[Hot_Copper_Frog]

Taken as a whole, I think there is nothing within these survey results that is surprising. They do reinforce the idea that some within our community are strongly opposed to the two Championships concept, and that we should be using the elements identified by teams as most important to them as a guide to refining the concept to help ensure the best experience for all teams as we work through this significant change.

When I think "some", I don't think 26% and I CERTAINLY don't think 55%. This opinion is very representative of the organization as a whole. I find it interesting that it's only stated that results indicate FIRST HQ should use these elements to guide refinement of the concept, not that FIRST HQ is taking them into consideration.

Our intent is to form committees, including representatives from the community outside FIRST HQ, to make recommendations to FIRST leadership in addressing the two key challenges listed below.

• Identifying what geographic regions will be assigned to which FIRST Championship as their ‘home’ Championship, including the way in which teams outside the United States would be handled
• Identifying a potential way in which teams may volunteer and be selected to attend their non-home Championship

You will hear more about these committees over the next few months. As we noted in the Championship informational session, the facts that there will be two Championships starting in 2017, and that all FIRST programs will be represented at each Championship, will not be changing, and so won’t be part of the discussions undertaken by these groups.

So...the committees are only dedicated to identifying possible solutions to issues related to geographical assignment. And these committees will make recommendations, which may or may not be implemented. Nothing else will be addressed, as nothing else is up for discussion.

Additionally, FIRST HQ will be exploring the possibility of some culminating event to take place after the two Championships, at which we would bring together the top teams from each Championship in some final competition of the season. This idea is still in the early exploratory phase, and we will share additional details, including potential areas for community input, as appropriate.

So, in order to appease a community that is upset that their thoughts were not taken into account for such a massive change, we are going to ask the two champion alliances to participate in an afterthought showdown event. Ask mentors who have already drained most of their vacation days to take MORE time off to travel, ask students who have already missed many days of school to miss some more, and ask teams who have already spent thousands of dollars on travel to spend a few more.

I want to be excited about this. I really do. I AM excited to bring championships home to Detroit. I'm just...uncomfortable with how all of this is being handled.