Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

The problem that I see in this is that the seat-saving is mutual between all teams.

My experience from this year is this: Members from my team arrives, doors open, we go in. The team President wants to save seats. After being told that saving seats is clearly prohibited in the manual, he still insists on saving seats. Why? "Everbody else is doing it."

This set me off, and I just walked off to the pits in frustration. I concluded that it wouldn't be so bad if everybody could just get over the idea of finding a random, untaken seat and using it. Unfortunately, the aforementioned "no seat-saving" rule is currently unenforced. Hopefully, this thread will go recognized and, my championships, there will be free, open seating.


No. However, as FIRST grows, we can always use more venues. Have a two-week competition, with different teams each week.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

That is a somewhat reasonable short term solution, which I'll return to.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

I think I'm being misunderstood. I am talking about us managing the space we have until we HAVE to expand, something that applies to more than just this seat saving problem.
But yeah...

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

Won't always work... In L.A., they only open up the upper deck on Saturday normally. There are enough teams there that doing something like that would force the upper deck open.

Now, with AG in the venue, we were allowed into the upper seats on Thursday... Something about not enough room for the normal lower seats.

Remember, saving seats is not permitted by FIRST rules. Yes, teams like to sit in groups. But if you're going to have few saving seats for many, and somebody sits there, they have no reason to believe that the person you're saving for will return soon. Now, if it's say 20 people in 22 seats, and they say that two people went to the restroom, that's another matter entirely.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

Question: How would FIRST enforce the "no saved seats" idea or proposed compromises?

I've noticed the "disqualified from awards" idea, but that is unwarranted and has a flaw in that non-team spectators could also save seats. Ideas?

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

There isn't really a way to enforce it...but, they can go through and take down banners, seat covers, etc. used to save seats.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

The way I see it after all of these posts is that the people involved in FIRST or any activity that is at this high of a level of professionalism should act accordingly. In reality, people should use common sense, common courtesy, and think of others. If you're responsible enough to be on a team, then act as/more responsible, chivalrous, and professional as if you were an adult. There really are some issues that I think can be solved by people just cooperating and being a little more self-less. If you have to sit, nobody should be telling you "Oh, you can't sit there" or anything like that. But..like they say.."If common sense is so common, why doesn't everybody have it?" (Of course that's not what the word 'common' is being used for though).

+$0.02

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

Hi All,

I’ve been around this forum for many years. I appreciate the reasoned arguments about this issue. It’s difficult. I’ve attended (I think) about 15 regional events and more than a few Championships.
I’m easy. I’ll sit with anybody. Some of my fondest memories… Let me reminisce.
I’ve spent some Fridays and Saturdays with 47,(My eyelids hurt, it was so loud), 330, 191, 1126, 45, 233 (Incredible), 1902, 217, and 33. I could go on and on. One of my favorite Saturdays was with 141 in the upper deck at WMR. I think it was still downtown then. They didn’t win, but were Awesome!

Therein lies the problem. I know you. I love the spirit of FIRST. Many folks new to the arena can be intimidated by the energy of the competition.

I believe that teams must sit together.

How about this? We’re easy to recognize, ( Us without a team or completely new to FIRST). Look around and watch for us. Adopt Us. It’s fun. Invite us to sit. Watch for us.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

Me personally I didn't sit much in the seats last year so there was no seat needing to be saved for me and I couldn't save a seat.

But I agree with no saving seats as it is said in the manual plus you can meet new friends and maybe even form a new alliance just by sitting next to someone from another team.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

personally, i think the problem comes for the fact that people have nowhere to put their "stuff". teams will most likely have no problem squeezing together to allow a few more people to sit in the row, but too many coats, team spirit stuff, and owner-unknown items may be in the way. teams do not want/aren't aloud to crowd the pits with their junk, so they'll just leave them in the stands.

I think the best way to solve the problem is to have someplace for people to put coats and unneeded personal items. The best way to do this would to expand the pit areas or have another pit-like area for coats and stuff. But then we run into another problem. Not enough space.

Re: Saving seats and Dean's homework
 

What a blast! Just got home from Ypsilanti. (OK, we took the scenic route) Thank You so much to the Bedford Express. You were way Awesome. Sat with you after lunch on Saturday and had a ton of fun. Sitting right behind the Killer Bees didn’t hurt too much.

I couldn’t help but notice, however, the Thunder coming from the upper deck. I had to check it out.

What a treat, sat with HOT and Truck Town. You talk about loud. Congratulations to a very deserving Chairmans team. They had all the room they needed.

Even though the decibels were incredible where I was sitting. The Thunder Chickens (I Swear) I could hear you clapping during the Chicken dance. They seemed to also have all the room they needed. Nice of these large teams to sit where they did.

Re: NYC Regional will have coat check
 

The NYC Regional will have a coat check this year on the level below the main playing field. There will be a nominal fee but it is worth it to avoid losing all your stuff below the bleachers.