Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanner
I don't know if GA FIRST is planning to do anything, but from what I know and who I know, I don't think so.
Do I think FIRST should impose the District/Regional format on the country/world?
From what I know of the system in Michigan (which is little, so bare with me) is that it seems you get more out of less. Specifically, more chances at district competitions, ergo more of a chance to get to Atlanta, from a "less" (read: same) amount of money.
Saving money is great, which seems like what this format was made to do, though without seeing/experiencing a district competition I couldn't say much about it. I can say I do like the lighting/set-up of the regionals. Again though, I don't know much about the district competitions.
I like the bag/tag idea though that's probably because our main regional is literally 10 minutes away from where we work. Don't know about the district format though, but that's probably because I don't know enough to make a well informed decision.
-Tanner
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Tanner, that isn't precisely true. District winners do NOT get invited to Atlanta. In order to keep the number of teams that are given invitations from Michigan static (the same as when we only had 3 regionals), a set number of births are given: 3 State Championship Chairmans, etc etc. Only the 3 winning robots at the state championship are given auto-invites, along with the state championship award winners (EI, Chairman, etc).
So, it performs 2 functions:
It is MUCH harder now to get in to Atlanta by being a random "picked by the number 1 alliance" team, because you have to perform well at TWO districts (40% of your final score) and the championship (60% of your final score).
It is MUCH harder to get in via Chairmans, etc. You no longer compete just against the chairman's presenters at your regional. You compete against all other 140 teams in the state, because after you win a district chairman you have to go win a state chairman's to be invited.
Essentially, what you now have coming out of Michigan is the cream of the crop, the best of the best (as far as Michigan teams go). Unless a team has the cash to pay their way in, if they've come through the Michigan District system, they're the real deal.