Registration 2015

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Still can't wait list for a previously dropped event.

Have you talked to the RD?

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by lynca

Only two USA Regionals with available spots, and Central Illinois only has 1 spot left.

Who wants to travel to Lubbock, Texas - Week 5 for the only available Regional in the country ?

2914 traveled to Lubbock last year. The regional itself was great. Plenty of space in the pits and close by hotels. We had to split into two groups for the flight home though, with different layovers, and the school business manager put me as the only adult with 8 freshmen/sophomores, whilst the other three adults were with the 7 juniors/seniors.

Wetzel

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Allison K

Looks like Michigan might be needing that rumored 17th district event, as FiM is at 316 teams (the 16 current district events have a capacity for 320 teams). Spreadsheet with details here. Other tidbits...

• FiM is still missing 20 veterans that competed in 2014. 8 of those were rookies in 2014. I expect at least of few of the missing teams are hidden on waitlists. The overall retention rate at the moment is 92.8%.
• Michigan currently has 58 rookies, 21% of all 2015 current rookies.
• About 160 Michigan teams are on waitlists for at least one event. This doesn't include missing teams, so the actual number is higher.

When is FiM going to split? North/South or East/West?

If FRC allows 600 teams for the championship, and gives districts spots based on % of overall teams (eventually), the FiM State Championship will qualify nearly every team at the state championship.

Cleary Michigan is doing something right with grants when a single state can boast over 11% of all teams worldwide. It's a good problem to have.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Ricksta

When is FiM going to split? North/South or East/West?

If FRC allows 600 teams for the championship, and gives districts spots based on % of overall teams (eventually), the FiM State Championship will qualify nearly every team at the state championship.

Cleary Michigan is doing something right with grants when a single state can boast over 11% of all teams worldwide. It's a good problem to have.

The short (and unofficial) answer on splitting is no. I simply can't think of a single proponent of such a plan. Also, at this point it's likely that even with 11%, Michigan won't qualify everyone at MSC.

I've heard rumors of 2 districts (weeks 1 & 2), but so far they're been just that, rumors. Hopefully FiM can get their act together before 3rd district registration. Would love for teams to switch to earlier events so there's more space for us to play a local 3rd in week 5 or 6 (local being especially important what with the travel to MSC).

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

2914 traveled to Lubbock last year. The regional itself was great. Plenty of space in the pits and close by hotels. We had to split into two groups for the flight home though, with different layovers, and the school business manager put me as the only adult with 8 freshmen/sophomores, whilst the other three adults were with the 7 juniors/seniors.

Wetzel

Layovers out of Texas into the northeast are really fun when you go to an early Texas event (Week 1 Alamo for us, Week 2 Hub City for 2914) with 70 degree temps only to get flights delayed or cancelled from major snowstorms in Newark...

Lubbock looks like it has a good venue for an FRC event, but I imagine travel can be a little challenging like it was to SA.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Basel A

The short (and unofficial) answer on splitting is no. I simply can't think of a single proponent of such a plan. Also, at this point it's likely that even with 11%, Michigan won't qualify everyone at MSC.

I've heard rumors of 2 districts (weeks 1 & 2), but so far they're been just that, rumors. Hopefully FiM can get their act together before 3rd district registration. Would love for teams to switch to earlier events so there's more space for us to play a local 3rd in week 5 or 6 (local being especially important what with the travel to MSC).

11% of 600 is 66 spots. MSC is 64 spots, no?

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Cory

11% of 600 is 66 spots. MSC is 64 spots, no?

MSC has had 64 spots for several years now. In the first year that was about half the teams in Michigan. Now it is about one-sixth.

When California has a state championship, what fraction of teams will earn invitations?

[MrBasse]

Originally Posted by Basel A

The short (and unofficial) answer on splitting is no. I simply can't think of a single proponent of such a plan. Also, at this point it's likely that even with 11%, Michigan won't qualify everyone at MSC.

I've heard rumors of 2 districts (weeks 1 & 2), but so far they're been just that, rumors. Hopefully FiM can get their act together before 3rd district registration. Would love for teams to switch to earlier events so there's more space for us to play a local 3rd in week 5 or 6 (local being especially important what with the travel to MSC).

