[Kyle Fenton]

If you proposed a kickoff at Michigan than it would have to be in sync with the rest of the other kick-off. For example if the Michigan, because of time differences releases the challenge early, than nobody would listen to the other kick-off. And some teams would get a head start. Plus Dean probably wouldn't allow a single team to host a kick-off because risk that they would expose the game, to give an unfair advantage. Plus the game could be exposed even if FIRST was putting it on, because they would have to move the equipment. The other reasons though are good though.

What I think will happen in the future is

1. They would have kick-off in a regional area (except for states like Hawaii), but the reveling of the game would only occur @ Manchester.

2. Each regional kick-off would include the same exact workshops (ex. Animation, PBasic, power-to-gear ratio, pneumatics, etc.)

3. As far as for students, the reason why they are not allowed in the Manchester is because they are open bars that have easy access to beverages that can only be consumed by people 21 years or older. Plus the kick-off has always kind of been an "adult-only event" where the big planners of each team can meet each other in a professional manner.

4. And when they are ready to release the game they would release it in Manchester and there would be a big screen showing the playing field.

5. And they will pass out the kit parts at the separate regionals, so they won't have to ship it out.