This discussion facinates me. Just thought I'd say so.
Anyway, as I said earlier, the main logistical bottleneck in allowing teams to the Championship is the game play itself.
So, to build on the thought shift I proposed
here, I propose the following:
1.) Use Dr Joe's schematic for allowing teams to compete for the National Champion award.
2.) Invite a small group from each team that won an award at a regional (3 students, 1 mentor...enough to fill up one hotel room) for a shot at winning the national award.
3.) Invite any other team that does not fall into the above two points to send a small group (3 students, 1 mentor) to experience the Championship in a various number of ways: volunteering, attending the workshops, etc.
This allows a number of things to occur:
-Every team has a personal attachment with the Championship every year. Either they're competing, or they know someone who is down there. This has huge effects, including team retention, increased webcast viewership, increasing security at events, as well as other things (that aren't coming to mind at the moment
).
-This would certainly solve our volunteer shortage. Plus, the workshops are still being utilized.
-Increased hotel usage. If we moved towards this, the hotel industry in Atlanta (or any city) would love us forever. On that note, why not work out a deal with one hotel in the area and have the workshops there? With FIRST taking such a heavy hand in the hotel's attendance that weekend, discounts would abound.
-The other awards still have importance. These 4 person team representatives would present to a group of judges as to why they deserve the national award for whatever award they won at the regional, just like Chairman's. This adds into the importance of students communicating what they've learned in FIRST. (Side note: Whether they would be allowed to bring the robot is still up in the air for me, because though it would be great for the teams competing for technical awards to actually have the robot there, not having it there would ease up on shipping/drayage issues as well as add to the communication challenge.)
-Allowing a small group to go to every Championship passes along the excitement of going to the Championship every single year ("Man, we had such a great time, we've got to get the entire team there next year!"). It's also much easier to send 4 people short notice than 40, thus decreasing the "We'd love to, but we can't fundraise enough in time" response, as well as most problems with school systems.
Thoughts?
$.02
-Jessica B