[artdutra04]

According to Bill at FRC Live, the decision was made to move one field to the pits (due to moving the FTC fields next to Einstein) long before any notion of a concert or will.i.am came into the picture, due to physical geometry issues arising from moving FTC right next to Einstein. The addition of the stage for the concert caused another field to need to be moved into the pits, which at least evened it out and allowed them a more fair method of swapping positions.

Honestly, the biggest thing people need to know about the concert and the lack of music on Einstein and a lot of other different things at the St Louis Championships are all easily explained by one thing: this really is becoming the Super Bowl of Smarts.

The Super Bowl is operated around television cameras, announcers, and film/production crews. The Super Bowl needs a half time show. The Super Bowl is a lot of fun for the participants and spectators in person, but the event itself is much larger with a lot of attention paid to also making it enjoyable for the tens of millions watching at home.

For years FIRST has been telling us the Championship Event was the Super Bowl of Smarts, and this year it actually was. The FIRST Championship is going to be broadcast on Sunday evening primetime television on a major network. We had a half time show by the same artist who performed at the actual Super Bowl, in a concert that was donated and otherwise could have brought in millions in ticket revenue. The Dean's List and Chairman's Award (including equivalent FLL and FTC award winners) were celebrated during this half time show, with Regional Chairman Award winning teams enjoying the entire concert from the floor in front of the stage.

While there were a lot of minor things that could be tweaked and improved*, the overall new focus of the Championship was more than worth it for the participants there and everyone who will definitely enjoy the show at home on August 14th, 7pm, ABC. And as will.i.am said at the event, "FIRST is already cool, we're just making it louder!"

* The fields in the pits need to be moved next to the entrance so visitors who lack safety glasses and/or closed toe shoes can still enjoy watching the matches, and a third section of bleachers (similar to the arrangement at the CT Regional) need to be added.