2009 FIRST Championship dates!

[Rich Wong]

OMG! The robotics shop is still a mess....
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Greetings from FIRST,
We want you to be among the “FIRST” to mark your calendar:
The 2009 FIRST Championship will be held once more at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA, on April 16-18, 2009.
We have recently returned from our best FIRST Championship ever! This season's finale featured 340 FIRST Robotics Competition high-school teams, 108 FIRST Tech Challenge high-school aged teams, 82 FIRST LEGO League World Festival middle-school teams, 6 Junior FIRST LEGO League demonstration teams, and their mentors, teachers, families and FIRST fans.
The event was wonderfully attended by many of our sponsors, suppliers, and scholarship donors, along with hundreds of dedicated mentors, volunteers and team supporters. It was an extraordinary weekend filled with energy, teamwork, and gracious professionalism! Until you've experienced it, you can't imagine how much excitement math, science, engineering and technology can generate in over 20,000 attendees from all over the world.
To add to the excitement, FIRST was grateful to have Former President George H. W. Bush and Governor Sonny Purdue of Georgia speak at our Opening Ceremonies. Governor Linda Lingle of Hawai’i also attended for the entire event, supporting FIRST throughout the Championship activities!
If you've experienced it, you'll want to see more. If you've never experienced it, you really need to see what you're missing, so PLEASE SAVE THE DATE AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES ABOUT FIRST. Remember, viewing any of our competitions is free and open to the public. Schedules for upcoming events will be posted on our website at www.usfirst.org, as they are finalized in the late summer and early fall.
We look forward to seeing you during the 2008-2009 season,
FIRST

[Bob Steele]

I would think that sets the kickoff as January 10. January 3rd (as confirmed later in the thread)
This has been edited given a confirmation of a January 3rd Kick off date shown later in the thread.


Ship would be February 17th then

Week 1 February 26-28
Week 2 March 5-7
Week 3 March 12-14
Week 4 March 19-21
Week 5 March 26-28
Week 6 April 2-4
Week off
Championships April 16-18

Of course this is MY conjecture for the dates.... they are not announced yet. This is now consistent with a Jan 3rd Kickoff

[Kyle Love]

The 2009 FIRST Championship will be held once more at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA, on April 16-18, 2009.

I wonder what they mean by once more, are they just meaning again or will the championships be somewhere else in 2010?

[Lil' Lavery]

I wonder what they mean by one more, are they just meaning again or will the championships be somewhere else in 2010?

I'm not sure if it was just a typo, or you misread it. It's "once more", as in, "it will be held again" [at the Georgia Dome]. Not "one more" time, as in it's the last time. I don't think they were meaning that it's going to move.

[IndySam]

I wonder what they mean by once more, are they just meaning again or will the championships be somewhere else in 2010?

From what I was able to gather in ATL, 2009 and 2010 were option years on the contract, when 2009 was signed that made 2010 the option year and the dates were secured. I do believe that 2010 is not a firm commitment and could be changed.

[acdcfan259]

Tell em to move it to the MassMutual Center thats on the other side of the river.

[Pjohn1959]

From what I was able to gather in ATL, 2009 and 2010 were option years on the contract, when 2009 was signed that made 2010 the option year and the dates were secured. I do believe that 2010 is not a firm commitment and could be changed.

I was able to talk to a couple of people from the planning committee while we were in ATL. They said that 2008 was the final year on the contract and that 09 and 10 were optional. They were looking for a central location, more convienent for everyone to get to. They really wanted to try and hold the Championships in Kansas City for 09', but it looks like they weren't able to get that done in time.

[waialua359]

I would think that sets the kickoff as January 10.

Ship would be February 24

Week 1 March 5-7
Week 2 March 12-14
Week 3 March 19-21
Week 4 March 26-28
Week 5 April 2-4
Week 6 April 9-11
Championships April 16-18

Of course this is MY conjecture for the dates.... they are not announced yet.

As much as I love your predictions, I know its probably not going to start on January 10th. :(
To have a week 6 regional and then actually 4 days later have to unpack at championships, its too close of a time frame. Also, based on the last two years of the NYC regional being Friday-Sunday, might actually be April 10-12, 2009.
I can see as they add more regionals, having a later CMP date, but with that already announced, kickoff will be January 3rd. No vacation for us again.

