[FRC Blog] Inter-District Play for 2015

[Jessica Boucher]

Originally Posted by MamaSpoldi

can you please explain the difference implied by a 3rd play as opposed to an additional play.

It's a small, but important difference. Last year, an additional play was only defined as a third. Now, it can be your third....or your fourth....or...

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by 1493kd

It sure is fun being a team not in a district and having your options so limited. Lets please start the NY district

Totally agree. Teams in our region must either travel to Canada, drive more than 8 hours, compete back-to-back, or not attend our home regional. Meanwhile a half dozen events that were within 3 hours are behind the great wall of districts.

Not sure what I'd prefer - the burnout of back to back, or the pain of planning a long trip through Canada to GTR Central.

[waialua359]

I cant see why we are unable to participate in a district event, just because of where we live.

[Deke]

Originally Posted by Jessica Boucher

It's a small, but important difference. Last year, an additional play was only defined as a third. Now, it can be your third....or your fourth....or...

Or first or second, that is the big difference. Before, district teams needed to go to two district events before points didn't count, or they could go to a regional for their first or second event for practice. Now an outer district event can take that place. District teams with enough resources would go to regionals for their first or second event to get some practice in so they could get enough district points in their two events to advance, but cross district play changes that. It's also cheaper with cross district play.

I think this is a huge proactive step to get things ready for more district's. It answers the question about teams being able to visit other district's when more come around, which is one of the fun things about regionals.

[1493kd]

Originally Posted by waialua359

I cant see why we are unable to participate in a district event, just because of where we live.

I could not agree more makes no sense. Or at least leave a limited amount of spots open at events for non district teams. Non district teams are getting much less bang for our buck and having to travel more in the current system.

[Chris is me]

I would understand the restriction if points were awarded to competing teams, but they aren't. Only district teams can enter, but nothing about being a "district team" comes into play at all. No changes to how the event is handled would be needed to accommodate regional teams.

That said, the inability for a regional team to qualify for Championship is a big reason not to go to a district, but I know many teams would still strongly consider district events as an option.

[Deke]

Originally Posted by waialua359

I cant see why we are unable to participate in a district event, just because of where we live.

I know there are people within FiM pushing for non district teams to participate in district events, but I don't remember the reasoning against it.

I agree with you, it doesn't make sense. Maybe someone can explain it.

[Lil' Lavery]

It's not everything we wanted out of Inter-District play, but it's a step in the right direction.

Now, I hope that there's still an open spot in CT week 1 and I can convince 1712 to compete in weeks 1, 3, 5, AND 7.

[jwfoss]

If I am reading this correctly, does that mean if we play out of district and win an award or the event we are basically removing points from that districts "pool of points"? I'm not sure how I feel about how this will play out.

It's one thing when a team from within the district does a 3rd event (it only effects the teams in the district, but this allows outside forces to have an impact on district points).

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by jwfoss

If I am reading this correctly, does that mean if we play out of district and win an award or the event we are basically removing points from that districts "pool of points"? I'm not sure how I feel about how this will play out.

It's one thing when a team from within the district does a 3rd event (it only effects the teams in the district, but this allows outside forces to have an impact on district points).

Yes. For all intents and purposes, an out-of-district play is treated like third districts previously were, except you can't win culture awards.

[Jared Russell]

Originally Posted by inkling16

I agree, I don't see any major reason why this should not happen.

Because the stampede of hundreds of teams who would want to get 12 plays plus playoffs, two days of open robot access, and 6 hours of in-shop robot access for $1000 would bring FIRST's servers to their knees?

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Jared Russell

Because the stampede of hundreds of teams who would want to get 12 plays plus playoffs, two days of open robot access, and 6 hours of in-shop robot access for $1000 would bring FIRST's servers to their knees?

and FIRST would lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in registration fees.

[Zebra_Fact_Man]

Originally Posted by 1493kd

I could not agree more makes no sense. Or at least leave a limited amount of spots open at events for non district teams. Non district teams are getting much less bang for our buck and having to travel more in the current system.

I remember when I was a student, people were still arguing whether district were still worth it. Now it's "almost" universally agreed upon.

Originally Posted by waialua359

I cant see why we are unable to participate in a district event, just because of where we live.

Originally Posted by Infinity2718

I agree with you, it doesn't make sense. Maybe someone can explain it.

I think this may be one of FIRST's unofficial tools of encouraging (prodding) regions into transitioning to district play. If you dangle this really neat opportunity in front of a bunch of teams ineligible due to their region's outdated format, it gives them all the more incentive to organize and modernize.
The problems associated w/ the logistics of an ever-growing FRC Championship is becoming too prominent to ignore, and having a proportional tiered system alleviates that problem by distributing the over-crowdedness to the regional championship level where it is much smaller scaled and easier to handle.

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Jared Russell

Because the stampede of hundreds of teams who would want to get 12 plays plus playoffs, two days of open robot access, and 6 hours of in-shop robot access for $1000 would bring FIRST's servers to their knees?

This is probably one of the big reasons. Also, I would view this season as a "pilot season" for interdistrict play. I expect <15 teams to do this*



*no statistic backup,just my own guess

[Michael Hill]

[quote=Zebra_Fact_Man;1400559]I think this may be one of FIRST's unofficial tools of encouraging (prodding) regions into transitioning to district play. If you dangle this really neat opportunity in front of a bunch of teams ineligible due to their region's outdated format, it gives them all the more incentive to organize and modernize.
QUOTE]

Ohio and the neighboring states would love to go to a district setup...

Someone please explain why regional teams are excluded. This is pretty asinine.