Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

At least the load in map is still there so you can still have a general idea of where to go before you get there.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

there is also a wider coverage map in the FLL section showing them their route to the dome and Einstein. It's a smaller scale (less details) that includes a lot of the dome floor, including the strange item at one end that reminds me of the solar reflector diagrams.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

Thank for pointing this map out. I don't think the best location for Einstein is along the short (end zone) side of the Dome floor. I think it would have been better if it was at the FRC 2 field spot.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

I'm sorry, but are people REALLY still whining about this??

These bleachers are EASILY three times as large as the bleachers that were provided for the Epcot setup back in 97-01 (at least the years I remember there)- and there are TWO SETS. Back then there were 300 teams, and IT WORKED. The fields were lain out in tents in the Epcot parking lot. Some fields were close to your pit, some weren't. Every team got a chance to rotate to the large Einstein stage, and everyone had a GREAT time. I remember watching my team on those super tiny fields sitting on those super tiny bleachers, scouting & cheering, and it worked just fine. I liked that we were able to get so close to the robots and the field, it was much easier to see what was going on than it was in the Georgia Dome.

I know people are naturally resistant to change, but please please stop with the negative attitudes and just figure out what we can all do to make this work. I'm sure it will be every bit as exciting.

I've told this story before, but my very first year in FIRST, there were two fields on a single stage IN Epcot, and roughly 50 teams at the championship. It was incredibly small in comparison to what it is now. But I remember watching the Harris Tigerbolt team in awe, seeing them win the whole thing, drooling at their gorgeous & efficient robot. I was no less inspired because it was a small stage or not the grandeur of the Georgia Dome.

Get over it and lets go have some fun!

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

So what is that, 10 rows of seats, maybe 12? At Kettering, they had 8 or 10 rows on one side of the field, 4 or 5 on the other, plus a section of bleachers on one end zone. Say 40% more rows at St Louis - that's being generous.

From the pit maps, the total length of the bleachers at St Louis may be somewhat longer than those at Kettering. (I seem to recall 115', which would make the bleachers a little more than twice the length of the field.) Say 40% longer, again generous; it ignores the extra bleachers that Kettering had on the end.

1.4x1.4=1.96 - 96% higher capacity at St Louis than at Kettering.

But Kettering was crowded for 38 teams. With 86 teams per division, the crowd should be about 125% larger. But the bleachers aren't 125% larger. I suggest that these bleachers will be at least 15% more crowded than the ones at Kettering were.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

Michigan teams will be happy, this looks just like a district setup. :rolleyes:

If I were going to the event and ended up on one of these fields I think I'd spend less time complaining about the size on Chief Delphi and more time figuring out what else I can do at Nationals to pass the time.
It's more than just FRC! There's FLL, CARD, action in the pits, companies to talk to, great people on other teams to meet. If you plan on spending all of your time in the stands, you're waisting your trip.

Would you rather just stay in the hotel and watch the matches online for scouting?

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

No.

Which raises another question: Will there be a power drop for teams to use for scouting equipment (laptops, video cameras, etc.)? I imagine it would be possible to run an extension cord beneath the bleachers to the nearest outlet and allow nearby teams in the stands to split off of that. However, such a setup may cause a safety issue for some depending on how many wires there are and where they're going.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

No, you're scouting. Watching online makes scouting VERY difficult, at least partly because the camera people love to insert driver's station views and lots of film of the one or two robots that flipped 30 seconds into the match.

I planned on spending a good 75% of my time in the stands, and usually spent more, when I was scouting. The remaining 25% was typically on Thursday (practice day, for those Michiganders that haven't been to a regional event).

I'm certain the pit-field seating will work itself out; how crowded it gets will be a function of how many scouts there are and how big the playing teams are. (Hey, idea! Finally, the scouts get their own section! Just take a portion of one set of bleachers!)

I think the complaints are more over the fact that there are two fields in the pits, when there's a ton of space in the Dome that's being used for ???????? event (which everyone is figuring out is some form of concert). A concert at a robotics competition that displaces the robotics competition has the potential to turn into a robotics competition at a concert.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

Nope. At least I'm not... I am, however, hoping that the event will really do a lot for FIRST. If there is a good reason to reconcile taking half of the dome, okay. This is NOT going to change how I enjoy the event. I will still have a blast. IF it is very crowded, I am concerned for the people that are not normally a part of FIRST. Problems are usually blown up on CD. That's kinda the nature of internet forums. My life will go on, and I will still be watching 90% of the qualification matches on Curie for scouting.

All in all, really excited. Been in "adverse" situations before in FIRST (I was at the crowded EPCOT center too). We will see how much our concerns are warranted thursday and into friday.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

This seems really really small. There are regionals larger than this.

Just my $0.02.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

Not going to CMP this year, I'll have to rely on everyone's word who goes, however, I know if I WAS going, I'd be hopping mad if 2 FRC fields have been pushed out of the dome for the entire weekend in order to make room for a stage for a show that will be for a few hours on friday night.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

I think it's a good idea! I would certainly be up for it.

My thoughts as well. You just articulated it a lot better.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

You do that, and let us know if you get any scouting data worth keeping.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

This is the most difficult form of scouting. You can't really get a grasp of what the teams are like by scouting via the internet. You can get a very general idea, but nothing precise.

Re: pic: Bills Blog - Bleachers in pit
 

Ooo, they're even the laptop-munching style of the Waterloo bleachers.

I counted 15 rows in the picture. Depending on size, that may effectively only be 7.5 rows because people often put their feet on the seats for the next row down.

Positive thoughts:
At Atlanta CMP, the slope of the seats were so shallow that a single person standing up in any row ahead of you could block your view of the entire field. If these have a slope similar to the waterloo bleachers, that will be a thankfully much-reduced problem. Remember the passionate "SIT DOWN" shouts/chants of years past, and be thankful those may be reduced this year.