[Kevin Kolodziej]

I was spectating from the concourse level seats in Section 406. The view of both fields was good, part of one of the screens was obstructed but there were enough other screens that I found it to be okay.

The good:
+Two fields brought all of the teams close at one point.
+It appeared each division had a "garage" behind the fields for their pits. The curtain was raised slightly to accommodate this.
+I applaud FIRSTs efforts to make Einstein more sports like. Its not quite ready for primetime yet but the match commentary and sideline reporting was interesting - just needs a little refinement.
+The production of Einstein was great - I loved the lighting and how the fields were highlighted
+Bad Lip Reading was the best "fun" moment of any Einstein I can recall.

Room for improvement:
- I don't know if it was related to my location but there was a very bad echo on the sound for the first 10-15 minutes of matches and announcing. It was corrected though so I think it was an open mic somewhere perhaps.
- Mentors need to control their students when it comes to airplanes. FIRST could be proactive and have an "airplain time" on the screen or something, but it all comes down to the mentors setting the tone for their teams. It needs to stop once the ceremony and matches start. I was hit by over a dozen wads of paper, not airplains, and I turned around to yell at the section behind me to please stop throwing things. During a match I was filming and had a student squeeze between myself and who I was sitting next to to pick up an airplane (there were plenty behind me) to throw it again. Also, several of the airplanes had students phone numbers on them. Blair even started to read one phone number on a plane that landed by him while he was doing commentary.
- There was an extreme LACK of communication about how Saturday afternoon would be handled, especially to spectators*. Starting Einstein nearly an hour late and then starting with unnecessary dances and songs was not good. Not communicating the change of Chairman's was not good. Telling people to leave before Championship awards were handed out was not good. They did WFA before matches and so I expected Chairman's to be done as well...but nope. Chairman's was handed out at 8:30 pm. That is unacceptable.**
- I didn't stay for much of the finale but before I left, most of the 8 finalist and winners had left the floor area to go pack up their pits. This left maybe 100 people on the floor and LOTS of people in the stands wanting to go on the floor for the concert. I don't know if they were ever allowed to go on the floor, but the lack of communication about what to expect at the finale, who gets to go where, what will happen, etc, was very disappointing.
- I remember when each division would make a short video introducing their teams and/or the emcee from the division would walk out with their teams to introduce them to everyone. I miss this. While the teams were introduced when they played on the field, there was no fanfare, nothing to produce an ovation from their division in the audience, and nothing to make it feel any different from a normal match aside from a larger crowd. Teams and robots used to be paraded out in front of everyone and introduced to everyone at the start of Einstein. Bring that back.
- Moving Dave to the commentary position rather than emcee of Einstein detracted a little bit I think. I'm not saying the emcees on Einstein didn't do a good job, but Dave always gave histories and connections and stories about the teams. He did some of that from the commentator position, but since the commentary was usually about a pair of matches, the time was reduced, and for old timers like me who do care about the history of the sport and do remember who won in years past, it was a nice addition that I was missing this year.

Overall, I think the 600+ team experiment was a success. I am hopeful next year these items will be addressed and the last true championship will be an event not to be missed.

*I was shocked to find people being turned away from the Dome and Pits if they weren't wearing a badge. No where were spectators told they MUST register..the information said registration was required for shuttle bus use and for admission to special events (like the finale). While registration is not a big hassle, it goes against what FIRST has established as free and accessible events. The staff checking for badges were not the most friendly (from what I saw) and may not have clearly directed spectators to the registration boothes.

** in 2011, I don't recall if it was communicated that the Chairman's Award would be given at the concert on Friday, however, RCA teams were given special access to the floor which clued you in that something might be happening.