[TrevorJ]

This thread exemplifies why there shouldn't be buy-ins for the championship. With a field of up to 400 robots, there is no reason for so many excellent robots to miss the event. We shouldn't be saying that we have to wait for IRI before the best of the best are all in one place. In place of buy-ins, FIRST should have "at-large" spaces to fill the field with. A points system similar to the FiM and MAR point systems should be used for determining these spots. The 100 or so best robot performances by points at any regional, as well as the FiM and MAR championships, are invited to fill the "at-large" spaces in St. Louis.