Bloomberg Talks: US Olympic Silver Medalist Korey Dropkin Talks Curling, Rock League
Date: March 12, 2026
Guest: Korey Dropkin, US Olympic Curling Silver Medalist
Host(s): Bloomberg Host, Alexis Christopher
Episode Theme: The evolving world of curling—from grassroots experiences to the launch of Rock League and efforts to boost the sport’s popularity in the US.
Episode Overview
This episode welcomes Korey Dropkin, fresh off an Olympic silver medal in curling, to discuss his journey from youth clubs in Massachusetts to Olympic podiums. The discussion explores curling’s traditions, rising popularity, changes in the game’s culture, the upcoming Rock League, and how Dropkin envisions a broader curling presence across the U.S.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Childhood Roots & Curling Culture
- Background: Dropkin grew up in the Boston area, with the Brumstones Curling Club serving as a formative "second home" for both him and his family.
- Quote:
“Brimstone’s curling club was like my second home. My whole family curled. I have an older brother that curled and I followed in his footsteps. My parents were so involved with the youth curling program there.”
— Korey Dropkin [01:29]
- Quote:
- Youth in the Sport: Started curling at age five, with junior-sized stones designed for kids.
- Quote:
“They have these smaller stones... made for younger curlers for kids that can't slide a 40-pound stone down the sheet of ice.”
— Korey Dropkin [02:04]
- Quote:
2. Olympic Evolution & Changing Curling Energy
- Shifting Perception: Curling is gaining recognition beyond its quadrennial Olympic spotlight.
- Quote:
“We love a sport where the crowd's going wild and cheering big... instead of the respective cheers... we want those... to vibrate through the stadium. And that’s what we saw in Italy... the energy that the athletes were giving off.”
— Korey Dropkin [02:31]
- Quote:
- Tradition vs. Modernity: From quiet etiquette to vibrant, enthusiastic crowds.
3. Curling Boom: Youth Interest & Accessibility
- Olympics Impact: Interest naturally peaks every four years, but Dropkin notes surging participation among younger generations in the U.S., spurred by club open houses and outreach.
- Quote:
“Every four years, it's natural. The world loves watching curling. We just need to be able to give the world what they want to watch more often... I'd want to see, especially in the U.S., curling exposed a little bit more.”
— Korey Dropkin [03:52]
- Quote:
4. Rock League: The Future of Professional Curling
- Launch Details:
- Rock League launches April 6–12 in Toronto, marking its inaugural Eastern season.
- Structure: Six franchises, each with 10 athletes (five men, five women), making it a mixed-gender competition.
- Goals: Make curling more accessible, year-round, and visible to wider audiences, especially in the US.
- Quote:
“It's the eastern inaugural first season... There's six franchises... it's mixed gender. The beautiful thing is that it's... the best in the world playing head-to-head.”
— Korey Dropkin [04:32]
- Media Coverage: Ongoing negotiations for U.S. television coverage; hopes to replicate Canada's strong curling broadcast environment.
5. Myths & Realities: Curling as an Athletic Sport
- Barroom Stereotypes: While recreational curling—especially in leagues—has a social side (beer included), Dropkin stresses curling is a competitive, athletic endeavor at higher levels.
- Quote:
“League night is known to have some beer involved for sure... But I love pool. When I grew up and I wanted to be good at curling, my dad told me... you gotta learn your angles. If you wanna learn your angles...”
— Korey Dropkin [05:27]
- Quote:
- Skill Translation: Dropkin played a lot of pool growing up to improve his understanding of angles, an essential skill for curling strategy.
6. Olympic Drama: “Were the Canadians Cheating?”
- The Controversy:
- The hosts press Dropkin on an Olympic controversy involving Canadian curlers, technical infractions, and a heated response.
- Quote:
“...Essentially a legend of the sport who's being called out... He was in a fracture that, as you know, traveling in basketball, some people get called on it, some people don't. And he got called on it.”
— Korey Dropkin [06:34] - Swedish curler Oscar Erickson called out the Canadian team, resulting in unusually heated exchanges and some cursing on the Olympic curling sheet—rare for the sport.
7. Medal Stories & Home Life
- Where’s the Medal? Dropkin keeps his silver medal close by or “up high on a shelf at home” [06:56].
- Running Jokes: Hosts tease about curling skills doubling for kitchen cleaning duties at home.
- Quote:
“I'm very good at cleaning the kitchen floors for sure. You can ask my fiancé.”
— Korey Dropkin [07:17]
- Quote:
8. Game Structure: Calls for Change
- Length of Matches: Traditional games last ten ends (~2.5 hours).
- Future Format: Rock League will introduce shorter formats—mixed doubles games (~1.5 hours)—which Dropkin believes will increase viewer appeal.
- Quote:
“I think what we need to see is the game shortened a little bit, and you're going to see that in Rock League too... mixed doubles games are about an hour and a half.”
— Korey Dropkin [07:46]
- Quote:
Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes
- Silver Medal’s Value:
“Silver, by the way, at $86 right now, up 7.”
— Korey Dropkin jokes about silver prices [03:33] - On Curling’s Social Side:
“League night is known to have some beer involved for sure... On an average Tuesday evening, you're definitely gonna see curlers with the beer on the back of the boards.”
— Korey Dropkin [05:27] - Olympic Emotion:
“There was cussing going on and curling, which doesn’t happen often.”
— Alexis Christopher [06:31] - Medal Handling Humor:
“Not under the pillow, not under the mattress.”
— Alexis Christopher teases Dropkin about storing his medal [07:01]
Important Timestamps
- 00:47 – Introduction to Korey Dropkin and his medal
- 01:29 – Korey’s childhood and family curling background
- 02:31 – Curling culture shift and Olympic energy
- 03:52 – Curling’s surging popularity and youth interest
- 04:32 – Rock League launch details
- 05:27 – Curling as a social but serious sport
- 06:07 – Olympic controversy over rules, sportsmanship
- 06:56 – Where Dropkin keeps his medal
- 07:41 – Curling match length and Rock League’s new format
Conclusion
Korey Dropkin shares an inside look at curling’s growing appeal, the energy transformation at the Olympics, and hopes for the new Rock League to anchor the sport firmly in US sports culture. With wit and passion, Dropkin brings out the athleticism, camaraderie, and entrepreneurial drive behind curling’s next chapter.