Sell Me Your Regional!

[stundt1]

Originally Posted by cmrnpizzo14

We also draw the Canadian powerhouses, such as 180 and hopefully 610 this year.

Team Blizzard is team 188. not team 180.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by stundt1

Team Blizzard is team 188. not team 180.

Because Orlando is almost always the next week after FLR I doubt any of those teams would ever com eup here (except maybe 233 who goes everywhere).FLR does attract a pretty versatile bunch of teams from other areas.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by Roger

I think this would be a deal-breaker Won't anyone think of the scouts and parents? This is probably the things they are looking for, in venues. After all, if you're going to be there for 3 days, what to expect. An arena style vs convention hall.

I also have to think about NYC, though we'd drive there. The drive from LaGuardia to downtown is longer than the drive from Walpole, isn't it? But if I was going to the beach it would be Jones Beach on LI. (Nearer to where I grew up!).

NYC is also in a convention center and has bleacher seats. Unsure about the Long Island regional.

[Mark McLeod]

Long Island is in an arena with regular seats.

[Grim Tuesday]

Originally Posted by Gregor

Or you could go crazy and try a regional in ANOTHER COUNTRY!

GTR West is a wonderful regional. Considered Canada's premier event, it attracts the best teams from, well everywhere. In the past we have had everyone from the Thunderchickens to Delphi ELITE, to some homegrown favourites, namely our local powerhouses.

Currently we have team 190 registered, all the way from Worcester. Very spacious regional, great volunteers, AND WE HAVE KOKO ED.

Also due to its large capacity, there is no worry about signing up for it as your second or third regional, as it rarely (if ever?) fills up.

I think it's almost difficult to go to a regional without Koko Ed at this point.


Fingerlakes Regional is the best regional there is. There is no competition. The familial atmosphere of the teams, the free WiFi, the power in the stands, the comfortable seats, the best referee in FIRST, the best announcer in FIRST (The one and only Jon Darr), good (and different) MC's every year all add up to the gold standard in regional events.

Every year I've gone to a regional, there is something about it that isn't as good as Fingerlakes. Pennsylvania (2010, at Drexel) had cramped pits. Boston has that crazy staircase to talk to scouts from the pits. The lack of internet, power, and poor seating at DC.

Not to mention that anywhere without Jon Darr just can't be as good as Fingerlakes. We might go to Buckeye and see how it compares. I hear he also shows up at Queen City too.

[Roger]

I too have to say Finger Lakes is a good regional. Nice location, building, pits, seating. Hotels and restaurants nearby. A quick and easy highway drive to/from Walpole. Probably not on the Team's list only because we'd like to try something new. Now we're looking at airplane costs. Las Vegas anyone?

Originally Posted by Grim Tuesday

...the free WiFi...

...heh. It was a little too free in 2011, when the Field electronics thought the building was just another robot. Took all day to untangle that!

I've come to expect the inside food prices to be $$$.

I'd like to go back home to see the LI regional. Always a conflict. Pity -- I can even pronounce Hauppauge correctly.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Roger

...heh. It was a little too free in 2011, when the Field electronics thought the building was just another robot. Took all day to untangle that!

yeeeeahhhh...we don't talk about that day anymore... :/

[KelliV]

Originally Posted by avanboekel

The stadium food is hit or miss depending on what you get, and there isn't much within walking distance of the stadium (you can't just let students go get food).

Fun fact... when you purchase food at the UIC Pavilion you are supporting students from local colleges, not just UIC. A percentage of the money goes to the groups who are working the stand. One year a lot of the funds raised went to send a bunch of Columbia kids to New Orleans to clean up after Katrina.

Midwest is sweet, the venue is nice it's my home regional. I've traveled to A LOT of regionals (nowhere near koko ed's level) but here is what I have for the one's I have been to recently.

Midwest - Pro: Location close to city, great team social, big name teams. Con- location borders sketchy neighborhoods (they've gotten MUCH better in the last four years). Traffic is a beast.

