New Home for Nationals

[Kit Gerhart]

Originally posted by Natchez
What would happen if ...

---The Nationals are open to all teams
---Cities bid to get the National Championships
---The NEW National Championship schedule would be something like
Thursday
8:00 - PITS Open
9:00 - Opening ceremonies
12:00 Noon - Practice rounds
12:00 Midnight - Practice rounds end
Friday
12:00 Midnight - Seeding Rounds Begin
12:00 Midnight - PITS Close
Saturday
12:00 Midnight - SLEEP, SLEEP, & more SLEEP
6:00 AM - Seeding Rounds Continue
1:00 PM - Elimination Rounds
6:00 PM - Closing ceremonies
8:00 PM - PARTY 'til you drop
Sunday
Travel day

While this schedule would eliminate the need for recreational activities, I don't really think major sleep deprivation should be a part of the FIRST experience. I know it doesn't affect me in a positive way.

A less extreme schedule which would allow us a normal amount of sleep but with practice/matches running until 9:00 PM or so would be a way to make National an event which could be held at locations not having Disney-like entertainment. Still, while National is mainly about the competition, it is also about having fun. Somehow, a bigger, more grueling regional with longer days, which such a National would be, wouldn't quite fill the bill.

This is, of course, only my opinion.

[Joe Johnson]

It is not necessary to schedule around the clock.

The nice thing about the division idea is that it is very scalable.

It would be a very easy thing to have 20 or 30 fields in Detoit's Cobo Hall or Chicago's McCormick Place or any of 20 other places around North America.

Hotel space is really not an issue for any city that is capable of hosting the Superbowl.

Transportation is another tricky issue, but it is managable given time and incentive to do so (which 40,000 visitors to a city provide in spades).

The future of FIRST Championships is NOT at Epcot. For now it is nice and we (FIRST) get more out of being there than it "costs" but in 2 or 3 years, I can easily see us at any of 20 cities around the US or Canada.

Get packin', 'cause will be on the move soon.

Joe J.

[refclm]

I believe that Florida is a good place. I realize that it may be boring after a few years, but when you are going for the first time, to Walt Disney World and the Epcot Center, it is very cool and very exciting. Maybe later at another time, and I know that people on my team are eager to go back and see Disney again. Just my thoughts.....

[Joe Matt]

I don't know Carter, Cedar Point is reallly cool. Especially since when we had that layover in Cleveland, everyond wanted to ride all the rollercoasters.

[rees2001]

For those of us in the Northeast where spring is just now starting to come. 50 yesterday. Orlando is a reward & a fun place to go... we still show up to win but take an extra day at the end to play around disney. I nice way to finish up the season.

[Wetzel]

I liked the idea of round the clock scheduling.
Finaly something conforming to my sleep schedule, rather then me working around everyone else.