[jee7s]

My thought? Sharpie your team number onto the top of your rope so you make sure you get it back.

And, if GDC sticks with the "may be removed" language not changing it to "must be removed" language, I think that means all of the field provided ropes eventually leave the field. Say a match happens and all six teams leave their ropes on the field. Under the "may be removed" standard, those six ropes stay out there until they are either replaced by another team or a team leaves a davit empty and the stock rope is placed.

There's no provision in the rules for putting a stock (field-provided) rope back on the field unless there is an empty davit. So, if you get out there and someone left a rope you don't like, you can say "here's our rope, we are replacing it", but you can't say "replace that rope with the stock rope, please".

Interesting, if it holds up to Q&A scrutiny.