Split Champs in '17 and '18

[Jessica Boucher]

Originally Posted by bdaroz

(And side note - Why the Heck did they blur the FIRST logo on Don's shirt in the video!?)

Old logo.

[Libby K]

Originally Posted by bdaroz

(And side note - Why the Heck did they blur the FIRST logo on Don's shirt in the video!?)

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

~BRANDING STANDARDS~

Originally Posted by Jessica Boucher

Old logo.

Still, there are SO many other ways you can adjust for that. They could just use the old logo on his shirt and barely anyone would notice or care. This just looks awkward and points it out even more...

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by bdaroz

(And side note - Why the Heck did they blur the FIRST logo on Don's shirt in the video!?)

Originally Posted by Libby K

Still, there are SO many other ways you can adjust for that. They could just use the old logo on his shirt and barely anyone would notice or care. This just looks awkward and points it out even more...

They even uploaded a new video just to blur the logo. The original was uploaded when the announcement first came out in April 2015. This new video was uploaded Feb. 16th, 2016.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

I'm anticipating an announcement sometime on Thursday, giving it timing similar to last year's well-received announcement.

You want to bring a pitchfork so this year's announcement can be received just as well? Or should we just recreate the witch scene?

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Libby K

Still, there are SO many other ways you can adjust for that. They could just use the old logo on his shirt and barely anyone would notice or care. This just looks awkward and points it out even more...

Oh, I'm still rolling from when they announced the logo update with him wearing the old logo. That was pretty classic.

[Thad House]

I'm still trying to figure out how they'll split the US, but they should make sure to send all the international teams to Detroit. That way we can have our nationals back.

/s

[RonnyV]

Originally Posted by Thad House

I'm still trying to figure out how they'll split the US, but they should make sure to send all the international teams to Detroit. That way we can have our nationals back.

Are you scared of losing to the internationals?

[Zebra_Fact_Man]

Originally Posted by Thad House

I'm still trying to figure out how they'll split the US, but they should make sure to send all the international teams to Detroit. That way we can have our nationals back.

Pretty sure Wk7 District Championship teams will be sent to the later of the two World Championships (in Detroit). For that matter, they could put ALL District Championship teams for the time being in Detroit and still have room left over. Probably won't though.

However they do it, I hope it isn't an afterthought.

PS: Didn't Houston use to host Nationals back in the day for like 1 year?

[CalTran]

Originally Posted by Zebra_Fact_Man

PS: Didn't Houston use to host Nationals back in the day for like 1 year?

Yupp

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Zebra_Fact_Man

Pretty sure Wk7 District Championship teams will be sent to the later of the two World Championships (in Detroit). For that matter, they could put ALL District Championship teams for the time being in Detroit and still have room left over. Probably won't though.

However they do it, I hope it isn't an afterthought.

PS: Didn't Houston use to host Nationals back in the day for like 1 year?

2003. It was a terrible idea that can only be excused because FRC had been kicked out of Disney/EPCOT and had to find a venue on short notice. Fields were in Reliant Stadium, and pits were on the floor of the Astrodome. This caused significant problems, because you had to walk up several ramps to get out of the astrodome, then down several ramps to get to the floor of Reliant Stadium. The whole trip was pretty long, and extremely difficult if you didn't have a robot cart. At EPCOT, most field were close enough that you could hand carry the robot without much difficulty, so I think a lot of teams were caught out by that. I know a few teams somehow ended up with shopping carts for transporting their robots.

Anyways, I promise 2017 is going to be loads better than 2003, since HQ's had a lot more experience with the convention center+dome Champs model, and they've accepted a lot more involvement from the local experts on running events here. I'm just sad that 2003 soured things in Houston so much that we didn't get a chance to do it right in 2004.

[evanperryg]

Originally Posted by TDav540

This seems like something for IRI to help with.....

