ChampionSplit: A Historical Perspective

[David Lame]

Originally Posted by Alex2614

If it means more people can experience the championship experience, and change even more lives (and not just the same teams every year), then I'm willing to sacrifice some things. People will still be just as impacted at these two events as at one.

You seem confident in this statement. I hope you are right.


This statement, though, is at the heart of the controversy. Just what is it about the season finale event that makes it so extraordinary? Is it the size of the event, or is somehow "world championship" a special phrase that, by itself, creates excitement?

Not many representatives of non-US countries correspond on Chief Delphi. I have to wonder what those people think of this move.


Anyway, I don't really know. I know there are tradeoffs, and it may be that more people going to a season finale event held at a stadium will really work, with or without a "world champion" title.

One final thought. An awful lot of people, including the post I'm replying to, seem to think that "the championship experience" is limited to the people inside the stadium. I really hope the error of that idea sinks in at least to the people in leadership positions.


ETA: And as long as I'm here, what do I, personally find inspiring? (As a fifty year old mentor, in case it matters.) I often tell people that I meet and describe First to, that I was the "brainy" kid in high school, and I did the "brainy" things. Speech. Debate. Chess.

There's nothing wrong with those events. I still play Chess. But, let's be real. BORING!!!! Two years ago, I went to a First event. (Actually, an "off season" event, much smaller, but obviously an offshoot of, First Robotics.) There was loud music. There were kids dancing. There were last minute, buzzer beating shots that put the whole crowd on their feet. This was amazing! I was hooked.

How does that affect championships? I'm not sure. I know, though, that I find myself really wanting to watch how my favorite teams are doing at the world championship, and I'm not sure I would bother at a half-championship. I'm not sure why. Rationally, there's not a lot of difference, but somehow it seems significant. I see an awful lot of comments these championship debates that are variations of, "You ought to think this is important, instead of that." Those comments don't sit well with me. People will respond according to human nature, not according to some idealized version of what we ought to think is important.