[Bill_B]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Hopefully they will figure out a way so that any FLL team in the world has the opportunity to qualify for the World Festival. As it stands now, they can't support enough teams to allow each championship event can send one team to the WF. Not even ONE TEAM per event. If you are in the wrong event this year, you can't go.

If they can't expand FLL to allow every team the opportunity to qualify, then what benefit is separating the venues? FLL doesn't get to be inspired by seeing FRC and FTC.

The reason FIRST gets to fly so many nations' flags over Einstein is that FLL is more globally diverse than FIRST's other programs. People call the World Festival a "championship" already, even though it is not. Losing the inspiration for the FLL "farm teams" would be a poor strategic move. Those of us in the FLL program really appreciate the support of local FRC teams at our tournaments. FIRST has worked diligently to craft the migration ladder. I would hate to see it suffer by a separation like this.