[EricH]

Mary, everything you bring up has been gone over already.

I agree on the discount. However, it is only a $1000 discount from last year, and we don't know that all teams don't get it. They pay more if they make their state event.

Michigan teams have to put their robots in a bag and have a third party seal it. The bag can then only be unsealed at an event or during a single 8-hour window the week before a particular event.

Please read the thread and the attachments/links. FIRST has thought of most things and weighed risks and benefits by now. If there is an issue that isn't addressed here, in one of the attachments, or in one of the other threads, then it should probably be taken up with FIRST or FIRSTinMichigan.