Quote:
Originally Posted by pseudoreality
The new format is growing on me, although there are two things that bug me:
- Why does Ontario automatically get two teams each year? If they are good enough for a wildcard spot, earn a wildcard spot.
- I don't like the name wildcard 1, wildcard 2, etc. They should get a provincial name. If Alberta is good enough to have two teams, have Alberta 1 and Alberta 2.
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There is some history as to why Ontario has two teams, kind of…. Way back in the early days of the Brier, it was decided that it was too far for the teams from Northern Ontario (Thunder Bay) to travel to southern Ontario to play in the provincials, so NONT was given a spot in the Brier as well. Of course as travel by air and car became more and more popular, NONT just retained its spot, there was not a Team Canada in the Brier.
Once the Scotties began, they would play with a Team Canada (returning champion) but no NONT women’s team, by then travel was much easier than it had been in the 1920’s. What eventually happened about 12(??) or so years ago, Curling Canada added a NONT team to the Scotties and Team Canada to the Brier.