[Cory]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

Everyone should play by the same rules. It's not unusual for a rookie team sponsor to drop an intensive effort the first year and then pull back allowing the rookie to do well the first year and then go into the struggling mode. I think First continues to need to support the bottom and cap, limit the top. As for the complaints that First is stifling innovation. I believe that placing cost, material and methods constraints on teams will force teams to innovate more. I don't want First to get to the point where teams start buying the win instead of innovating to win.

How many teams have won nationals by buying their robots from off the shelf parts?

None.

Every team that wins does so by innovating. Im completely unclear on what your issue is.