FRC Blogged-Something New--Early Release of Event Dates

[Steven Donow]

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...of-event-dates

Traditionally, FRC has released all event date and location information after Labor Day in September. By that point, we usually, but not always, have all event dates and locations locked down. The downside to this approach is that many teams would like to know these dates much earlier, because of the numerous advantages to be able to start planning event attendance before September. I’ve seen attempts to predict the FRC schedule from bits of data culled from here and there. This tells me there is enough interest for us to make a change.

So, starting now, we’re going to release event date and location information as soon as that information is confirmed. In many cases, ‘confirmed’ will mean FIRST HQ has signed a contract with the venue hosting the event. In others, it will mean the Districts have told us the dates and locations have been confirmed, in situations where the Districts do their own contracting. We will be updating this information at least weekly, as confirmations roll in.

Events for which we don’t have confirmed dates will be listed at the bottom of the Regional section of the schedule, with a date of 12/31/14. Please don’t let the 12/31/14 date confuse you. Our current system requires us to enter some date, and rather than delay getting this information to you further by making a system change at this time, we decided to enter a date that was obviously not in-season. Though I can’t think of a better way to spend to spend New Year’s Eve than at an FRC event, all Regional and District events will actually take place between 2/27/14 and 4/13/14. Also, you will note that some additional location and venue information shows as ‘TBD’. Please don’t call or email asking for date or location information on entries that have information missing. We will post the information as soon as we have it, or very shortly afterward.

The scheduled is posted as ‘Preliminary’. Once a contract is signed, it’s extraordinarily unlikely a date or location will need to change, but we can’t rule this out completely. This could happen, for example, if a venue is damaged in some way and the event can’t be hosted there. If a date or location must change after we have posted it, we will let all teams know via email blast as well as updating the documentation available on the web. We will remove the ‘Preliminary’ notation in the fall.

Note also that this early release of event information does not in any way affect first event registration timing. First event registration is scheduled to open the last Thursday in September, as it traditionally has, this year September 26th.

I realize that for the coming season we’re getting this information out to you only a few weeks before you would have had it anyway. It took us a while to realize we should have been doing this all along, and to put the process in place to make it happen. Assuming this new approach is more Win than Fail, we’ll start earlier next year for the 2015 season.

You can find the currently release information here: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...egional-events.



I’ll blog again soon.

Frank

OMGYAY PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

(And a Mexico City Regional!?!?!??!?! Awesome)

List is in weekly breakdown format below

[waialua359]

Frank,
I got 3 boxes of macnut chocolates waiting for you at the 2014 Championships!
Or if you plan to come to the Hawaii regional, I'll have them ready for you there.


For our team,
Northern Lights/Lake Superior Week 2. Pretty happy about that. *snowboarding*
Dallas Week 3. Looking very much a possibility given that Hawaii-Dallas airfares are relatively cheaper on AA than other areas. We love those Texas teams.

[P.J.]

This is a great thing. I just hope Michigan gets finalized soon.

AND THE GREAT LAKES REGIONAL IS BACK!!

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by P.J.

AND THE GREAT LAKES REGIONAL IS BACK!!

In Canada...

[P.J.]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

In Canada...

I know, it's just great to see the name again

[Adrienne E.]

From an administrative point of view I can not possibly express how happy this makes me.

Originally Posted by waialua359

For our team,
Northern Lights/Lake Superior Week 2. Pretty happy about that. *snowboarding*
Dallas Week 3. Looking very much a possibility given that Hawaii-Dallas airfares are relatively cheaper on AA than other areas. We love those Texas teams.

This also makes me very happy :-)

[Kusha]

Originally Posted by waialua359

Frank,
I got 3 boxes of macnut chocolates waiting for you at the 2014 Championships!
Or if you plan to come to the Hawaii regional, I'll have them ready for you there.


For our team,
Northern Lights/Lake Superior Week 2. Pretty happy about that. *snowboarding*
Dallas Week 3. Looking very much a possibility given that Hawaii-Dallas airfares are relatively cheaper on AA than other areas. We love those Texas teams.

YOU GUYS ARE COMING TO DALLAS?


nice.

Pacific Northwest district? Interesting. Seems like it's only Oregon + Washington, though I wouldn't think there is enough team density in those areas to get a district to themselves.

[omsahmad]

Thank you Frank.

Originally Posted by Andrew Lawrence

Pacific Northwest district? Interesting. Seems like it's only Oregon + Washington, though I wouldn't think there is enough team density in those areas to get a district to themselves.

Definatly enough teams now. Teams from Idaho and Montana can also take part if they want.

Originally Posted by omsahmad

Definitely enough teams now. Teams from Idaho and Montana can also take part if they want.

I must have been mistaken! Great to hear we're getting districts here in the west! I can't wait to see the events and championships!

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Andrew Lawrence

I must have been mistaken! Great to hear we're getting districts here in the west! I can't wait to see the events and championships!

It will definitely be exciting, from the things I've seen, there are so many great teams in PNW that don't get to shine due to the traditional structure and we'll definitely see more superpowers come from that area now.

[omsahmad]

Didn't expect to have 2 district events in the city Auburn though.

[Thad House]

The only problem I see with PNW districts is that because of the 150 mile gap between Seattle and Portland, is that at both portland districts there is a potential for the same teams to be at each one of those districts, plus or minus the Corvallis teams. I hope there is a good amount of teams that intermix between the 2 areas to make the events more exciting. Otherwise the PNW dates look really good, and I'm excited.

Also even if I took away my bias from living in portland im glad the championship is here. Ive been to many of the venues that have held NW events over the years, and i've always felt the Coliseum was a better venue in terms of both seating and pit locations and mappings.

[omsahmad]

Originally Posted by sst.thad

The only problem I see with PNW districts is that because of the 150 mile gap between Seattle and Portland, is that at both portland districts there is a potential for the same teams to be at each one of those districts, plus or minus the Corvallis teams. I hope there is a good amount of teams that intermix between the 2 areas to make the events more exciting. Otherwise the PNW dates look really good, and I'm excited.

Also even if I took away my bias from living in portland im glad the championship is here. Ive been to many of the venues that have held NW events over the years, and i've always felt the Coliseum was a better venue in terms of both seating and pit locations and mappings.

Or you guys can go to one district in Oregon and one in Seattle area.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by omsahmad

Definatly enough teams now. Teams from Idaho and Montana can also take part if they want.

Would teams from Alberta be able to opt in? Right now with PNW going to districts, it's quite the trek for an Alberta team to find a second regional. (Even the PNW events are pretty far.)