I think that they are both important. Battlebots has the flash and pizazz that interests the youth. It gets their creative juices flowing. FIRST takes those juices and places some boundaries. These boundaries force us to create in a real-world mind-set, but at a higher innovative and creativity level. The program leaves it participants with the same technological *high*, but with more inspiration and important values needed in our current chaotic state. Are both important? Most certainly, although I must admit that I have a certain bias because of the absence of education in engineering and business ethics I have found in Battlebots.*FIRST-aholic

*They are both important for getting our youth interesting in science and technology, a field high in demand for our future generations.