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Originally Posted by artdutra04
What FIRST should really do is to find a way to use the excitement and energy of the Championshiops to their advantage. If the Georgia Dome can hold 70,000 people, and if only 30,000 people attended the Championships each year, why not open the other 40,000 seats up to the general public? And while they are at it, what if FIRST charged only a dollar for admission for everyone in the general public to help cover some of the costs of the event? (FIRST teams would recieve free, unlimited admisison vouchers for their team members, have special entrances to avoid lines, and be reserved priority seating sections in the arena.)
Although it might be a little costly, a few 30-second TV commercials in the greater Atlanta region in the weeks prior to the Championships with all kinds of action-packed video clips from FIRST advertising the event would help bring people in. If 20,000 spectators from the general public attend the Championships, and if 1 in 20 guests from the general public goes out and starts a team, (FRC, FVC, or FLL) voila! You now have 1,000 new FIRST teams! 
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I think the competition is
already open to the general public, but the interest doesn't exist. Part of the problem is, as you said, lack of interest. I think it would be cool if schools took field trips to go see the competition.
I think to an extent part of the problem is that spectating can be kind of tedious. I get bored at other regionals I go to, and often get up to walk around and find people I know to talk to. It would be cool if there were other things to do than simply watch the competition. At Boston, there were tables set up from several sponsor companies, and the tables set up at nationals were good too. That way, people going have something to do besides simply sit and watch.