After looking at the pit map from 2002, the pictures, and getting lost down memory lane, there were a few things that came to mind. If there is only a 21% increase in the number of teams at this year's Championship Event, there is something that I think is being over looked. Yes it is about the number of teams, but at the same time, it's about the number of members per team as well. I feel as though over the years, teams themselves have grown in exponential numbers and are becoming larger than they were in the past.
Also, look at the pit map for 2002 plus the field maps for 2002 (idk if they are posted anywhere), then look at the 2011 pit map. The event that we are currently running involves so much more now than it did then. Back then the Championship was only for FRC, at least from what I can remember.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Disney and I still LOVE Disney, but I really do think we may have out grown that. Saint Louis this year was great and I had no complaints. Ok, maybe I had one complaint, the location of the Hall of Fame pits, but that was it. FIRST was very accommodating and the city of Saint Louis couldn't have been better. I enjoyed every minute of my time there.
Just my $0.02
Cass