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Unread 01-08-2008, 18:35
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GaryVoshol GaryVoshol is offline
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Re: New FIRST competition structure in Michigan

Quote:
Originally Posted by XaulZan11 View Post
Several people have used this agruement against this new system, and I don't really understand it. How is this new system making FRC less 'professional'?
Bingo! Repped.

Quote:
As a fan, I'm really excited and hope this new system works out. By forcing teams to do well in the district competitions to qualify for the state competition will only increase the stakes and increase the competition.
So do I, but for other reasons. Michigan had a choice to make. They could either try out this new district/state system, or try to create another full regional somewhere in the state. That, or be faced with the prospect of either limiting growth of FIRST in Michigan, or telling teams that there wasn't enough space in the regionals so they would be forced to travel. If Michigan got as few as 20 more teams in the next year or two, there wouldn't be enough spots in the existing regionals for all of them to play, let alone trying to go to a second regional.

If this works out, other areas that already have multiple regionals a close distance apart (such as NY/LI) would have another model as those regionals begin to fill. In any event, FRC in general has to face their growing pains. They can't continue to add 200-300 teams per year, and expect there to be regionals added on to meet the demand. Eventually there will have to be another model of competition format. Michigan is trying one out - one that happens to be lower cost for the teams. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. Maybe it won't translate to situations everywhere. It remains to be seen.

FLL faced up to their growth pains by not inviting every state champion to the World Festival. FTC invited only the captains of the winning alliances to Atlanta. I'm sure that these wouldn't be acceptable alternatives for FRC.
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