[EricH]

Originally Posted by Paul T.

What if they just reserved the first few rows to scouts? each team can send no more than two or three and each team has the opportunity to get to a prime angle for viewing the action on the field.

Sorry, but if I'm only allowed to send 3 scouts down, I'm not sending any down there. I'll send 5, minimum; more likely 6-7. If I can only send three to a designated area, I'll try and sit 6, plus an input person, plus the rest of the team, right behind there, and none in the area.

And here's why: It is very, very, very difficult to monitor more than one robot at a time if you're a scout. The last time I tried was 2004, when there were still 4 robots on the field, so I took one alliance and the scouting mentor took the other. You tend to lose focus on one of the two robots. Three? Forget about it--you're losing so much data, you may as well not scout. Two robots on opposite alliances? Not easy. Trust me, I've done this.

At a regional level, you're talking up to 120-180 people, just with the 2-3. Districts are 120 for three/team. Championship, 200-300. 6 per team? Too many. You'd pretty much want the front half of the rows.


Not to mention that some teams just don't want to be split up...