Your Opinion of the Nationals Qualifying Process These Days

[Wayne C.]

Now that the online registration process for new events is closed I am surprised that there are so many vacant spaces left for the National Championships.

A few years ago, when it seemed like the National Championships would be severely overgrown, FIRST instituted the tier system so that it would allow all teams at least a chance to attend every few years.

Each year since the tiers came into being there has been a window at the end of the registration season where the tier 1 teams still had a shot at the Nationals if they acted quickly. Oddly it seemed that many teams simply didn't take advantage of the window at the time.

But this year there are far more posted slots available than ever before. I know of no teams turned away or waitlisted. Up until yesterday teams could still sign up to attend. And with 176 teams pending the site still lists 185 slots open.

I attribute this to the payment policy that FIRST started this year and I applaud them for it.

But maybe now it is time to return to the old, first come first served method that the organization originally had for events.

I would still require a registration to a regional event first before being eligible for Nationals.

And I would add onto that that the first event registered for would be the event that any Chairman's Award submission would be restricted to. (That way your "home event" is the place you compete- as opposed to raiding a secondary, new ? event you might not normally support)

I could live with either form of registration but it seems like the tiers have passed their time and are unnecessarily unwieldy.

What do you think?

WC