Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

The best advice I can give is to keep it simple. Examples:

"Team 148 would like to invite team XXXX to join our alliance."
"Team 148 accepts."
"Team 148 respectfully declines."

When 3548 accepted our offer, because I was in shock was a simple "we would love to".

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

Our coach said "YES" It was enough everyone understood the emotion it conveyed.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

To answer your question as directly as possible, there is no phrase you MUST use.

There are many ways to say Yes. Most teams say "Team xxx Gratefully accepts your invitation" or "Team xxx respectfully declines your invitation".

Thinks that are cute or 'different' are OK, but basically you are saying "Yes" (or maybe "No Thanks", work from there.

French? Can't help you there. Maybe "Oui" and "Non Merci"

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

One thing that has been really cool that I've seen done for alliance selections this year:

Team XXXX would be happy to assist you in the eliminations.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

The times I got to accept an invitation to be on an alliance, I always said, "Team 751 has done the math, and would love to save the world with these teams."

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

This year our Alliance picker said "Team 1501, to Assist in our Aerial endeavor, would like to invite Team XXXX"
I cringe everytime someone says "Graciously Accepts"

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

It's cheesy, but I always loved when teams make some pun off their name. I know The Foley Freeze asks people to "come chill with them" and I'm pretty sure Bedford Express makes some kind of "on track" pun, but I might be mistaken.

I love when teams do this. It is a great way to relieve some of the stress that comes with alliance selection and it's fun.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

Yeah, 95% of the teams will "Graciously Invite" or "Graciously Accept" and that's just emotionally painful to hear. Of course, those are likely the same people who think it's acceptable to scream "Robot" while moving a robot through the pits. My team and I came up with ways we wish teams would accept:

Walk slowly to the captain, and "Glacially Accept".
Dance onto the field like a ballerina, and "Gracefully Accept"
Run out to the captain and give 'em a big bear hug, and "Gratefully Accept."
Bounce out onto the field giggling and screeching and "Gleefully Accept"
Have glowsticks in your outfit and "Glowingly Accept"
I think the Dapper Dans (1801) have "Humbly accepted" before.

Things my teams has said:

"We've got your back!"
"We're with you all the way."
"Let's rock it" / "Let's Do this!"
"We accept."

-Danny

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

My personal all-time favorite:

"Team 159 would love to play with you."

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

For the love of god, please do not list all of your sponsors before accepting. It's tacky and it wastes everyone's time. It's more than enough already that the announcers name all of them for the participating teams before every single match.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

I would keep it as simple as possible. Personally, I agree with those who say not to list sponsors. I really do think it is a Canadian thing.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

The eight commandments of alliance selection:

1. Have a list
2. Have a list
3. Don't use the word "gracious" or "graciously" anywhere.
4. Don't list your sponsors ("on behalf of NASA, the Human fund, and Famous Original Ray's Pizza, we'd like to ask Theodore Roosevelt's Disco Haircut to join our alliance")
5. If you're scared to talk into the mic, keep it simple. "We'd love to".
6. If you're not, ham it up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbBx-bqUBhQ
7. If you're going to choose to form your own alliance(what's declining?), people will boo. Stay strong. You presumably know what you're doing.
8. This is the last part of the competition weekend where the drama is accessible and personal to all of the teams. It's ok if it's fun.

Re: Alliance Invitation Phrase
 

It's actually supposed to be just before each team's first match of the competition.