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

[Billfred]

Is it as bad as I thought? I counted 185 open spaces, with 177 teams pending. Assuming all of them pay up, that's only seven spots remaining.

Either way, I would be open to a first-come, first-served system. Or simply break it into three tiers: those that did go to the Championship last season, those that didn't go to the Championship last season, and those for which it doesn't matter (1992 teams, Chairman's winners, et cetera). Let the latter two groups get a week or two of a head start on registration.

Out of curiosity, is there still a way to get on the list for Atlanta? (Probably a stupid question, but I'm a bit sleep-deprived at the moment.)

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Is it as bad as I thought? I counted 185 open spaces, with 177 teams pending. Assuming all of them pay up, that's only seven spots remaining.

Either way, I would be open to a first-come, first-served system. Or simply break it into three tiers: those that did go to the Championship last season, those that didn't go to the Championship last season, and those for which it doesn't matter (1992 teams, Chairman's winners, et cetera). Let the latter two groups get a week or two of a head start on registration.

Out of curiosity, is there still a way to get on the list for Atlanta? (Probably a stupid question, but I'm a bit sleep-deprived at the moment.)

Technically there are still 184 spots open, because pending teams are that way until they have paid. so if you could sign up and paid tomorrow you would be in. I think the system works just fine the way it is. For the pas 3 years (since they changed it) i believe the amount of teams shut out of the championship that wanted to go are very small.

I would think that if you still wanted to register for the championship just to call FIRST, i highly doubt that with so many still undecided spots remaining that they will turn a team with money away.

[Wayne C.]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Is it as bad as I thought? I counted 185 open spaces, with 177 teams pending. Assuming all of them pay up, that's only seven spots remaining.

clarify for me- are the 177 spots to be filled out of the 185 or are they in addition to it? I believe I've been seeing regional tallies where the pending list is already deducted from the capacity total (green box)

even so- there are still vacancies that go unfilled so no team should be saying they didn't have a chance to go to the Championships based on being closed out.

WC

[Winged Globe]

Originally Posted by Wayne C.

clarify for me- are the 177 spots to be filled out of the 185 or are they in addition to it? I believe I've been seeing regional tallies where the pending list is already deducted from the capacity total (green box)

There are to be filled from the 185, not in addition. FIRST opened up 240 Championship spots for pre-registration, 55 of which are filled now. The pending list does not deduct from capacity. No secondary registration is reserved a spot until you have paid.