After hours of airtime within the Olympic highlight, it is a curling bonanza in America : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F15%2F6029b9fd483e9060d1fbe4c1507c%2F20260211-dsc3650.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F15%2F6029b9fd483e9060d1fbe4c1507c%2F20260211-dsc3650.jpg" class="img" alt="Ted Hallock delivers a rock during a curling game at the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel, Md. Curling clubs often see a boost in interest following the Winter Olympics." fetchpriority="high"/> Ted Hallock delivers a rock throughout a curling recreation on the Potomac Curling Membership in Laurel, Md. Curling golf equipment typically see a lift in curiosity following the Winter Olympics. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR After weeks of anticipation, Stacy Bishop packed her suitcase, wrangled her 6-year-old son and headed to the airport. 9 hours later she and her household arrived in Italy, prepared to look at the Winter Olympics. Their occasion of alternative: curling.

Bishop is the media director of the Potomac Curling Membership in Laurel, Md., and he or she constructed her complete trip schedule round watching the curling execs in motion on the ice.

"We made some indicators that hopefully individuals will suppose are humorous in the event that they see them on TV," Bishop mentioned the week earlier than she left for Milan. "They are saying 'the triple's there' and 'peel the guard' — issues that curlers would discover humorous and no person else. My 6-year-old has a flag that he might be waving that simply says 'sweep'."

Curling was the one sport to air day by day of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. A report shared with NPR by USA Curling confirmed that curling had the most important viewership of any sport throughout NBC's Winter Olympic protection. Because the Paralympics kick off, wheelchair curling athletes from internationally will compete day by day.

Again in America, a surge of individuals are attempting the game out for themselves.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2Fc2%2F908565d148479bce9806ee3a7a98%2F20260211-dsc3573.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff5%2Fc2%2F908565d148479bce9806ee3a7a98%2F20260211-dsc3573.jpg" class="img" alt="Stones are lined up on the ice at the Potomac Curling Club in February." loading="lazy"/> Stones are lined up on the ice on the Potomac Curling Membership in February. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR Bishop first started curling 16 years in the past throughout an Olympics season. She, and lots of others at her membership, cite the Winter Olympics as the explanation why they got interested within the sport.

This phenomenon — that 1000's of individuals grow to be fascinated with curling each 4 years and determine to get on the ice — is effectively documented. Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling, the nationwide governing physique for the game, advised NPR that USA Curling's member golf equipment have constantly reported between 300 to 600 individuals at 'learn-to-curl' occasions and open homes prior to now few months.

"We do get a superb bump each 4 years, however I believe this yr appears extra vital than prior to now," Gemmell mentioned. "That may be as a result of our groups carried out effectively. All of our groups are on ice for 30 hours of tv time, so in comparison with different sports activities the place athletes may get 4 minutes, now we have lots."

His preliminary knowledge additionally reveals that Olympics-time curiosity has already translated into elevated membership, as a number of golf equipment have welcomed over 100 new curlers into their newbie leagues.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff2%2F55%2F933f5c8141ac9d739bff2882db65%2F20260211-dsc3598.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff2%2F55%2F933f5c8141ac9d739bff2882db65%2F20260211-dsc3598.jpg" class="img" alt="Howard Griffin laughs while playing with other members of the Potomac Curling Club. He has been curling for over 20 years." loading="lazy"/> Howard Griffin laughs whereas enjoying with different members of the Potomac Curling Membership. He has been curling for over 20 years. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR Presently, there are about 20,000 USA curling members throughout the nation and the quickest rising section of latest curlers is 21 to 40-year-olds, who now make up 38 % of USA curling's members.

Potomac Membership league roller Elizabeth Tigner mentioned she's excited {that a} rising variety of younger individuals are committing to the game.

"It retains it recent and fascinating," Tigner mentioned. "I believe that is additionally good for our membership, as a result of among the finest issues that you are able to do to get higher at your personal recreation is to show individuals."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2000x3000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F18%2F0b0c49724e0fae4b3d6e98a2b06f%2F20260211-dsc05370.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2000x3000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F18%2F0b0c49724e0fae4b3d6e98a2b06f%2F20260211-dsc05370.jpg" class="img" alt="Elizabeth Tigner, 30, has been curling for four years." loading="lazy"/> Elizabeth Tigner, 30, has been curling for 4 years. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR Some golf equipment, particularly smaller ones in additional sparsely populated areas, truly rely on the Olympics-time growth to remain afloat. Michael Ehrlich, president of the small Chesapeake Curling Membership in Easton, Md., mentioned that the membership had over 300 individuals come by means of their doorways this yr.

"We hire our area from the neighborhood middle from mid November by means of mid March, and we attempt to pack as a lot curling into these like three three and a half months as we will," Ehrlich mentioned. "We have simply been speaking at the moment about perhaps extending that, however that is a operate of individuals's willingness to maintain curling and our need to spend cash to hire."

Chesapeake is internet hosting thrice extra 'study to twist' periods than they'd in a typical yr.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2F68%2Fae702b904aaea54374567a8c8bf3%2F20260211-dsc3570.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2F68%2Fae702b904aaea54374567a8c8bf3%2F20260211-dsc3570.jpg" class="img" alt="Brooms hang on the wall at the Potomac Curling Club under a sign that says "Personal Brooms."" loading="lazy"/> Curling was the one sport competing day by day of the Olympics. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR "It is our need to get extra individuals," Martin Wyatt, who has been curling at Chesapeake because the membership opened in 1979. "The extra individuals now we have the more cash now we have and the longer the season we can afford."

The Olympics has already gotten Chesapeake nearer to that aim. Roller Yana Willey mentioned that it was watching this yr that lastly satisfied her boyfriend to get out on the ice.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F21%2F6a%2F29102f644f40bd2147950cd25a8f%2F20260211-dsc3742-edit.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F21%2F6a%2F29102f644f40bd2147950cd25a8f%2F20260211-dsc3742-edit.jpg" class="img" alt="People play at the Potomac Curling Club on Wednesday." loading="lazy"/> Folks play on the Potomac Curling Membership on Wednesday. Claire Harbage/NPR cover caption

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Claire Harbage/NPR "I did a 'study to twist' three years in the past together with my boyfriend and I have been attempting to persuade him to come back again to the membership," Willey mentioned. "Now that the Olympics are on he advised me at the moment he is obtained a buying cart stuffed with issues for curling. He desires to be a member. He is like, 'I am all in, like, I am offered.'"