It seems that every year, we have a discussion about issues in the stands. Usually it circles around the door-opening procedures and saving seats, but I think there are related issues that could be addressed by segmenting different groups. What I propose is breaking the audience into four groups.
Scouts and Video
This section of the stands would be at a premium viewing location. This section could be higher up (further away). Each team would be allowed only 8 members at a time in this section, designated by wristband or button, that could be removed and switched to a different member. This keeps all the equipment (laptops, cameras, etc) in one area of the stands, for easier
distribution of power in the stands.
Current Match Participants
This is a premium "front row center" viewing location where spectators can stay for one match only. The Los Angeles regional at Long Beach did a great job with this last year. They had a whole separate section for folks who wanted to view only the current match. The section was completely cleared out after every match. Entrance on one side, exit on the other, and you were not allowed to stay. This gave every team a good and fair opportunity to see their robot play from a good view point up close. There does not need to be any registration for this section, but it should work on the honor system that only team members whose robots are up next on the field should enter this section.
Team cheering and spectating
This would be open seating, as it is currently.
General Public
The general public feels very out of place at a FIRST event. There's loud music, screaming kids, and nowhere to sit. I think a separate section for the general public would help with this. If I didn't know about FIRST, and I walked in to see what it was all about, and I wanted to watch some matches, didn't find anywhere to sit that wasn't in the middle of team XXXX saving all their seats, I'd probably leave. Let's give these folks a place to sit that's not in the middle of a bunch of screaming teenagers. It probably would not have to be a large section.
Thoughts?