I was just thinking the same thing! The big problem is the travel costs for teams that don't live a couple states away from Indiana. It would be cool, though, to get as many half world champions to indy as possible, and have them play a finals series.

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

Does Don Bossi have a CDL?

I envision a fleet of 45,000 segways rolling through the streets of Detroit.

And now to the soapbox...
Personally, I think it cheapens the championship experience to divide it up this way. I love to see all the teams I look up to, and the fact that they're putting half of them at another event next year disappoints me greatly. Put FRC in one venue, and FTC/FLL/jr. FLL in the other venue. Teams have always made it to the championship, even if it's expensive. It's hard for us to find the money, and we're only a 3.5 hour school bus ride to St. Louis. I get it. It might not support the whole "progression of programs" thing to put FTC and FLL in a different city than FRC, but that's already happening in St. Louis. Both groups are isolated now; comparing 2015 to my experience at 2013 and 2014 champs, I saw no difference in the quality of experience. Even without FTC and FLL, FRC champs was great because I got to see all of the great teams. Giving FTC and FLL their own venue would also help them massively. You know what kills the FTC/FLL experience? The fact that next to none of them make it to champs, and yet 1 in 5 FRC teams will be in St. Louis in two weeks. Think about that- statistically, one robot in every match this season would be at champs. Give FTC and FLL their own space so that they can have a gigantic, lively championship like we do.
Stepping off the soapbox...

I really hope that the new championship structure doesn't cheapen the experience that comes with the FIRST World Championship. It's an incredible event, and I'm happy that the freshman on our team will get to experience the last true World Championship before it all changes.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by evanperryg

I love to see all the teams I look up to, and the fact that they're putting half of them at another event next year disappoints me greatly.

It's great that you like seeing and competing with elite and inspiring FRC teams. By splitting Champs into two and expanding the number of teams that attend Champs from 600 to 800, even more teams will get to have this kind of experience. It's true they won't get to attend with all the elite teams in FRC, but it's not like every elite team makes it to Champs every year right now anyways.

[Zebra_Fact_Man]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

It's great that you like seeing and competing with elite and inspiring FRC teams. By splitting Champs into two and expanding the number of teams that attend Champs from 600 to 800, even more teams will get to have this kind of experience. It's true they won't get to attend with all the elite teams in FRC, but it's not like every elite team makes it to Champs every year right now anyways.

Something from your post made me think; what happens when FRC hits 4000 teams, or 5000 teams? Is FIRST still going to try and pack 20-25% into World Championships? Will we reach a point were it will become infeasible. Or will they add a 3rd event, and then a 4th event? Sounds expensive.

[dodar]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

It's great that you like seeing and competing with elite and inspiring FRC teams. By splitting Champs into two and expanding the number of teams that attend Champs from 600 to 800, even more teams will get to have this kind of experience. It's true they won't get to attend with all the elite teams in FRC, but it's not like every elite team makes it to Champs every year right now anyways.

I dont want to go to a champs where 254 or 1114 or 359 or 67 or 118 isnt. And just because other elite teams are at mine, missing out on perennial championship caliber teams just plain sucks.

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by Zebra_Fact_Man

Pretty sure Wk7 District Championship teams will be sent to the later of the two World Championships (in Detroit). For that matter, they could put ALL District Championship teams for the time being in Detroit and still have room left over. Probably won't though.

However they do it, I hope it isn't an afterthought.

This. I imagine they specifically put the second weekend in Detroit so MSC could stay where it currently is. I imagine we'll see a reshuffling of when DCMPs will be held; those going to Houston will be held Week 6, those in Detroit Week 7. The rest will probably be based on team location or the location of the regional where the team qualified.

I'm not a huge fan of the idea of splitting the Championship. I wish there was some way that we could have 800 teams in a building. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that Champs changed my life. If other students get the same experience I had from it, then I think at the end of the day, it's worth it to make the change.

I hope they make some way to change who-goes-where on a yearly basis. That'll help alleviate the problem, somewhat.