[Bryan Herbst]

I'm in favor of getting teams out of pits for opening ceremonies.

There's a lot of recognition that happens at the opening ceremonies- frequently community leaders show up to congratulate the students and it's an opportunity to recognize the volunteers (and introduce the students to some of the important ones). Planning committees spend a lot of time and energy coordinating these, so I don't have a problem giving them a half an hour of my day to relax and enjoy the ceremony.

The ceremonies are also an excellent opportunity to excite the students and get them engaged in the competition. For new students, it makes them aware of how big the competitions can be, and introduces them to the competition format. We also all are aware how stressful practice day can be, so it's a good opportunity to step back and take in the competition for a moment.

FIRST is also trying to make competitions similar to traditional sports competitions in many respects. When was the last time you saw members of a football or hockey team working out in the back room during the opening ceremony? Sure that might be a "better" use of their time, but I doubt many players would even consider it.

I do see exceptions being made every now and then for teams that are in desperate need of that time for one reason or another (perhaps their robot caught fire or they haven't passed inspection and are in the first match), and that's fine.

On a somewhat related note, I wish there was a way to make closing ceremonies mandatory. I understand some teams have a long drive, but they should stick around to support their colleagues. Plus it's awkward when a team wins an award but has already left.