Sounds to me like alot of people were attending the Nationals for the wrong reason... not for the competition but to see WDW.
I think while Houston will be a change it will be a great venue, possibly seperating the wheat (those there to compete and learn) from the chaff (those who are more worried about what rides there are)so to speak.
The level of competition and caliber of attendees will continue to rise- this change while difficult will be great for FIRST.
Looking forward to seeing all the competitors in Houston.