Spectator Schedule posted

[jds2001]

Obviously this doesn't contain some things of interest to teams, but here it is. The interesting thing that I find is that alliance selections for subdivisions are happening early Saturday morning. With the increase to 8 subdivsions, I think that this is very doable - by my math, there only needs to be 125 matches per field in order to give all teams 10 qualification matches, and that can be accomplished in two days.

I'm not sure what this will do for spectators though - do members of the public really want to show up at 8AM?

Can't wait, see you in St. Louis!

[ATannahill]

Do we not get a lunch break in FRC qualification matches on Thursday?

[JB987]

Public Agenda says team load-in 2-5 then pits open 5-8:30. Is there any source available currently that indicates we can actually set up our pits and start working on our robot during the load-in time like we did last year as I recall since practice matches start at 6 pm?

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by JB987

Public Agenda says team load-in 2-5 then pits open 5-8:30. Is there any source available currently that indicates we can actually set up our pits and start working on our robot during the load-in time like we did last year as I recall since practice matches start at 6 pm?

Since this is the spectator schedule it will most likely be updated to include that those first three hours are for a limited number of team members like in years past.

[JB987]

IIRC, there was no limit on numbers of representatives in the pits this last year and no wristbands distributed when we first entered an hour after doors opened...a welcome change then and so helpful for getting teams ready for practice matches in time.

[vhcook]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

Do we not get a lunch break in FRC qualification matches on Thursday?

There's a link on that page to a more detailed FRC schedule, where both Thursday and Friday they're doing lunch breaks by division, with a half hour stagger between divisions, and reversing the order between the two days.

It does indeed have the usual 5 members for load-in on that version. Also it looks like Dean's List is moving from it's usual position in the ballroom at the end of the world during lunch on Friday into the opening ceremonies, which are Thursday evening.

Alliance selections first thing in the morning on Saturday is interesting, since teams will have had the overnight with final seeding to plan their pick lists. On the other hand, that's painfully early in the morning, particularly for people and teams that are commuting in from the more far-flung parts of the city. I'd hate to be a volunteer who was there when the pits close at 7 PM on Friday and has to be there for the opening at 6:45 AM Saturday morning, less than 12 hours later.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by JB987

IIRC, there was no limit on numbers of representatives in the pits this last year and no wristbands distributed when we first entered an hour after doors opened...a welcome change then and so helpful for getting teams ready for practice matches in time.

That's not what I remember. In 2010/2011 I remember wristbands (not sure about 2012) but in 2013/2014 there were volunteers keeping tabs on how many heads were in each pit at a time which lines up with page 11 from the A-Z guide from last year.


http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...RC_CMP_A-Z.pdf

[JB987]

Hmm. We had 5 for load in but as I stated There was no check in process of any kind an hour after start of load in and nobody at the bay doors. Masses of people were casually entering and milling about the pits... More than the usual 5. I just assumed there was an open door policy.

[MrTechCenter]

I like giving teams the night to plan-out their pick list, I think it will give teams a chance to go through and check out a lot of teams that show promise that they might have skipped over had they only had an hour to assemble their pick list.

On another note, 2 and a half hour break between division elims and Einstein?

[CTbiker105]

Originally Posted by vhcook

Also it looks like Dean's List is moving from it's usual position in the ballroom at the end of the world during lunch on Friday into the opening ceremonies, which are Thursday evening.

I was unaware Dean's List entailed apocalypse.

[vhcook]

Originally Posted by CTbiker105

I was unaware Dean's List entailed apocalypse.

No, just a longish walk to the opposite end of the facility from where all the shiny robots are.

[CTbiker105]

Originally Posted by vhcook

No, just a longish walk to the opposite end of the facility from where all the shiny robots are.

Apologies for my lack of reading comprehension.

[JB987]

Originally Posted by MrTechCenter

I like giving teams the night to plan-out their pick list, I think it will give teams a chance to go through and check out a lot of teams that show promise that they might have skipped over had they only had an hour to assemble their pick list.

On another note, 2 and a half hour break between division elims and Einstein?

They need a couple of hours to work on the 2 fields being reset for Einstein fields...and have a cushion for any earlier playoffs that run longer I suppose.

[XaulZan11]

Originally Posted by MrTechCenter

I like giving teams the night to plan-out their pick list, I think it will give teams a chance to go through and check out a lot of teams that show promise that they might have skipped over had they only had an hour to assemble their pick list.

Not only that, it will give the top seeds a chance to work with their 1st pick to determine a picklist together.

[Billfred]

Something I think I like, but will have to see in person: Staggered division breaks. This should cut down on some already-long lunch lines.

And my inner traditionalist is a little stunned by the notion of many teams not playing a single solitary match on Saturday. Clearly, HQ is looking at this new format as a way to play with a lot of things. It ain't your daddy's Championship!