4 or 6 Championship Divisions?

[Starke]

With over 300 teams going to Championship, that makes over 70 teams per division. Seeing this many teams at one event (GTR), FIRST needed two fields to make the event run smoothly. What do you think? Will FIRST keep with 4 divisions or make it 6?

4 Divisions ~ 70-80 teams per division

6 Divisions ~ 50-60 teams per division

[EricH]

They'll stay with 4 divisions. Here's why (not in any way, shape, or form official):
1) Logistics/space. The only places that I know about big enough for Championship are covered football stadiums or temporary structures. Both need floors that are not grass. There are few of these around. Not to mention the ones that are there can only hold six fields without becoming overcrowded, and then where would VEX and FLL go?
2) Championship pairings: How would you do the champoinship rounds with six alliances?
3) With more fields, you can take more teams. This means more hassle with room for them all, traffic flow, queing, crate storage...the list goes on.

[Jeff Rodriguez]

After divisional eliminations, you're left with 6 alliances. How do you have an elimination tournament that doesn't take half the day?

[David Hoff]

It seems that their will be 4 divisions again this year. The FIRST website says there will be 6 playing fields in Atlanta. This makes me think that there is one for each division, one for Einstein, and one field for the VEX tournament.

[jagman2882]

It seems that their will be 4 divisions again this year. The FIRST website says there will be 6 playing fields in Atlanta. This makes me think that there is one for each division, one for Einstein, and one field for the VEX tournament.
i agree
p.s. colts suck........go jags!!!!!!

[Madison]

It seems that their will be 4 divisions again this year. The FIRST website says there will be 6 playing fields in Atlanta. This makes me think that there is one for each division, one for Einstein, and one field for the VEX tournament.

It's also possible that they'll maintain four divisions of teams, but rotate those divisions through three fields each so that each team will be able to play more qualifying matches. This would not be unlike what used to happen with Einstein when we were in the Discover lot at Epcot.

[Lisa Perez]

http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/regional/agenda/At-a-Glance_Agenda.pdf

This is the agenda for this year's Championships. I feel like it would be highly unlikely for FIRST to go against what they've already put in a document. Given this, it's probably going to be the same as before, with 4 fields for FRC, DaVinci for FVC, and Einstein for FLL and FRC eliminations.

[Starke]

wow, and i thought that i looked everywhere :ahh:

[Koko Ed]

FIRST has a hard enough time getting volunteers for 4 fields. Nevermind 6.

[dez250]

wow, and i thought that i looked everywhere :ahh:

Keep looking, If they are going to 6 divisions then i hope not be be working with the teams stuck outside in the fountain.:rolleyes:

[Dave Scheck]

Also, the Pit Map (http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/site_info/GWCC_Pit_Map.pdf) only shows the usual 4 alliances.

My bet is that the 6 field reference includes Einstein and Vex.

[Aaron D.]

Vex actually uses two fields, one for regular play and one for autonomous, but they could be collectivly called the vex "field"

[Warren Boudreau]

Or they could be referring to the two practice fields that are in the pits.

Just a thought.

[Jherbie53]

It would be nice to see more than 4 fields in the future. More teams, means more competition, more competition means better and exciting matches. That still might be 4-5 or more years away, but I will be waiting. Also I hope that in the future that FIRST is just as recognizable as any major sport out there, and just as respected if not more.

[Nawaid Ladak]

I got an idea, 4 SUPER divisions

4 Divisions=2 feilds each

ex: Division:Curie Feild:(FIRST Sponcer, ex: Motorola etc.)

so like Newton RadioShack
or Galloleo NASA
or Archomedes Genreal Motors

something along that lines

Teams play on both feilds

Elimination matches with 12 allinces

Allinces 1,4,5,8,9, & 12 play on feild one
and the rest play on the other feild

fnals are held on feild one and the winner moves on to Enstine.

Any problems, please state your opinion

[Imajie]

:confused: Wait, how are you getting 12 alliances?? :confused:
If you have 4 divisions each using 2 fields then that would make 8 alliances that move on to finals on Einstein.
If you had 8 in the finals you could do elimination rounds like normal, but you would need to find space for 8 fields plus Einstein so 9 fields total :ahh: . That would take a lot of room.

Edit: Did you mean 12 from each division? Why not do 8 from each field and have 16?

[artdutra04]

Vex actually uses two fields, one for regular play and one for autonomous, but they could be collectivly called the vex "field"Yes, the Vex "fields" will be known as Da Vinci. Each division has one (and only one) playing field; each division also has one half of a field to practice on in the pits. Although having two fields per division would double the number of matches one could play, there is not much more room in the Georgia Dome for more fields. (It may look like there is a lot of room in photographs (http://www.usfirst.org/4vol/resourcectr/photogallery/2005/Venue/Venue_1.jpg), but that space between the fields is needed.)

Expect to get about 2-3 practice matches and 8 qualification matches. In case anyone wanted to know the names of the fields:


Archimedes - Division
Curie - Division
Newton - Division
Galileo - Division
Einstein - Final Elimination Field (This field is NOT used until Saturday afternoon for FRC) ›› Italics is EDIT
Da Vinci - FIRST Vex Challenge

[YonZ]

i think last year they had four divisions of about 85 teams each
theyre gonna stick with four

also, where in the dome would they go otherwise?!?
i've been to nationals in 04 and 05.
with FRC, FVC, and FLL all large events (and the massive NASA broadcast sattelite truck)-- even 5 FRC fields is a major stretch, let alone 6

[GaryVoshol]

Einstein - Final Elimination Field (This field is NOT used until Saturday afternoon)80 FLL teams beg to differ - this field is most certainly used on Thursday and Friday! :ahh:

[artdutra04]

80 FLL teams beg to differ - this field is most certainly used on Thursday and Friday! :ahh:Oops! I'm sorry. :o I originally meant that its not used by FRC until Saturday, but its fixed now.

[BRosser314]

i agree
p.s. colts suck........go jags!!!!!!

yes off topic, but totally agree go jags :D