[EricH]

One thing that I think FIRST should do (eventually) is to offer three KOPs. Not Rookie and Veteran, but as follows:

Basic: Motors, "free stuff", FIRST Choice. All teams get this with registration.
Drive: Either 1 KOP drivetrain OR 1 PDV for an equivalent dollar amount. Included with registration. (Option to decline, possibly... but I can't think of a single team that would decline BOTH.) Just for the sake of argument, this could eventually become an optional item similar to the Control kit (thereby potentially saving FIRST money in shipping the drive kits and saving teams money in getting the drive).
Control: One complete control system (less laptop?) for the season, less any "all-team" items included in Basic. This one would be some extra cost, probably about $800-$1000--and ship straight to the team (hopefully).

Rookies would automatically get all three; veterans would have to opt into the Control kit before a certain date (start of 2nd event registration, maybe, or at initial registration if after that date).