games ever - partly driven by the exploits of Great Britain's curling teams. Five-and-a-half million TV viewers - equivalent to slightly less than the entire population of Scotland - watched the men's curling final live on the penultimate night of the Games. It's not the first time that curling has been a hit with TV viewers, but can it keep up the momentum now the Games has come to an end - or will it have to wait another four years before it captures the world's attention again? Nic Sulsky is the CEO of The Curling Group, who run the Grand Slam of Curling, a series of tournaments that are among the biggest prizes in the sport. They're now launching a new competition, Rock League, which is billed as the world's first professional curling league, with several of the sport's biggest names competing as part of six global franchise teams. He tells John Bennett why for the sport to grow, it must remain visible in-between the four-year Olympic cycle. Taking part in the new event will be Grant Hardie - a two-time World Champion and double Olympic silver medallist as part of Bruce Mouat's Team GB men's rink in Italy. He explains why he and the curling community are excited by a professional league and why being able to 'trash talk' his Team GB teammates during play will be fun for players, spectators and viewers. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore