[EricH]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

I wouldn't go quite with half, I'd guesstimate at a third. FIRST will usually leave a gap between the last rookie of year x and the first rookie of year x+1. I know one year they skipped every other number for a certain range. This allows for if a team splits or if there is another reason to use a number from a previous year without having two teams have had the same number at a different time.

And of the teams that do fold, sometimes they'll come back under a rookie number. Or under their own number for a season or two (FRC23). That can drive the team numbers up with respect to teams that have competed.

[cue Mark McLeod with the real numbers... wait, CD doesn't work that way]