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Originally Posted by GaryVoshol
How? That doesn't decrease the number of qualifying spots from FRC regionals. All it does is give more floor space in the pits for FRC.
Besides, don't the FLL (plus JrFLL) and FTC students deserve a chance to be inspired by being part of the World Championships alongside FRC?
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It allows FIRST to use the entire space that's available for accommodating FRC teams. It means the event can continue to grow and more teams can attend. If FTC and FLL each host their own Championship event, the same is true for those programs and they can celebrate their accomplishments without being in the shadow of FRC.
Little League players all know about Major League Baseball and they don't have their World Series in the same place at the same time as MLB. I think it's perfectly plausible to imagine a future where FLL and FTC participants view FRC teams as the Major Leagues and work toward success in their own programs so that they might, someday, get to be part of an FRC team.
I'm playing Devil's Advocate a bit here; there's a long way to go before the above would become reality. If FIRST is going to continue to encourage growth, though, I think they should be equally committed to accommodating that growth at the Championship while continuing to recognize teams as they do currently. If it comes down to spinning FTC and FLL off into their own events, that's how it should be. I think FRC teams being inspired by other FRC teams will go a long way toward making the teams and program stronger than FLL or FTC students doing the same.