[Rich Wong]

Also, based on the last two years of the NYC regional being Friday-Sunday, might actually be April 10-12, 2009.


I am pretty sure the 2009 NYC Regional will be earlier next year.:]

[Nawaid Ladak]

these dates were listed on the GWCC's website calander 2 months ago,

looking foreard to atlanta again, and if they do move the championship somewhere, please mobe it to somewhere spirit airlines flies ($33 round trip from orlando after taxes...explain that one...:D !)

[waialua359]

I am pretty sure the 2009 NYC Regional will be earlier next year.:]

Rich,
With that being said, then when? :D
My students keep bugging me about NYC 2009!
We wouldn't be able to go anyway during weeks 4-6, since Hawaii is week 5.

[Mark McLeod]

I can confirm the January 3 Kickoff date.
FIRST has informed our Regional Director that the date is official.

School will be closed for us, so we may need to make special arrangements next year for our personal kickoff event.

[Dancin103]

Isn't there always at least one week from the last week of regionals (week 6) to Championships? At least that's what I have always thought. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Cass

[Pat Fairbank]

I can confirm the January 3 Kickoff date.
FIRST has informed our Regional Director that the date is official.That's interesting. The last time that Kickoff would have landed on the 3rd (2004) it was pushed back a week to the 10th. I suppose the addition of a 6th week of regionals plus the earlier-than-usual Championship date makes this necessary.

[Elgin Clock]

OMG!!!! If kickoff is the 3rd, that would be awesome!!

I have Jan 1st, Jan 2nd, & of course Jan 3rd off from work!!

Road trip before kickoff to get in some time on some (real) slopes snowboarding in NH!!!

Wooooooooo!!!!!

(Anyone want to recommend some ski/snowboarding slopes in the area of Kickoff?) :)

[waialua359]

That's interesting. The last time that Kickoff would have landed on the 3rd (2004) it was pushed back a week to the 10th. I suppose the addition of a 6th week of regionals plus the earlier-than-usual Championship date makes this necessary.

Yes, I recalled and thought about the same thing. Having a week 6 does push it back a week, considering that CMP's date is confirmed.

[Rich Wong]

Rich,
With that being said, then when? :D
My students keep bugging me about NYC 2009!
We wouldn't be able to go anyway during weeks 4-6, since Hawaii is week 5.

I'm almost 93.59% sure it will be the 2nd week of Regional competition.
Again, NYC will be a mini-championship with FRC, FTC and FLL under the same roof. We are also looking at the possibility of two fields for 2009.

It will be great having a FRC team from Hawaii!
:)

[waialua359]

Rich,
now you really got our thoughts flowing **my students saw your post also.**
We were already planning NJ week 1 again, so, NYC week 2 would be very enticing.
Get to see Wayne P. go from MC to field coach in back to back weeks.:D

This will create a lot of offseason debate for our team on what to do...:P

[Koko Ed]

I'm almost 93.59% sure it will be the 2nd week of Regional competition.
Again, NYC will be a mini-championship with FRC, FTC and FLL under the same roof. We are also looking at the possibility of two fields for 2009.

It will be great having a FRC team from Hawaii!
:)

If NYC is week 2 then I won't be back to volunteer then because FLR is probably going to be week 2. I wonder what Maureen and Michelle will do since they volunteer at both event?

[JaneYoung]

Get to see Wayne P. go from MC to field coach in back to back weeks.:D


I didn't get to see Wayne do this back to back but I saw Wayne emcee at the inaugural OKC Regional and then I watched him coach on Curie and on Einstein this year. I'm not sure I've fully recovered from the experience - hopefully, I will by 2009.

[Koko Ed]

I didn't get to see Wayne do this back to back but I saw Wayne emcee at the inaugural OKC Regional and then I watched him coach on Curie and on Einstein this year. I'm not sure I've fully recovered from the experience. Hopefully I will by 2009.

I saw him do both in Florida.
He'd introduce the teams and then rush over to his coaching position.
Now that's a man of many hats!

[mrs. p]

Rich,
With that being said, then when? :D
My students keep bugging me about NYC 2009!
We wouldn't be able to go anyway during weeks 4-6, since Hawaii is week 5.

hey glenn

what about florida?

[waialua359]

hey glenn

what about florida?

Ms. P,
When will FL happen next year.;) Perhaps a little heads-up?
I think if and when our students find out, I wont hear the end of it.
"Can we please go to DisneyWorld?"

