[Chris Fultz]

Just like everything else in FIRST, it probably depends on how your team is set up.

Cyber Blue, 234. is a "one school" team with several sponsors, big and small. The school has ultimate responsiblilty for the students and the team, they provide the teachers and the workspace and the computers that do all of design work and the machine in the shop we either purchased by the township or donated to the school.

So for us, I would say the robots belong to the school, which is the same as belonging to the team.

The sponsors provide funding and materials and such, but they are donations to the team / school and do not constitute ownership of the program or the robots. If the sponsors would go away, the team would remain.

I know that Rolls-Royce sponsorship of teams is to the schools, for the robotics programs. The teams are allowed to use the money as they need to = parts, hotel rooms, etc., as long as it is team related.

I know that other teams are structured differently and the corporate sponsor may technicaly 'own' the team and bring in students and mentors. The sponsor, in this case, may actually own the program, and terefore, own the robot as well.

I would suggest laying out a plan on what you think ownership should be and get your teams' agreement. If it is really troubling you, then I would also talk to the 'sponsors' about what their expectations are -