News Players' Championship

TORONTO — Ottawa’s Team Rachel Homan and Team Robyn Silvernagle of North Battleford, Sask., will square off to start the prestigious Players’ Championship next month at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre.

The Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling announced Tuesday the round-robin match schedule for its sixth event and fourth major of the season taking place April 9-14.

Homan faces Silvernagle in a rematch of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts semifinal to begin the crown jewel tournament.

Team Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., takes on Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa while Team Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., plays Regina’s Team Matt Dunstone and Team Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., goes up against Toronto’s Team John Epping to round out the opening draw.

Click here to see the full match schedule

The Players’ Championship features 12 of the best men’s teams and 12 of the best women’s teams from around the world competing for a $300,000 total purse divided evenly between the two divisions. Also on the line is the Pinty’s Cup, awarded to the season champions in the series with a $75,000 bonus for the winners.

Teams were invited last week based on the World Curling Tour’s year-to-date rankings.

Both divisions are split into two pools of six teams for round-robin play with the top eight overall qualifying for the weekend playoffs.

Full-event and weekend passes plus single-draw tickets are now available, click here to purchase online or call 1-844-389-4754.

Broadcast coverage begins April 11 on Sportsnet with online streaming available via Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).

It’ll be the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in seven years the Players’ Championship will be held in the heart of downtown Toronto at the historic venue formerly known as Maple Leaf Gardens. The Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling announced earlier this month the Players’ Championship will return to Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre next season, too.