[Basel A]

Here's a proposal I've developed since hearing about the CMP Split. First, there is a reasonable geographic split (yes, this requires re-tuning each year). Then, set up a system for teams to trade slots.

Once a team qualifies for a championship, they are placed in their geographic championship. Online, they can sign up to switch in one of two ways:
1. They are willing to trade with anyone, and the system automatically matches up teams (randomly?). If you're currently in the high-demand CMP, you'll get to trade immediately. If you're in the low-demand CMP, you have to wait with no guarantee of getting in.
2. They are willing to trade, but want to pick with whom. This allows teams who are relatively sure they'll qualify to work out in advance a way to switch. So before the season, 624, a team who would geographically go to Houston, could make a deal with 33, a team who'd be in Detroit, for them to switch.

Thereby no one is forced to go to an extremely inconvenient Championship, and teams that would like to go to the other CMP are reasonably likely to be able to switch. Further, it means there's no further logistics needed on FIRST's part to ensure that the Championships are balanced.