I think this might be a record for thread resurrection.
There have been nine FRC seasons since Elgin asked the question. We've seen the transition from "Nationals" in the Epcot parking lot to the FIRST Championship in huge sports arenas. Regional competitions have increased greatly in number, if not in size.
I believe this year's push toward more matches for each team was the right thing to do, and it shows that larger competitions are not necessarily a good thing.