Jamie Nye: Curling; a great game that needs change

As the Brier begins in Regina this weekend, we ponder what needs to happen to see this sport continue to be one that grows in Canada.

The Olympics showed the world is catching up to us as for the first time we didn’t medal in the men’s and women’s team event.

But the game needs to appeal to the younger generation to give it a shot. Does the current format of the Brier and Scotties appeal to that? They are three-hour games and the thinking time leads to long gaps between shots sometimes.

Mixed doubles, as goofy as it seemed, offered a quicker, more exciting option at the Winter Games and as John Morris pointed out on the Green Zone, he prefers it to the team event.

It’s quicker and there is a little more going on. It’s also done in about an hour and a half, rather than the three-hour games will watch here at the Brier.

Change is needed. Thinking times need to be dropped and 10 end games need to be eight. It’s the only way curling can keep up with changing demographics.