[Rich Wong]

Rich,
now you really got our thoughts flowing **my students saw your post also.**
We were already planning NJ week 1 again, so, NYC week 2 would be very enticing.
Get to see Wayne P. go from MC to field coach in back to back weeks.:D

This will create a lot of offseason debate for our team on what to do...:P

Wow, that would be a sweet deal!
One plane ride and two huge FRC regionals- Trenton, NJ then visit NYC for some R-n-R and finish the trip with a win in the NY Javits Center.

*Rumored: Atlantic City, NJ maybe considered for the next location to hold the NJ Regional.

[flyingcrayons]

AC?? that would be awesome for nj!! where would they hold it though?

[Scott Carpman]

Atlantic City? That would be a change, but why not hold it in the shiny new Prudential Center? Centrally located, easy to get to, blocks from the headquarters of NJ/NYC FIRST.

[waialua359]

Atlantic City? That would be a change, but why not hold it in the shiny new Prudential Center? Centrally located, easy to get to, blocks from the headquarters of NJ/NYC FIRST.

Scott, maybe a chance to meet up and team up again?
I like our chances.:)

[rdlevy1215]

Atlantic City? That would be a change, but why not hold it in the shiny new Prudential Center? Centrally located, easy to get to, blocks from the headquarters of NJ/NYC FIRST.

You could also hold it in the Izod Center, which would most likely be cheaper than the Pru, and since only the Nets play in Izod, there is more time availible. Note: Seaton Hall Basketball AND the Devils play in the Prudential Center ..

[Nawaid Ladak]

Ms. P,
When will FL happen next year.;) Perhaps a little heads-up?
I think if and when our students find out, I wont hear the end of it.
"Can we please go to DisneyWorld?"

March 12th to March 14th (that week is spring break for UCF students, thats when Florida is usually held)

Wow, that would be a sweet deal!
One plane ride and two huge FRC regionals- Trenton, NJ then visit NYC for some R-n-R and finish the trip with a win in the NY Javits Center.

*Rumored: Atlantic City, NJ maybe considered for the next location to hold the NJ Regional.

Atlantic city? sounds like fun, he lets get a couple of mentors together and go card counting...

[waialua359]

thanks for the heads-up.:D
I will say this, if our school somehow allowed weeks 1,2,3 regional attendance away from school, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

We should just do away with our winter, fall and spring breaks and coincide it with the regional weekends.:rolleyes:
We spend our breaks working on robotics anyways.

[Dan Richardson]

March 12th to March 14th (that week is spring break for UCF students, thats when Florida is usually held)



Atlantic city? sounds like fun, he lets get a couple of mentors together and go card counting...

This year the regional was held during our spring break, every year previous it was held the week leading up to our spring break. So its kind of a toss up what they will do, only thing that seems to be guaranteed is that it will be held one of those two weekends. I hope they go back to having it the week before, it really made it difficult for UCF students to volunteer. Its hard to keep college students around during that week. Also, its a hassle for the college students who volunteer for local teams at UCF, we'd like to go home :-( lol.

[Rich Wong]

Rich,
now you really got our thoughts flowing **my students saw your post also.**
We were already planning NJ week 1 again, so, NYC week 2 would be very enticing.
Get to see Wayne P. go from MC to field coach in back to back weeks.:D

This will create a lot of offseason debate for our team on what to do...:P

Start them off-season debates!
I confirmed that the 2009 NJ Regional will be the last weekend of Feb (Week 1) and the NYC Regional will be the first weekend of March (Week 2).

[flyingcrayons]

You could also hold it in the Izod Center, which would most likely be cheaper than the Pru, and since only the Nets play in Izod, there is more time availible. Note: Seaton Hall Basketball AND the Devils play in the Prudential Center ..


also, if the NJ regional starts to be in the Izod center, by 2009-2010, there will be no active tenants (the nets are moving to the barclays center in brooklyn either next year, or the year after that.) I'm sure the Izod center would be glad to have a major event be held there!

[waialua359]

Start them off-season debates!
I confirmed that the 2009 NJ Regional will be the last weekend of Feb (Week 1) and the NYC Regional will be the first weekend of March (Week 2).

