Disappointed by lack of FIRST coverage

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Posted by Jason Iannuzzi.

Engineer on team #11, Marauders, from Mt. Olive HS. and BASF, Rame Hart, CCM.

Posted on 8/30/2000 6:41 AM MST



I'm becoming more and more upset with the lack of support and coverage that FIRST receives in the press.

Think about this, Battlebots has a series on basic cable, Robowars has pay-per-view special, Robo World Cup and the previous two have all had countless writeups in the past few weeks in various news sources. Now consider that if you combined the support (monetary, manpower, and otherwise) that they all receive, combined they don't even come close to FIRST. Not even close.

FIRST has at least 12,000 active participants (contestants). Battlebots has 200 (I think), Robowars a few more, and Robo World Cup a few less.

FIRST has 10's of millions of dollars in financial support from over 2 dozen Fortune 500 companies, NASA, and scores of smaller companies. Last time I looked, I didn't see one ad from any company on the sides of any Battlebot or Robowar participant.

The only logical conclusion I can draw from these facts is that in the 12,000+ FIRST-aholics, not one of us has any immediate relation to anyone in any position of programming power in a large media company. Bad luck huh?

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Posted by Matt Leese.

Student on team #7 from Parkville High School and NASA, Black & Decker, AAI, Raytheon.

Posted on 8/30/2000 8:58 AM MST


In Reply to: Disappointed by lack of FIRST coverage posted by Jason Iannuzzi on 8/30/2000 6:41 AM MST:



Well, as far as Robowars and Battlebots go, they get television coverage because it's very appealling to most people. To the average person it's much more exciting to watch robots destroy each other than it is to watch them put a ball in the goal. I can explain the Robo World Cup though. It might be because their games (soccer) is much easier to understand than anything that FIRST comes up with. People already know what soccer is and don't have to learn new rules about a game.

I think the real reason FIRST doesn't get a lot of coverage is because of a lack of good PR people. Most teams do the PR work themselves and it really needs trained professionals to do it right (I never thought I'd say that PR people were needed ;). And as much as I love the people up in NH (i.e. FIRST Foundation), they haven't been able to get consistent news coverage of the event at all. Maybe it's time for a bit more work in this direction?

Matt

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Posted by Justin.

Other on team Blue Lightning Alumni Association from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.

Posted on 8/30/2000 9:05 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: Disappointed by lack of FIRST coverage posted by Matt Leese on 8/30/2000 8:58 AM MST:



Well,

In response to the lack of no good PR people, we (FIRST) just gained Marketing Guru Laura London of Autodesk fame. Sounds like the preassures on and she's got her work cut out for her ;-) ;-)

-Justin

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 8/30/2000 9:28 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: Disappointed by lack of FIRST coverage posted by Matt Leese on 8/30/2000 8:58 AM MST:



I share all of your fustrations with the lack of success that FIRST has had so far getting the attention of the nation.

BUT...

Help is on the way...

I expect great thinks from Laura London, formerly of Autodesk, now working as Director of Marketing for FIRST. From what I know of her, I think that she will really improve FIRST's visibility to the public.

They're working on it. If my experience with FIRST has taught me anything, it is that they are an organization that is continually working to improve themselves.

Look for great things in this area.

Joe J.

P.S. The herd mentality of Big Time TV could actually work to our benefit. If Battlebots is a success, then other networks will be beside themselves looking for 'me too' opportunities. If Dean, Woodie & the gang put out a good TV friendly game, some of us could end up mouthing 'Hi Mom!' as we wave to the cameras come April ;-)