Confirmed New Districts for 2015?

[mrmummert]

Two things i know and recall....

One....I've heard that when the National Capitol district is set up that
because of Virginia First's long ties to VCU that supposedly the Seigel
Center will be the site of the district Championship. Also...if you look
at the schedule for the Seigel Center for next year they already list the
dates for the Virginia regional as being confirmed. The dates given indicate
days needed for a regional since a regional takes a day longer to set up
and hold compared to a district event.

Two....When we attended the Chesapeake regional this year it was
mentioned that the Chesapeake regional would be held at the Comcast
Center for the next three years (not sure if it included this year) I think
this was worked out thru the Dean of U of M's Engineering school.
So the Comcast center will be used for either a district or regional
for a couple more years.

On another note....the move of both the DC and Chesapeake regionals
may indicate a early move to district type venues...but thats just
speculation on my part.

[PayneTrain]

Anyone who went to the Patriot Center this year probably can figure it would be a far bettwer district venue than regional venue. With 10 fewer pit stalls the aisles might be wider than 6 feet and you might even be able to see the field because they can push it back further and expand seating.

[DonRotolo]

Well, it seems Indiana is confirmed as a district!

[ehfeinberg]

Originally Posted by mrmummert

On another note....the move of both the DC and Chesapeake regionals may indicate a early move to district type venues...but thats just speculation on my part.

I think thats just speculation. I thought the real reason was how large the costs were for the two regionals were both being in major expensive convention centers. I remember hearing that the old DC Regional was one of (if not the) most expensive regionals to put on. Shame, both locations were exponentially better than the two locations used this year. (Honestly, anything would be better than the Greater DC regional this year)

Originally Posted by mrmummert

One....I've heard that when the National Capitol district is set up that because of Virginia First's long ties to VCU that supposedly the Seigel Center will be the site of the district Championship.

Thats a shame. The largest portion of FRC teams in the DMV is around the DC-Baltimore corridor. Combined with it being the nations capital, a district championship anywhere not close to DC would be a major mistake.

[Kevin Pardus]

While attending both the NC Regional and VA Regional, I heard talk that once the National Capital Region (VA, DC, & MD) had converted over to the District Model that NC might be included in an expanded NCR.

If that happens then the center of mass for FRC teams within that new NCR would move farther south from the DC-Baltimore corridor towards Richmond.

Also the cost of venues to handle a 64+ team championship event within the Baltimore-DC area is extreme. One of the reasons why regional venues were downsized from both the Washington & Baltimore Convention Centers. And as stated previously in this thread the Patriot & Comcast Centers were hard pressed to handle 50+ teams (both would do well as 40-45 team district events).

Plus the cost of lodging in the whole Baltimore-DC-NOVA area is extreme as well. So most teams from outside that area would be traveling far twice a day to stay in lower cost alternatives. Also, being the Baltimore-DC-NOVA area during a District/Region Championship is not a critical issue, since there will be very little, if any, free time for tourist activities in most team's trip schedules.

[Qbot2640]

Originally Posted by Kevin Pardus

While attending both the NC Regional and VA Regional, I heard talk that once the National Capital Region (VA, DC, & MD) had converted over to the District Model that NC might be included in an expanded NCR.

I have heard very recently that Virginia - Maryland - DC will move to district in 2016 And North Carolina will NOT combine into that district.

[Kevin Pardus]

I had heard that NC was looking to try and move into the District mode. If a possible combination of VA, MD, DC & NC is not in the cards (as stated previously); and discussions for either a NC-SC or a NC-TN combination have fallen by the wayside. May be NC can pull-off an 'Indiana' and go solo into the world of district events.

NOTE: Loved playing down in the NC Regional last season, especially during eliminations teamed up with FRC 2640 & FRC 4828. May be it was wishfully thinking on my part that a VA-MD-DC-NC region was possible, combining a lot of great teams and folks together. It is also my understanding that the NCR (VA-MD-DC) will go District in 2016.

[Qbot2640]

Originally Posted by Kevin Pardus

I had heard that NC was looking to try and move into the District mode. If a possible combination of VA, MD, DC & NC is not in the cards (as stated previously); and discussions for either a NC-SC or a NC-TN combination have fallen by the wayside. May be NC can pull-off an 'Indiana' and go solo into the world of district events.

I personally would love to combine with SC for a "Carolinas" district...but the rumors I've heard is there is resistance to that idea from our southern half (just rumors I've heard...nothing concrete). As for Tennessee - North Carolina, that creates a district that is larger west to east than the distance (south to north) from NC to Maine. Just not geographically feasible.

Originally Posted by Kevin Pardus

NOTE: Loved playing down in the NC Regional last season, especially during eliminations teamed up with FRC 2640 & FRC 4828. May be it was wishfully thinking on my part that a VA-MD-DC-NC region was possible, combining a lot of great teams and folks together. It is also my understanding that the NCR (VA-MD-DC) will go District in 2016.

Yes...it was fun. We enjoyed adding the "Bake" to your "Shake"!

[MechEng83]

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...draising-bulbs

Indiana is the only District we are adding for the 2015 season.

</thread>