What do you mean by "get their act together" exactly? What isn't going well right now from your point of view? And are you being serious about the travel to MSC?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

When California has a state championship, what fraction of teams will earn invitations?

California is listed as 298 teams (including 16 un-numbered rookies). Last number Mark gave for total registration was 2700.

Taking out those rookies for now: 10.4% of FRC.
Leaving the rookies in: 11% of FRC.

600 teams at Championship gives somewhere between 60 and 66 slots to CA depending which number you're using at the moment. Currently, the 7 regionals (that are all full) in CA supply 42 teams.

Assuming CA runs a state championship as large as its largest current event (66 teams at Los Angeles), that's about 22% of teams in the state, and most of 'em would be just about guaranteed a spot at CMP. OTOH, I'd anticipate the number of teams going up as word got around--might see some former teams returning, driving percentage down.

[Anthony Galea]

Kentwood FIM District added Week 2

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Cory

11% of 600 is 66 spots. MSC is 64 spots, no?

The location for MSC is listed as "to be determined," and I don't believe it'll return to its current location. I'm not at all affiliated with FiM, but anyone from Michigan who's been paying attention to the goings-on would tell you the most pressing reason to move away from the past location would be to make MSC larger. A 64-team MSC brings in the top ~20%, which is too low. In my opinion, the ideal is around ~30%, which this year would be over 90 teams. My guess is as good as anyone's, but I'd put money on a significant increase in the number of teams at MSC this year.

Originally Posted by MrBasse

What do you mean by "get their act together" exactly? What isn't going well right now from your point of view? And are you being serious about the travel to MSC?

This addition of Kentwood now mostly alleviates my concerns. When trying to plan a team's schedule, it's nice to know the options ahead of time. Also when events are added late, they tend to create large disparities in level of competition between districts. These are both bad for the teams at large.

As for MSC, if we don't know where it is, we have to at least consider every possibility. I am choosing not to assume it'll be where it always has been in the past.

[GaryVoshol]

VIMS told me I was volunteering for MSC in Ypsilanti.

[MrBasse]

That makes sense on all counts. The addition of kent wood would have been nice before 2nd event registration for us as we could have avoided a hotel stay altogether.

I can't even think of another location for MSC. You know it will be close to the east side though, there are just so many teams in the metro Detroit area. Usually it is better to keep the masses happy. Although somewhere in the Lansing (MSU, wink wink nod nod) area would be just fine by me.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by MrBasse

That makes sense on all counts. The addition of kent wood would have been nice before 2nd event registration for us as we could have avoided a hotel stay altogether.

I can't even think of another location for MSC. You know it will be close to the east side though, there are just so many teams in the metro Detroit area. Usually it is better to keep the masses happy. Although somewhere in the Lansing (MSU, wink wink nod nod) area would be just fine by me.

There's a site here that lists all the stadiums and arenas in Michigan. Removing the outdoor venues and the small venues (below 7,000 seating capacity; Convocation Center is 8,800) leaves ten. Several probably wouldn't have the requisite pit space. There are some possibilities outside the list - convention centers, mostly - but you're right, there simply aren't many options.

Here are those ten:

Name			Location		Tenants			Capacity	
Pontiac Silverdome	Pontiac			Multi-use		80 311
Ford Field		Detroit			Detroit Lions		64 500
Palace of Auburn Hills	Auburn Hills		Detroit Pistons		22 076
Joe Louis Arena		Detroit			Detroit Red Wings	20 066
Breslin Center		East Lansing		Michigan State Spartans	14 992
Crisler Arena		Ann Arbor		Michigan Wolverines	13 609
Van Andel Arena		Grand Rapids		Grand Rapids Griffins	10 834
Calihan Hall		Detroit			Detroit Titans		8 837
Convocation Center	Ypsilanti		E. Michigan Eagles	8 824
Superior Dome		Marquette		N. Michigan Wildcats	8 000

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Basel A

[snip]

Name			Location		Tenants			Capacity	
Palace of Auburn Hills	Auburn Hills		Detroit Pistons		22 076
Joe Louis Arena		Detroit			Detroit Red Wings	20 066

If those two are available, I'll be surprised. NBA and NHL would be barely starting to wrap up their seasons. Though if the home team happens to be away for the weekend, it's quite doable (from the "no two events at the same time" standpoint, not the whole "cost of event" standpoint).