I think I post from a unique point of view in this case. My team is competing this coming weekend at BMR and then the weekend after at MWR, but I had friends to see and really needed some of that competition soul, so off I went to GLR...totally teamless.
My first impressions of this game slide between "random person" and "cheer on teams you know of or random other teams". I really enjoyed the game at the level that I knew the teams on the field and enjoyed watching the intesnity and focus of the event. I think the game was planned well to incorporate strategy. Sure, this isn't going to be a quick fix to the inspiration of random people issue, but is any game? Last year I heard people discussing the pros and cons too, but come Atlanta, attitudes change, and priorities change. So find yourself a pet Average Joe, and get them hyped: introduce them to a friend, to your team, and most importantly into your community, because that sense of team ethics is where the true inspiration lies.
My Dad, who has never been to a FIRST comp, stated blatantly in my presence how exciting it was in comparison to my school's "silly sporting stuff." In essence, you will have a difficult time getting the average average joe. However, though it may sound like some whacky theory to some of you, I feel as though this game was a lesson to every individual in inspiration, whether or not it was intended. Once myself and Pat McCarthy (67) explained the game to my dad, he loved it. It's important to communicate the priorities of the program in your behavior and your explanation, not just in what your robots do.
Good luck to everyone

- Genia