[Chris is me]

Lots of people are proposing a solution along the lines of District/Regionals ->> DCMP/Super Regionals ->> World Champs, and making the second tier of events closer to world championship production and event quality. I think this is the natural way for things to grow, and it could be very inspiring indeed.

The main problem everyone brings up in response is - well, then 400 teams are all trying to get to champs on one or two week's notice. Valid problem, but there's a solution to that. It's not a perfect solution, but it actually would fix a bunch of different problems with scheduling champs, avoiding AP testing season, avoiding Easter, avoiding Vex Champs, fitting in more and more regionals...

Is there any reason we can't have champs in the early summer? Last week of May, first week of June, that area. Just take a month off between DCMP and CMP, for the teams that can go? Some schools would have issues with it, I know, but many academic and athletic competitions have their national competitions late, sometimes even after the school year ends, so it's not completely impossible.

What does this do? It means that there's time between Districts and Super Regionals to schedule travel plans. Maybe districts could be a little bigger as a result, giving us a handful of events (like, 12 - 14) sprinkled across the country. 30 teams from each can advance, for a 360 - 420 team World Champs. And there would be time between the Super Regionals and World Champs for teams to get plans in order as well.

I know some teams wouldn't be able to do this, yes. But the intention of the three tier idea everyone is kicking around is that the second tier wouldn't be just some other regional event. It would be itself a championship - a privilege to qualify, worth it just to be there, etc. The idea is that you're getting most of the experience of an early 2000s championship at tier 2, and that tier 2 would complete the season positively for many middle tier teams.