did they say purchase tickets?!

[Amanda Aldridge]

i might be mistaken, but during the kickoff, did someone say something about purchasing tickets?

[Katie Reynolds]

Dean mentioned something about it ... Something about get the community involved by selling tickets to the events - It was something like that. I am kind of confused by this as well. Anyone else have a clarification?

- Katie

[Redhead Jokes]

I was wondering the same thing. Someone told me his idea was for us to sell tickets in order to get the public to go to the competition - make it more formal for the "customer" to go.

[ECarlson]

I heard Dean say that on the webcast, and I also wonder what it means. I haven't heard any other mention of admission charges to the events.

[Jack]

To me, it sounds like a fundraiser for teams.

Tell people that to support your team, but a 'ticket'. If they do buy the ticket, they will be much more likely to go. Just remember, also tell them that they don't have to buy a ticket to go.

This would only work if the competition that you wanted them to attend was close though.

[Trashed20]

Originally posted by Jack

This would only work if the competition that you wanted them to attend was close though.

like our team which is 20 minutes from the Greatlakes Regional. We added in our sponsorship flyer that certain levels get "tickets" to regionals, which would include lunch and other items provided by our team.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Maybe since the economy is kinda rough , they're charging money now... Dean did say he was trying to get as much media attention as possible... and that FIRST is competing with sports...

[Pengiun Joe]

He said to try to get people to buy tickets, as kind of an off hand remark. Because FIRST has never charged admission, I took it to maybe mean tickets for transportation (Many people travel a ways for competitions). Probably not airfare but maybe bus, or the teams could arrange for a bus and then charge tickets for it. Considering how open the competitions are, I can't see FIRST controlling the flow. Team members would have to show a badge or something, and I know that frequently someone will have to leave for a part or something.

[Alexander McGee]

i heard that too, i was the only one around me that herd it tho, so i thought that i was hearing stuff...

[Amanda Aldridge]

see! i knew that i wasn't hallucinating. we need to get this clarified, because if they truly are going to charge some sort of admission, i think this is a very bad move. i'm sorry, but the crowd isn't going to pay for something that they don't know about. i don't know how many times i've been out getting lunch or something, and started talking to someone and telling them about it, and they just kind of wandered into the competition later. most of those people wouldn't have come if they had to pay, and a lot of them later asked how they could get involved. plus, we try to get our elementary and middle school students to come, and their parents and teachers wouldn't bring them if there was an admission charge.

my $0.02

[Thorin]

Someone told me his idea was for us to sell tickets in order to get the public to go to the competition - make it more formal for the "customer" to go.

hrmm, I heard him say something like that too, yet, he also said that he does not want this to become a "spectator sport" and wouldnt selling tickets to the public to come watch be heading toward a spectator sport?

[Jack]

people, before you really go crazy, i HIGHLY dought, no could never think of this except in my wildest dreams , think that FIRST is going to charge addmission. - They want people to come, and they have a hard enough time as it is to get people to come. Chargeing addmission would only make less come.

They arn't stupid (actually, very smart ) and know this.

As i said earlier, it could only mabey used as a type of fundraiser.

[Skanker]

Hey-- Selling tickets is another way to GAIN publicity.... sort of. think about it: when people search the internet for tickets to events in their area, you get lists of concerts, shows etc. and if they sell tickets to FIRST competitions, they will be listed as an event on the ticket web page.

it is also a way of gaining money to fund things like scholarships and more competitions. NOT TO MENTION that it will likely bring the cost of participation down (the cost is kinda steep....).

As long as the rates aren't too bad (maybe a couple of dollars), I'm all for it! it'll make FIRST bigger and better.

I highly doubt they'll start anything like that this year without mentioning it. They would have listed a ticket price or something already.

[Gadget470]

I think it's better to gain publicity through the National News such as CNN or ABC News. People aren't going to buy tickets because google says so.

Most ticket searches usually are for specific things. What would it be listed under? Sporting Events? Nobody is going to click a radio button for Robotics and actually buy a ticket unless it's within 20 miles.

[Stephanie]

sorry guys. i dismissed it as jest. that does sound like smth a person would say just casually without meaning it.