|
Since the team forum I have been wondering why Disney would want to limit the number of teams that go to nationals. After all, the more teams they let in, the more paying customers they have. Setting up another tent isn't a big deal for them -- they've got plenty of parking lot, and Disney likely isn't the one paying to rent the tents and big stadium... Most of that probably comes from FIRST and its sponsors.
FIRST made it clear at the team forum that Disney is the bottleneck. Disney is the reason FIRST is being pressured to set a limit.
The only reason I can think why Disney would want to limit more teams is because if they bring in any more teams, Disney simply cannot get the profits from these additional teams. After a certain number of teams come, Disney hotels fill and teams look off-property for better deals. Disney does not get this money. Their only other source of money would be with park tickets -- but the majority of FIRST teams that go off-site don't buy many tickets anyway. I'd like to believe this isn't the reason Disney is pressuring us not to bring more people, but I see no other possible reasons.
The next year is a crucial time period for FIRST and its philosophy. FIRST can stick with it's philosophy and do one of two things. They can use the 30000 people they bring to nats as leverage to pressure Disney to expand for us, or if Disney won't, then we can go somewhere else. Or, FIRST can fold to Disney, limit nationals, and exclude teams... Which the NH team forum crowd unanomously was against... and counterproductive to FIRST's philosophy.
|