Re: Registration 2015
 

2876 teams currently

• 6.2% growth (1.1% less than last year) = 168 additional teams
• 93% retention (1.5% higher than last year) = 2490 returning teams, 218 teams from last year who haven't reregistered
• 12.5% new teams (2.2% fewer new teams than last year) = 360 new teams
• 10.4% resurrected vets (6.4% fewer than last year) = 26 vets who didn't play last year

Re: Registration 2015
 

Mark, have you put together any kind of graph that shows growth and retention rates over the last 5-10 years? Wonder if we'll look back on registration this year as an anomaly or as part of a plateau of overall growth and increased retention (ie the "market" of FRC team development has matured under the traditional regional model). Conversely, does the 2014 season look like an anomaly over the last half-decade?

Re: Registration 2015
 

Here are the team growth and year-to-year retention (corrected for resurrected vets) charts from the beginning.
Retention is the highest that it has ever been.
Really, it's just the new team growth that's down this year. Hard to tell if that's the fault of marketing, outreach or something else.
I wouldn't describe it as a "plateau."

Re: Registration 2015
 

Question that is a little off topic the current subject about growth. How can F.I.R.S.T. close registration when they have not cleaned up their wait list? We have been on the wait list since the first day of registering for a second event. We have not heard from first about the wait list, where we stand or even if we have a chance to get in. We would like to go to a second event. It will really hurt our young program not to. We could register at a 3rd event that has a shorter wait list but will that hurt our chances at our first choice wait list? After they clean up the wait list can you still call and get registered at an event that is not full?

On a side not I have talked to a few teams in our area and it seems that many of them are having a harder time registering for a second event. Is anyone else seeing this?

Any advice on this?

Re: Registration 2015
 

[Shameless plug] The Hub City regional still has plenty of spots open that you could guarantee your team! [/Shameless Plug]

Re: Registration 2015
 

FIRST HQ does not maintain the wait lists. If you want to ask about your chances to move to the "registered" list, contact the people in charge of the event. The Regional Director is a good starting point.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Alan,

Thanks for the reply. That has been done. I got a pretty stock reply that there is a long wait list and there would be plenty of unhappy teams. There were no details given about numbers, when they would know etc.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Registering for a third event will generally not impact your chances of getting off the waitlist for your second event.

Some of the factors that do typically weigh in to whether you get off the waitlist or not include team age, location, and how many events you are registered (not waitlisted) for.

If you happen to get into the "third" event before the "second" one re-evaluates your position on the waitlist, then you will likely be given lower priority for the "second" one.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Just an opinion, but that reply sounds like you won't get in to that event.

Rather than just randomly signing up for a third event, I would start directly contacting the RD's of several other events that you might be interested in and asking them about the chances of switching to their event.
Scattered teams have dropped out of events as they don't get funding or for whatever reason, so some events that appear full may actually have open space no one knows about.

Re: Registration 2015
 

That might be a "stock reply" for that particular event, but it sounds like useful information for teams on that wait list. Did you ask about numbers and timing? More specific questions might elicit more specific answers.

I doubt that the two events' planning committees are sharing information on who's on the wait lists, and I very much doubt that they would give lower priority to a team trying to sign up elsewhere. If you can sign up for another event without withdrawing from this one, I'd suggest you do so. It could be seen as abusing the system, but in the unlikely case that you end up getting registered for both, there's no penalty for withdrawing from a competition before you have paid.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Ft Lauderdale, Bayou, Hub City are regionals that you are likely to get off the wait list at (or at least were earlier this week). Many are stacked super deep, with 10+ teams waiting for a handful of slots. I don't know why this information isn't better disseminated.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Just a quick note -- the FIRST FRC Events list is now up to a total of 110 events will the official addition of the 18th FiM District event during Week One.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Just for everyone's information, Gail's email to teams about the 18th district called it Standish-Sterling.

Re: Registration 2015
 

2900 teams are now registered.

Re: Registration 2015
 

What is the chance we will break 3k?

Re: Registration 2015
 

100%.

Oh, did you mean this year? :)

Re: Registration 2015
 

I highly doubt that we'll get another 100 teams registered in less than a day, but it's possible.

Re: Registration 2015
 

I'd guess the chances are slim to none.
I'd expect some further rise for the next two weeks as HQ works with teams, but then actually a fall back as some teams finally drop out after failing to raise the necessary funds or otherwise pull it all together.

Last year after this point in time we gained an additional 44 teams then lost 88 teams as they dropped out. That also had a later (~2 weeks) registration close.

The year before shows an ultimate net gain of 32 teams after this date. Also with a longer registration period.
Most earlier years showed a modest net gain (<100) after this point.

Re: Registration 2015
 

So, at Regional Registration Close at noon we had:

• 2905 teams
• 4225 total event slots assigned:
  • 534 - MI
  • 244 - MAR
  • 299 - PNW
  • 330 - NE
  • 102 - IN
  • 2716 - Regionals

Re: Registration 2015
 

So based on those numbers, and my bad math, it looks like between $16 and $20 million for regsitraton fees. Wow!

Re: Registration 2015
 

Do you have the #'s for 2nd/3rd districts on a region-by-region basis?

Re: Registration 2015
 

FIM: Any news on wait listed teams?

Re: Registration 2015
 

I haven't heard anything about waitlists, but I was unable to find the grant recipients until this morning. Our financial director changed jobs just after our application went in, so it is nice to know for sure that we got it.

Re: Registration 2015
 

The FIRST team database appears to have changed how access is done. Maybe as a step in the open API effort. It happened between 6 & 7pm yesterday.
Sessions no longer time out.
Oddly enough some counts are now accurate to six decimal places, so we should expect fractional teams in the future, e.g.,

• Open Capacity 0.000000
• Teams in All Areas (2924 found, 1 - 250.000000 displayed)

This also seems to have broken third party tools like Pat Fairbanks' frclinks and compwiztobe's event team totals.
At least until they adapt.

