The FRC argument doesn't really apply because FIRST's main GOAL for FTC was to present a challenge where all teams have the same parts to choose from.
I'm not suggesting that rack and pinion gears and other commodities wouldn't be nice, but just that some of the other things that we are used to were getting a little redundant.
But it would still make sense and be mechanically nice to have some of the parts that the VEX kit has.
But, I think it's safe to say that everyone expects the FTC to grow from where it is now.
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