This would be ideal for us in 2009:
Week 1: NJ in Atlantic City!
Week 2: Kansas City or NYC
Week 3: Florida.
Week 5: Hawaii
Championships in Atlanta: We will sign up since we already qualified via the EI award (assuming that the criteria is the same as '08).

But, all wont happen due to rumors that our Hawaii State testing is during week 3 (mandatory for all 7,8 and 10th graders at our school), or too much school being missed, and my wife!!!:D :D

[Scott Carpman]

This would be ideal for us in 2009:
Week 1: NJ in Atlantic City!
Week 2: Kansas City or NYC
Week 3: Florida.
Week 5: Hawaii
Championships in Atlanta: We will sign up since we already qualified via the EI award (assuming that the criteria is the same as '08).

But, all wont happen due to rumors that our Hawaii State testing is during week 3 (mandatory for all 7,8 and 10th graders at our school), or too much school being missed, and my wife!!!:D :D

It just makes geographic sense to go to NJ then NYC ;)

And don't worry, Champs EI will let you guys qualify for Atlanta. I'm 99.999999% positive that Manchester won't change the criteria for next year. It is the second most prestigious award possible after all...

[rdlevy1215]

also, if the NJ regional starts to be in the Izod center, by 2009-2010, there will be no active tenants (the nets are moving to the barclays center in brooklyn either next year, or the year after that.) I'm sure the Izod center would be glad to have a major event be held there!

Somehow I doubt that the Nets will be moving that soon, especially since construction on the Barclays center has yet to begin .... but who knows ...

[waialua359]

Question NJ '09.
Why would it move from the current location and is it really possible it might move to Atlantic City?
Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't AC below Philly?
To tell you the truth, I would love to attend if its there.:p

[rdlevy1215]

I guess it would move due to lack of space in the current Sovergn? Bank Arena. At another venue, i.e. Izod Center or Prudential Center, there is a lot more space and you could either hold a "super regional" or just have the room for 60+ teams to fit comfortably, as it gets tighter and tighter each year in Trenton

[Madison]

We received word today that Oregon is week 2 next season and Seattle is in week 5.

Seattle is moving into Seattle-proper and will be at Key Arena. Yay.

[Lil' Lavery]

This would be ideal for us in 2009:
Week 1: NJ in Atlantic City!
Week 2: Kansas City or NYC
Week 3: Florida.
Week 5: Hawaii
Championships in Atlanta: We will sign up since we already qualified via the EI award (assuming that the criteria is the same as '08).

But, all wont happen due to rumors that our Hawaii State testing is during week 3 (mandatory for all 7,8 and 10th graders at our school), or too much school being missed, and my wife!!!:D :D

Already ruled out a return to VCU (and/or the brand new DC regional) Glenn? With 510 gone, 2009 could be the first time in quite some time VCU won't have a Hawai'i themed team attending. :(

[waialua359]

Already ruled out a return to VCU (and/or the brand new DC regional) Glenn? With 510 gone, 2009 could be the first time in quite some time VCU won't have a Hawai'i themed team attending. :(

Sean,
Technically, we have not ruled out VCU. Since no one has confirmed the dates yet, I am assuming its during week 1 like previous years. Our team has already decided on NJ week 1. If VCU is week 2, we would definitely consider it again.
In all honesty, our students loved the VCU regional. Everyone was friendly, everyone w"as willing to help out, everyone was willing to lend out parts such as motors (not expecting anything in return). The venue was perfectly large, the team social was fun, and we enjoy Ms. Pattie Cook as your regional director. Perhaps a return to VCU can have us hooking up with 116 again? We did very well together, didnt we!;) I really believe that since its a huge "in-state" regional, that's why so many people were friendly and helpful. Reminds me a lot of our own regional.
Finally, if for some reason, we and 510 dont come, you still have your dad to sport his cool Aloha wear!

[Rich Wong]

Question NJ '09.
Why would it move from the current location and is it really possible it might move to Atlantic City?
Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't AC below Philly?
To tell you the truth, I would love to attend if its there.:p

Like rdlevy1215 said, Regional Planning Committees are always reviewing growth and new venues to make the FRC experience better.

The possibility of moving the site can be due to the contract with the venue, for future growth, to energize an area that does not have FRC teams, or even to attract new sponsorship.

BTW- Atlantic City is NOT a given. It is just one of the locations on the list which includes the new arena in Newark and the Meadowland Arena (can't reminder the name since it keeps changing!).