Pittsburgh - Pro- intimate setting, great volunteers, great venue, nice location in the city. Con - The hill you walk up is HORRIBLE. Competition level is hit or miss.

Boston - Pro - Your show of shows. Seriously, if you want a show on par with some of the stuff you will see at Champs go to Boston. Great town for seniors to check out colleges. Con - Steps of doom to pits. Competition level hit or miss.

Connecticut - Pro: Great volunteers, great competition usually. Very efficient. Con : In a convention center so there are bleachers not stands.

NYC - Pro: It's NYC, there is a ton to do. FLL and FTC are usually there. Con: Not really in walking distance to much stuff without going through sketchy neighborhoods. Bleachers not arena seating.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by KelliV

Fun fact... when you purchase food at the UIC Pavilion you are supporting students from local colleges, not just UIC. A percentage of the money goes to the groups who are working the stand. One year a lot of the funds raised went to send a bunch of Columbia kids to New Orleans to clean up after Katrina.

Midwest is sweet, the venue is nice it's my home regional. I've traveled to A LOT of regionals (nowhere near koko ed's level) but here is what I have for the one's I have been to recently.

Originally Posted by KelliV

Midwest - Pro: Location close to city, great team social, big name teams. Con- location borders sketchy neighborhoods (they've gotten MUCH better in the last four years). Traffic is a beast.

Chicago is rated the city in the US with the nastiest traffic so when I go I avoid driving at all cost. When Kelli gave me a ride back to my hotel a guy going 70 in a 40 mph zone almost slammed into my side of her car in the right lane but stopped just short of crushing us. This year it looks like I'll have to man up and drive around since I plan to go from Mississauga to Chicago.

Originally Posted by KelliV

Pittsburgh - Pro- intimate setting, great volunteers, great venue, nice location in the city. Con - The hill you walk up is HORRIBLE. Competition level is hit or miss.

This'll be my first time going. The only new regional(for me) I'm checking out this year. Pretty short drive from home so that's cool.

Originally Posted by KelliV

Boston - Pro - Your show of shows. Seriously, if you want a show on par with some of the stuff you will see at Champs go to Boston. Great town for seniors to check out colleges. Con - Steps of doom to pits. Competition level hit or miss.

The Boston regional is the best run regional I have ever been to in FIRST. The climb up the stairs at the arena is BRUTAL. You need mountain climbing equipment to get to the top!

Originally Posted by KelliV

Connecticut - Pro: Great volunteers, great competition usually. Very efficient. Con : In a convention center so there are bleachers not stands.

Connecticut come into competition with GTR West and often DC which both have priority over Connecticut so sadly I probably will never be able to go.

Originally Posted by KelliV

NYC - Pro: It's NYC, there is a ton to do. FLL and FTC are usually there. Con: Not really in walking distance to much stuff without going through sketchy neighborhoods. Bleachers not arena seating.

I had a great time at NYC with The Crew (Kelli, Wayne Penn, Jessjank, Dandon among others. I'll admit the need to flag down a limo to go to Jillians on 42nd street was fun) but what I most remember was the $40 parking fee to volunteer and the need to find something to drink because the event can't afford to provide it for the volunteers (I heard it was something like $9 a bottle).

[Roger]

Boston is always good. Woodie Flowers comes. Parking underneath, good cheap (college town) restaurants up and down the street (I recommend Otto Pizza, but they are one of our tenants , and T Anthony down the other way). I get my exercise hiking those stairs.

Boston does have a wide range of teams, lots of in-town schools plus international teams too.

I had talked to our team about New York. They said Rochester? I said, no, that's Rochester -- up state. Long Island? No, that's Long Island. New York. Can't make myself more clearer, can I? But to me Yonkers is upstate. Many years ago I was with my boss at his hotel near Times Square. He sent me down to get a couple of sandwiches and gave me a $20. That didn't even pay for one sandwich. Nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to eat there.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Roger

I'd like to go back home to see the LI regional. Always a conflict. Pity -- I can even pronounce Hauppauge correctly.

