[Lil' Lavery]

These are the only awards that are known ahead of time aside of the chairmans and EI, which are the two highest honors in FIRST and deserve to go last. Thus that is why they are presented first. The opening ceremony awards are no worse than the closing ceremony. At least every team is there at that point. There were several teams who didnt stay past the last match to watch the winners get their medals, the EI award, or the Chairmans. At least every team is watching the autodesk, website, founders, volunteer, and WF awards. This is NOT an outrage, and by no means should any award be considered lower because it is given out on friday to keep the saturday award ceremony shorter. Its not like they are giving them out during thursdays lunch break or something.
IF you have a problem with the manor in which FIRST deals with its animation and CAD awards, then there are countless other competitions in which you can showcase your skills. There are still a very large number of teams which dont register an entry for one or both of those awards, and therefore its not only FIRST who you feel gives less recognition and respect to you, but your fellow peers on FIRST teams as well. I think your going to have to win the respect of your peers before you win the respect of FIRST itself.
Just look at what 116 has become. The animation team has won respect within the team and now commands large numbers and a great deal of influence on the team as a whole. If you want to command more respect within the FIRST community you have to earn it. Whining and complaining about when your award is given out will not do that.
FLL and FVC had completly seperate award ceremonies, which the involvement from the FIRST staff and the FIRST community was far less. Do you hear them whining about how they get no respect? Just be glad you get to be part of the biggest award ceremony in FIRST at all....