[GaryVoshol]

In response to Rich's point, I think a big mistake in rolling this program out, if it is to be expanded to other areas, is calling the new event at Ypsi the Michigan State Championship. Michigan had the critical mass of teams available so that all the districts would be in one state, and so the championship happened to be the state level. If the district-qualifying-to-championship model gets spread to other areas, it likely will not be at the state level in most cases. For Rich's concern, perhaps there would several districts which make up a region in E-PA, NJ, DE, MD, and maybe VA. There certainly would be enough teams in that area to create a Mid-Atlantic Championship tournament. It could rotate around to various sites which currently have regionals in the area. The other regionals would be district sites, and an equal number of other district sites in smaller venues could be created.

The point about the UP (and to a somewhat lesser extent, the teams in the northern Lower) having increased travel costs to go to two district events is valid. It would also happen in states like ID, KY, NM, NE, MS, and at least a dozen others - states with only a few teams in them, adjacent to states with more teams and an existing structure that could be converted to districts. But the teams in those adjacent states would have to travel just as far to get to their first district as they do to a regional today, and then travel again to get a second district. Unless on the state level, such as been done in OK and MN, a big push is made to get new teams established and create a district in their own home state. We still have the problem of vast distances for some states, particularly AK and HI but also some other western states, plus the international teams.

Any new structure will not be ideal, no more than the existing structure is ideal. We won't know which is better unless we try. I've expressed some of my concerns in other posts. I'm hoping the concept will be given a fair trial, and that everyone will be open to suggestions for improvements if needed.