[Pendulum^-1]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

Creating more team sections in the stands does NOT solve the problem. Designated sections for cheering are nice, but what do those teams do once their match is done? They go right back to their seats so in effect by creating these "sections" we are taking up even more seats which doesn't solve the problem.

After a team's match is over, they can go where ever they want to go. As most of my team spends nearly all of our time in the pit area, either working on our robot or talking to other pit crews, we would not occupy other seats in the arena. One of the prime benefits for ALL teams is to have a decent seat to go to when your team is on the field.

The purpose of the cheering section would be to make optimal use of prime seats for Friday and Saturday AM. I challenge the concept that the optimal use of prime seating on Friday and Saturday AM is to act as a laundry repository for large teams with the resources and/or perceived requirement to reserve vast tracts of prime real estate for the Saturday eliminations and/or Friday evening awards.

I agree that something should also be done to help out the general public. As the situation stands right now, whenever I do invite friends to the event, I feel obliged (and somewhat embarassed) to explain the seating situation in advance. Needless to say, it probably discourages some from attending.