[Dan-o]

Thank you for your critique. The idea is not perfect, but I feel it still has merit.

I like to see it as some sort of insurance. At Bayou, 14 rookie teams would have to build a crate, where only a maximum of 4 (insanely unlikely, I'm not sure if 3 rookie teams have ever won a regional on an alliance together) would actually need a crate. If 2 teams were to qualify, then (assuming equal chance of qualification, it would be smart for rookie teams to participate as long as the cost of shipping the crate was less than 7 times the cost to build a crate.

Another challenge is that our team is (and will continue to be) working hard on team branding, sponsorship acquisition, and the creation of our pit. We certainly have time to build the crate, but we don't have a good place to store it, and time spent building it will decrease our effectiveness in other areas.

Our goal is not just self-serving. If teams participate, rookies would have additional time and money to spend on more immediate needs. If this program takes off, we plan on setting up threads for other regionals.