FIRST has $8 Million?!? What did I miss?

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by JeffJ

To Rick, Wilson and others - wasn't Amanda one of the people who ran the FTC program? Seems like she already confirmed the post you are questioning is true. Also, I see another person posting in the thread was the Director of the FTC program, so he could also refute that information, but he hasn't. As a parent looking into starting a Vex or FTC team, I am very troubled to hear that FIRST would be letting Lego dictate what what fee they charge FTC teams. I think FIRST owes the teams an answer and explanation.

Amanda deleted her post in this thread. I have no idea what she posted. I don't know who used to be director of FTC, and have no insight into why he or she may or may not have denied or confirmed anything. I'm just skeptical, not intransigent. I don't think it's impossible that FIRST was cooperating with their number one corporate partner, I just don't see the evidence here.

There have been rumors that IFI and FIRST were in some sort of fundamental disagreement about strategy (or a really nasty personality conflict) and that's why Vex is no longer part of FTC. Again, I wouldn't have any particular problem accepting it, I just haven't seen any evidence of it. The truth is that FIRST has made their decision on the FTC program and we can love it or leave it. I don't remember anyone at FIRST asking my opinion, which would, by the way, have been to stick with Vex.