[FRC Blog] FIRST Robotics Competition Registration Update

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by dodar

That is only contingent on that California event being the 1st choice for both teams.

If the Cali team wants it as their #2 but the Florida has it as #1, Florida wins.
If the Cali team wants it as their #2 and so does the Florida team, first come/first serve.
If the Cali team has it as #1 and Florida has it as #1, Cali wins by "home event".
If the Cali team has it #1 and Florida has it as #2, see above.

I think determining advantage from a team's preference order is more difficult than that. For example, I know plenty of teams here in the Twin Cities that could put down North Star and 10,000 Lakes as their first two choices, and not have the funding to travel anywhere else. Lets say that a bunch of teams put those two down in the same order, so that one of them fills up first. Should the team's that didn't make it into that one get locked out of the other because a bunch of teams from Texas had it as their first choice?

This is by no means an easy system to create.

Perhaps the best way would be to assign each team to a "home regional" before registration starts, and then have "first event registration" really be a request for changing, rather than an open sign up. So If my team is in Florida and gets assigned to a local regional, but I'd rather go out to California, I can put in a request to change, and if there's room in the event (either open capacity, or capacity created by other teams changing events) then the registration switches. If room doesn't open up, then my team stays in the local event. This could be extended to include multiple change requests (I want regional A, but if I can't get that, then I want regional B, if I can't get either then C, and finally stay where I am).

Such a system would be aimed at keeping costs low for every team, while providing the opportunity for personal preference as well. But cost comes before preference.

[maxnz]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

I think determining advantage from a team's preference order is more difficult than that. For example, I know plenty of teams here in the Twin Cities that could put down North Star and 10,000 Lakes as their first two choices, and not have the funding to travel anywhere else. Lets say that a bunch of teams put those two down in the same order, so that one of them fills up first. Should the team's that didn't make it into that one get locked out of the other because a bunch of teams from Texas had it as their first choice?

This is by no means an easy system to create.

Perhaps the best way would be to assign each team to a "home regional" before registration starts, and then have "first event registration" really be a request for changing, rather than an open sign up. So If my team is in Florida and gets assigned to a local regional, but I'd rather go out to California, I can put in a request to change, and if there's room in the event (either open capacity, or capacity created by other teams changing events) then the registration switches. If room doesn't open up, then my team stays in the local event. This could be extended to include multiple change requests (I want regional A, but if I can't get that, then I want regional B, if I can't get either then C, and finally stay where I am).

Such a system would be aimed at keeping costs low for every team, while providing the opportunity for personal preference as well. But cost comes before preference.

Originally Posted by Bob Steele

We moved to this system in PNW District last year. In the first round of signups a team could wither "opt out" of their local event or register for their local "home" event. Opt out would mean that you wait until the 2nd round and you get 2 choices when it opens up. (Again this is District only)

Due to the wonky way home events were chosen (by FIRST), the event we were listed as "home" for us was actually further away from us than the one we wanted to compete at. We opted out and then signed up for the closer event the 2nd registration. (FIRST chose home events based on zip codes or something and not by actual distance.... they would not change it when we requested it before registration)

It worked out for us... it simply gives a team the best chance at the district event that is closest to them. They don't have to take it. In this way, a team is never frozen out of the local district event.

Whatever way we would end up doing this, it seems that we all agree that it will be extremely complicated.

I personally think that the 1st round-opt out of home event/2nd round-register elsewhere system sounds the best.