Exclusive: World Curling Looks to Asia & US Markets for Further Growth
December 10, 2013
By Ismail Uddin
The World Curling Federation has identified Asia and the US as potential markets they are looking to target for further expansion.
Kate Caithness, order the president of the organisation, medstore | considers Curling to be the ‘fastest growing winter sport’ and believes there are opportunities in Asia and the US to increase interest in the sport.
Speaking to iSportconnect, sale she said: “We are widely recognised as the fastest growing winter sport. To boost the numbers we are exploring the Asian markets which is huge. We have always talked about the US as being a sleeping giant but now they have woken up. I think these numbers are going to go crazy in the next couple of years.”
Caithness, who hails from Scotland, also expects growth in the Asian markets to continue in the lead up to Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea.
“We do expect on the run up to the Olympics in Korea 2018, that Asian growth will continue,” she added.
The first female World Curling president also praised the recent Euro Curling Championships as a showcase for the sport.
“The coverage has been huge. Earlier in the championship we had Norway against Sweden and we understand the number of people watching the game in Norway compared with football on TV was bigger. That’s unbelievable isn’t it?.”