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Originally Posted by Rick TYler
How about limiting each of the divisions to 50 robots? ... Or how about moving FLL and FTC into one of the GWCC halls with bleachers (like the Seattle Regional) and having six FRC fields in the dome?
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Remembering the Epcot days, not all the FRC fields were in the same tent (some of the qualifying matches were rotated outside to Einstein). How about this scenario:
Eight FRC divisions of 50 teams each. By having less teams per division, they could play more qualification matches (say, 8 instead of this year's 7 matches). They would be able to end the qualifications earlier (say, 11 a.m. Saturday instead of noon), leaving more time for quarter finals (semiquarterfinals? what would you call 8 quarter finals instead of 4 quarterfinals?) between divisions later on. In other words, finish the division championships before lunch, then begin inter-division competition after lunch.
Half the FRC divisions, FTC divisions, FLL divisions would be in the Georgia Dome, and half would be somewhere in the GWCC (with added bleachers). Once division finals were completed, everyone would move into the Georgia Dome for inter-division competitions. FRC "semiquarterfinals" and quarterfinals would be played on 2 fields. The spectators would have to move around a bit, but I don't think that will hurt anybody.
By shortening the FRC qualification match schedule and moving up the division finals, we would still have time for the extra round of play with twice as many divisions, and still be able to end the awards "on time"--i.e., less than an hour late.
Finding enough volunteers and funding smaller divisions in a larger space would probably render this scenario unlikely at this point, but it might work in the future.
Speaking of ending the awards "on time"--Dean's first speech about the Founder's Award was 5 minutes. His second speech, including the Colbert video clips, was 16 minutes. His third speech introducing the X Prizes board of directors was 5 minutes. Total: about 26 minutes. (I forgot to time his speeches during the Opening Ceremony; showing the Bush Segway race doesn't count, anyway.
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