Pronouncing it wasn't your problem.

Originally Posted by Roger

My father worked at SMC in Hauppauge until he retired a while ago. Nice name, but I still can't spell it.

[RoboMom]

Apparently I don't need to sell Chesapeake.
Despite the crazy week it's sold. Out.

[one4robots]

OK, I need to weigh in for NORTHER LIGHTS and LAKE SUPERIOR, the two regionals in Duluth, MN. Team 2530 has been going up there for the past 2 years, and we consider it our home regional despite the fact that there are 3 regionals that are geographically closer.

We have enjoyed very high levels of competition with some great teams like 93, 1625, 1714, and 2052 (many others as well).

The pit area is unequalled anywhere in FIRST. Nowhere else will you have such spacious pits.

Last year, at Lake Superior, was my first experience volunteering as a Robot Inspector. Because there were so many SUPER-EXPERIENCED inspectors there, I had to actually tell them to let me try to help some teams!

Outside of the arena, you won't find nicer people anywhere. If you need a ride, directions, or information, ask anyone you see. They don't even have to be from the FIRST community, they'll still help you. I don't know if Orlando, Baltimore, and NYC can compete with that.

[synth3tk]

Originally Posted by Roger

Probably more bonus points if it isn’t snowing.

Welp, there goes Buckeye!

Originally Posted by Grim Tuesday

Not to mention that anywhere without Jon Darr just can't be as good as Fingerlakes. We might go to Buckeye and see how it compares.

This guy. I had the chance to take a high school program at a community college that he taught, and also served about a year in his Civil Air Patrol squadron. He's a great guy, and is always passionate when it comes to announcing matches.


Cleveland has been clawing its way up in terms of tourism attractiveness. The hotels located smack dab in the middle of downtown Cleveland are generally nice (I recommend the Embassy Suites, though they can be a bit pricey since high-status people use them often).

The pit areas have been generous in most years, giving about 10x10 on average. We have a full indoor machine shop within a minute walk (or thirty, depending on how many people are crowding the walkway) from the pits. In that same area, there's also a nice-sized space where a practice field or field elements are setup. Power is a standard power strip, which has never failed us (and we used to add another strip ourselves). WiFi is hit-or-miss. Coverage is spotty, and when you can log on, it's usually mind-freezing slow. Even the Ethernet connection for the webcasts and FMS Twitter stream is unreliable. You're better off having a Verizon 4G hotspot available (not T-Mobile or Sprint).

Team spirit is definitely present most years I've gone. Your usual blend of mascots dancing, weird drive team hats, and chants throughout Friday and Saturday. Can't beat the mascot dance line on Saturdays!

Food in the venue is OK. The selection is your usual college sports fare: Hot dogs, nachos, pretzels. Prices are about what you'd expect, maybe a little less. Within a few blocks of the arena, there's a Marco's pizza, Subway, another pizza place, and some sort of Mexican food spot. With the stadium being pretty much minutes from the heart of Cleveland, though, your options expand with little added time. Winking Lizard, Hard Rock Cafe, Tilted Kilt, Charley's Subs, and tons more, along with the usual suspects (McDonald's, Arby's, Asian places, etc). Hop on the freeway for a few minutes and you'll hit the Steelyard Commons, where there's even more choices, including Chipotle and Steak N Shake.

On your off-time, there's plenty to see and do. Visit the Cleveland Public Library. The Great Lakes Science Center or Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (whichever one they aren't using for the social this season). A three-story indoor underground mall with a movie theater.

[jeremy callahan]

Well ill sell you our district. Waterford district last year we had 67 469 68 503 573 not to mention we had the first double triple in the world not to many people can say that.this year we have 67 33 548 573 1 2137 and many more great teams