P.S.
All better now. Thanks guys!

Re: Registration 2015
 

Looks like we have a location for the Michigan State Championship...

DeltaPlex Arena
2500 Turner Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 48544
USA

It appears to be a sizable place.

Any guesses for final capacity?

Re: Registration 2015
 

http://deltaplex.stage.rockhousepart...ng-Guide-1.pdf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/norkusa/15365102932/

About 4 500 fixed seats. Two fields are a definite possibility, if the convention halls are available for pits.

http://www.arenaracinggr.com/about/index.html#track
http://www.arenaracinggr.com/about/techspecs.pdf

Also, here are some dimensions in the "arena racing" configuration of the main hall.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Two fields, 60 - 65 teams each? Seems doable, especially if they set it up much like Worlds....pits in the convention center, etc and so forth...

Will be interesting to see how it's handled...

Re: Registration 2015
 

Team 4592 is now registered for the Bayou Regional! We're going to our first out of state event.

Re: Registration 2015
 

A lot of FiM teams are being added to events this weekend.
I've counted 50 so far.

In preparation for 3rd District signup on Tuesday I presume.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Why are teams not able to switch their district event now? Somehow at least one team is taken out from wait list and moved to another event where other teams were wait listed.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Now that 3rd District Reg is open, do we have any stats on teams attending 3 districts, or better question do we have any verified cross district playing?

Re: Registration 2015
 

Today was only third event, in district. Cross/Interdistrict doesn't open until January 9th

Re: Registration 2015
 

So far 7 NE teams have registered for 3 districts.
174 NE teams registered at 10 districts. More spots available.

We'll be looking forward to seeing you guys at the same 3 districts along with 4055.

The attached spreadsheet shows all NED events and teams registered. 10 teams so far have only registered for 1 district.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Right now, I see three teams signed up for all three Indiana district events.

Four of the 53 Indiana teams have yet to sign up for their second event.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Out of 122 MAR Teams (up from 110 in 2014)

• 6 Teams registered for 3 districts
• 116 Teams registered for 2 districts
• 0 teams registered for 1 district

As far as travel outside the district:

• 9 teams registered for 1 regional
• 1 team registered for 2 regionals

Re: Registration 2015
 

Wait lists have been cleared. Will this be updated? :)

Looking forward to kick off in Wolcott

Re: Registration 2015
 

Here is I believe an up to date spreadsheet for NE districts

I see Deep River may have only 1 event? or I missed.

Please let me know of errors.

Whoa - RI district upped the ante in the last go round!

NE district needs its own thread

Looking forward to KO

Re: Registration 2015
 

5746 (from deep river) is signed up for waterbury and pioneer valley (springfield)

Re: Registration 2015
 

Here is updated/corrected file for NE districts

Deep River now set, but now 3609 from Portland seems to be down to one event.

10 teams have signed up for 3 events, 1 team (246 - Go BU!) has signed up for 4 events!

Potential of 39 more slots to be filled (assuming 40 per event).

C'mon outside district teams! we'd love to see you.

Re: Registration 2015
 

2908 teams were registered at Kickoff.
Highest rookie number is 5784

Five more than we guessed in October that we would end up with.

I expect a few more will drop out though and take us closer to the lower October estimate. For a multitude of reasons teams drop out all the way through the Regional and District events into April.

Still had 22 teams shuffled into events over the past week, so there is still some activity there.
And there is always the cross-district play opportunity opening up this Friday.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Inter-District registration opens at noon today.
Curious to see who wants to travel.

Events have been populating their team lists in anticipation.
The Michigan Bedford event added 13 teams.

Re: Registration 2015
 

FiM held the 3rd district lottery last night. Escanaba added a couple teams as well. With the number of Michigan teams that didn't get into Bedford, I wouldn't be surprised if a few showed up at Indiana districts.

Re: Registration 2015
 

As of now these are events with open spots listed. Some are not at 40 but do not have listed open spots.

FIM District - Escanaba Event (Week 5) - 8

IN District -Indianapolis (Week 1) - 1
IN District - Kokomo City of Firsts Event sponsored by AndyMark (Week 3) - 1

MAR District - North Brunswick Event (Week 6) - 1

NE District - Waterbury Event (Week 1) - 2
NE District - Pioneer Valley Event (Week 2) - 1
NE District - Pine Tree Event (Week 3) - 4
NE District - Rhode Island Event (Week 4) - 1
NE District - UMass - Dartmouth Event (Week 5) - 9

PNW District - West Valley Event (Week 2) - 4
PNW District - Philomath Event (Week 5) - 1

Re: Registration 2015
 

The Indiana events have capacity for 40 teams, that means we have:

IN District -Indianapolis (Week 1) - 5 spots
IN District - Kokomo City of Firsts Event sponsored by AndyMark (Week 3) - 10 spots
IN District - Purdue District (week 4) - 1 spot

Andy Baker just posted more information about the Indiana events, feel free to ask questions about the Indiana District there, DM me for more information, or email info@indianafirst.org.

Renee Becker-Blau
Executive Director of IndianaFIRST

Re: Registration 2015
 

Dartmouth is week 3.

Re: Registration 2015
 

135 decided to sign up for the Indy event (meaning we will go to all 3 IN events) since none of the FiM events that we wanted were open. Look out, Indianapolis - here comes Northern Indiana!:p

Re: Registration 2015
 

What's the lowest numbered rookie team?

Re: Registration 2015
 

It says 5400 in the first post.

Re: Registration 2015
 

Well that's embarrassing. Thanks.