Now with an atitude like that... First will never become a natonal passtime

If I understand this thread, you're saying that competition matches at Nationals would start either...
1. Friday morning (as is)
2. Thursday late afternoon
3. Thursday morning

The only way logistically that options 2 or 3 could work is if unpacking/inspection could take place on Wednesday.

We have been inspected at one event only to have an inspector at the second event nit-pick us to death. If we had to unpack, inspect, fix the nit-picky things (filing "sharp" edges, tie wrapping "loose" wiring, repainting our numbers, etc) before a 10:00 competition match, that would result in a very bad competition.

Despite all that, I would definitely trade practice time for competition time any day.

By the Numbers
 

If each division is 72 teams, then it takes 18 matches to allow each team to play once (4 teams on the field). To get from 6 Qualifying matches to 8 qualifying matches, then 2 matches would need to be run on Thursday. 36 additional matches would need to be run per division. Using a 5 minute interval, that would mean that the additional 36 matches would take an additional 180 minutes which equals 3 hours. Even if that matches started at 5 PM, they would finish around 8 PM. I think this is reasonable.

The upside to this of course is that everyone does get 2 more qualifying matches. The downside is everyone only one practice and everyone is pulling a 12 hour day (most people that I know do anyway). I'd do almost anything to get more playing time in order to get the seeding better especially at large events.


Steve

WHAT IF WE DIDN'T DROP THE LOWEST SCORE!

One thing i think many of you are forgetting or aren't taking into aspect is we drop our lowest score. What if the lowest score wasn't dropped, then you would really get the full 6 matches to count, with out doing any major change. Right now yeah each team plays 6 but only the top 5 count, so this is saying really we are getting an extra practice match in our bundle of 6 comp matches. If they counted the lowest match then that will demeanor into who some of the better teams are.

Just a little of my rantings now,
~Mike