Re: entertainment between matches
 

Personally, I'm less concerned with entertainment between matches for those at the event, as keeping things fresh for those watching via webcast. While a certain (probably large) portion of the webcasts' viewers are only going to be concerned with a particular team and won't be watching the whole time, rolling the sponsor reel gets old pretty darn quickly for those watching the entire broadcast. The web viewing experience is still one of the areas where FRC stands to have significant improvement.

Re: entertainment between matches
 

I think it would be pretty cool if a camera crew went around the pits filming on Thursday and play highlights of all the teams between matches. It would be neat to get a 60 second (or so) clip on how their robots worked. Perhaps play chairman's videos as well.

Re: entertainment between matches
 

This, this, this. All the this.

Until the viewing experience at the event is treated differently than the viewing experience at home (like every sporting event ever) FIRST won't be able to grow outside the small audience that has the time and ability to travel to the best events.

The broadcasts like IRI Live, Gametime, and FIRST in Michigan, etc. are all steps in this direction. The biggest failing with the attempts to replicate these at Championships the past two years has been their focus on the experience of the audience in the arena and not those at home.

Re: entertainment between matches
 

Three loosely related thoughts:
(1) I'd really like to see a "best practices" kind of procedure written to minimize the non-field-reset delays in competition. I've asked the question about what causes these delays here, and got some very good responses (do not have teams connect to the FMS until the previous match is totally finalized, check and disable background programs like Spotify or CAD software running on teams' driver stations, etc.). It's time to gather those things into a single "recommendations document."

For THOR in October, I've heard two very original ideas:
(2) Run a team "Jenga Tournament" concurrently with the competition and
(3) For between match entertainment during reset, "Team Karaoke" right in front of the competition field.

Re: entertainment between matches
 

At one competition a couple years ago, there was a mascot parade/conga line around the venue - stands, field, pits, everywhere. Nearly every mascot joined in, as well as various teams. It was definitely entertaining!

Re: entertainment between matches
 

Connect 4 is something that Marc Polansky and I started a few years ago at the Connecticut Regional. I had a small travel version, and we played on one of the humps in 2010.

He and I have been saying for years that we needed to play a rematch game, so when I went home during the competition season and refereed at the Rhode Island District Event, where he was head referee, I made sure to bring it. I then have introduced it at every event I have refereed at since. They even took the idea and ran with it at MSC this year where the FTA's brought it.

I took with with me to IRI because I love the fact that it allows both the field crew, and teams to do something more fun during the field time outs, and you can get 2-3 matches in during a standard 6 minute field time out.

I always make sure that the Head Referee and FTA are ok with it before it is introduced on the field, and make sure that anyone who wants to play, can play, so long as there is time left. I never want to delay the day even further.

Re: entertainment between matches
 

My personal favorite option is playing teams' chairman's videos. We sort of got this working at TRI this year and I think it went over well. Need to plan it a little better with the AV team but nothing that can't be fixed.

We are seeing a stark increase in chairman's submissions over the past few years and every submitting team is required to make a video yet only one is shown at each event. They have the videos, the ability to play them, and the thought that this is what we should be highlighting about our program. Why don't we play more chairman's videos?

Re: entertainment between matches
 

These happen at pretty much all PNWFRC events... there was a guy with bagpipes, wearing a kilt in the pits at DCMP in 2014, leading a wakeup parade, too. I think he was from 1294, but I'm not positive. that was the second best thing I've ever seen at an FRC event

Re: entertainment between matches
 

Is this anywhere up there? :rolleyes:
(I cant believe we got someone to wear that)

Re: entertainment between matches
 

This one works well, even if it turns into a "thats awesooome!" situation.

At Wisconsin, they usually filled time with mascot-related things, which is easy. (just play some music and point a camera at them) Raffles and chairman's videos could both be used as well. Personally, I'd like to see giant Connect 4 with totes.