[Francis-134]

So back before 1998, every team's number changed according to alphabetical order, causing many team's numbers to change every year if a new team came in that was above them in alphabetical order. However, in 1998, FIRST decided to freeze the numbers where they were. This is why team 190, while being an original and sustaining team has a "high" number (the W in WPI puts us right above the X in Xerox and team 191).

New team numbers are given on a first come, first serve basis (for the most part) starting with the current highest number. There are exceptions for teams that spring off of other teams (39) and the like, as well as for teams that disappear for a year and come back.