[Michael R. Lee]

Some good points Matt. Yes, our registration fees runs a good part of the FIRST Foundation all year (maybe even all of it).

For example, in some areas there maybe a high concentration of teams all looking for support from this set fixed amount of available dollars and support. Eventually the increasing demand for the same needed share of the pie will surpass the available support. Teams will most likely have to get together to either form larger teams or high schools looking to start teams will be forced to join existing teams. Teams "close" to one another (like in the same city) may end up combining to better use the limited set of reasources. However I find that unlikely unless there is also a high concentration of teams within the same geographical location that warrent the feasibility in doing so.

For example, I know at one point Pratt & Whitney (I'm not sure if they still do) want us on S.P.A.M. to basically become one team with Swamp Thing. Not that we don't like our Sister Team (they're awesome), but do you really want to travel for about one hour after an all nighter down at the shop or perhaps one of those 1 hour fall meeetings? Sure we would do it if we had to. But it would bring up other complexities like student transport from one county to another, different rules and regulations as we're obviously in different school districts, where the shop is, etc.... not counting the previous establishment of two known teams. What number do you choose? etc....though I must admit that would have been interesting to do.