UPDATES TO 2024 ARENA CLUB NATIONALS QUALIFYING PROCEDURES, HOST SITE SEARCH
Photo by: Bob Weder
[EAGAN, MN, February 8th, 2024] — With an eye towards the 2024-25 National Championship season, USA Curling is announcing revisions to the Arena Club Nationals qualifying process. Changes were developed based on feedback from the Arena Club Working Group and competitors.
The Arena Club Nationals will continue to be a regionally-based championship, with representatives from each Recognized Regional Association and a berth for At-Large clubs.
Going forward, however, the national champions from the previous year will receive an automatic berth in the championship. If the defending champions are no longer eligible, or if fewer than 3 of 4 or 3 of 5 players on the winning team can return, the berth will be awarded to the next highest finisher.
Additionally, plans for a new qualifying bonspiel are being developed. This event will award one Men’s team and one Women’s team berths in the 2024 Arena Club Nationals. Ideally, this qualifier bonspiel will take place in the month of September. It offers a great opportunity for a dedicated ice facility or an arena-based club to provide an event that will support arena curlers across the country and kick off the traditional season in a positive way.
"It has been a pleasure to collaborate with the dedicated volunteers of the Arena Club Working Group," said Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling. "They have been doing important work to help improve operations and ice conditions at arena-based clubs, and provided the critical thinking that led to these changes to Arena Club Nationals.”
Along with these revisions to the qualifying process, USA Curling is also searching for a host for the 2024 Arena Club Nationals, as part of an overall effort to secure sites for all championships through 2027. The organization is grateful to Curl Mesabi in Eveleth for its incredible support of this event these last two years, and looks forward to working with a new Member Club partner.
“The people at Curl Mesabi reflect the very best elements of our sport—they were willing to step up and support this national championship,” Gemmell added. “Now they’re passing the torch and I hope another club will see the value of hosting this important event.”
For more information about hosting the Arena Club Nationals in November of 2024, please message USA Curling Events Director Aaron Kaylor at aaron.kaylor@usacurling.org.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
