Regional Improvements

[Marc P.]

Originally Posted by Levin571

One thing i'm going to advocate for this year is lowering the stage at the UTC regional because it is about 4-5 feet above ground level, is hard to see if you want to be in front when your team is up, and the little raisers we were forced to stand on near the stage can only hold so many people at once.

The UTC Regional is held at the Meadows Music Theater, and unfortunately the stage there really can't be lowered. More a limitation of the venue than anything, but the stage is designed for concerts where sound is more important than sight.

It's nice to hear suggestions and ideas for how to improve an event, but keep in mind the financial restrictions many of these events face. In 2000, the UTC regional was an extravaganza, with brightly colored blue and red stage lights to introduce each alliance, with spinning FIRST logos all over the field and in the crowd, with cameras and monitors all over the place. Unfortunately, things had to be scaled back due to financial limitations, into what are now known as "streamlined regionals", but that discussion has already taken place. To add to Elgin's post, here's another thread detailing regional improvements.

Realistically though, the best way to influence an event is to go to the team forums at the end of the competition season, and make your voices known to the people in a position to make those changes.