Brier Format Change Pondered
10/03/2009 03:02
Field could be expanded to include three territories, Team Canada
For 34 years, the Brier, the world's most famous curling event, has been contested by 12 teams, but that could change in the near future.
The Canadian Curling Association has struck a committee to explore revamping its national championships. The CCA is looking at expanding the field to give separate entry to the three Territories: Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, along with bringing back the defending champion as Team Canada. It already uses the Team Canada concept at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women's championship.
The possible trade-off, though, is that the field could be split into two tiers, similar to an English soccer league, where the top finishers from the previous year are seeded into the top tier for the following year's Brier, while the lower group plays off for the right to join the top tier. As well, the bottom finishers from the top tier would be dropped a level the following year.
"The issue is the ability for every member association to have the right to access the championships," said CCA governor Laura Lochanski of Edmonton, who's chairing the committee.
"We put on the table two basic options, but we're not naive enough to think that there won't be a hybrid option voted on to go forward. This is just a starting point."
Lochanski refused to be specific on the options, but various sources have confirmed that the two-tier concept is the most likely option, although there are several obstacles before it would ever be put in place, not the least of which would be getting the 14 member associations on board with it.
While traditional heavyweights such as Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario would have no problem with it, minnows like Prince Edward Island and Northern Ontario would be reluctant, simply based on their teams' poor results over the years.
"Part of it is your own personal gain," acknowledged 14-time Brier participant Russ Howard of New Brunswick.
More from the Edmonton Journal.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Puleez . . . each of the small Territories in our country think they should have their own teams? This is getting more and more to sound like Canada’s federal government speaking all the time. There is no call for each of the Territories to have their own team and there is no darned way this crap is going to happen. They're damned lucky to have one team, period.
The change that all curling fans would like to see is the elimination of Team Northern Ontario, to be replaced by the defending champions, under the moniker of “Team Canada.”