Preparing for the Town Hall Meeting on the New Championships Format

[Siri]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

How many teams are you planning on for your FRC-only Champs? You can only cram so many into a venue. I'm pretty sure Houston can host 400 teams in style. 600 teams and 8 divisions would start to get crowded. Any more than that, and I think you're going to be disappointed in the results. I'm pretty sure 600 team capacity is necessary, since regionals this year could generate 336 champs slots. So unless you're eliminating some of those slots, you're going to have to have 600+ teams at some sort of championship event come 2017.

I'm not directly arguing for the proposal, but isn't 2017 also the deadline to roll out more Districts? I wouldn't expect to have 56 Regionals in 2017, not with Texas, Minnesota, NY, Capitol Region, California (however they do it), etc, switching over. Or is this not happening/not definitive?

I like the Detroit FLL/FTC+Exhibition strategy. I'd actually suggest switching it so this is in Houston, only because that keeps FRC Worlds centrally located in St. Louis a year longer. That means only 3 years of a Detroit Championship are set in stone, not even a full high school career. Just a thought.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by Siri

I'm not directly arguing for the proposal, but isn't 2017 also the deadline to roll out more Districts? I wouldn't expect to have 56 Regionals in 2017, not with Texas, Minnesota, NY, Capitol Region, California (however they do it), etc, switching over. Or is this not happening/not definitive?

While at this point I've heard even the most ardent regional supporters are now saying "when" about Districts in Minnesota, whether we'll be in Districts by 2017 has yet to be seen. Certainly there hasn't been a public announcement or any obvious planning.

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by Siri

I'm not directly arguing for the proposal, but isn't 2017 also the deadline to roll out more Districts? I wouldn't expect to have 56 Regionals in 2017, not with Texas, Minnesota, NY, Capitol Region, California (however they do it), etc, switching over. Or is this not happening/not definitive?

Districts are going to sweep across the country in the coming years from what i've been seeing and hearing. Virginia, the Capitol Region, Minnesota, even Georgia and North Carolina have been in talks of transitioning over in the next few years. I feel like the transition to districts in so many more regions may be enough to circumvent any overpopulation issues at championships.