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Originally Posted by Billfred
If FIRST were to double in size next year, I think we'd have a dilemma. My math says that there were 1,438 regional slots this year. If the current rate of regional growth of three or four new regionals per year continues, we'd be looking at a total capacity of somewhere around 1,600 teams.
As for why FIRST doesn't have 1,000-team championships, the issue is simply space. Sure, if you cut out the FLL and Vex pits, you can probably squeeze another hundredish pits, but you've still got to give all those additional teams some matches. There's only a few ways around this problem, and none seem that good (add another day to the Championship or shrink divisions, which most likely means eliminating teams because of frequency constraints in the Dome).
Of course, that's just handling teams at events. How FIRST is going to handle distributing that many kits, answer that many questions, find that many volunteers...whoa momma! I tip my hat to any individual or group that can handle that much stuff.
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So why are we campainging so hard to increase its size? Granted, the FIRST experience is the building of the robot. I know and I agree. However, it is really nice seeing the robot in action on national stage. And I believe that anciallry effect does as much if not more to inspire kids. Countless times, I've seen kids come back from nationals and say (to their own disbelief) "If I'd have only known that's what FIRST is about I'd have taken the build season much more seriously." Or, my favorite, "I finally get it now." And those kids do sooooo much the next year.
From what I just read, it would be very difficult put another 100 teams at Nationals, assuming we could find another scientist to name the division after.
I just don't believe it. Again, it's a question of money and someone's influence over people who have it. I say we take care of the teams we got now, and the rest will fall into place.