The Waiting List 2009

[SpaceOsc]

Team 702 ran into some money last minute this year specifically geared to pay for Atlanta this year. Once that happen we got on the waiting list to get to Championship which was a big thrill for us since we havent been to Championship since 2002 . ive been carefully monitoring the the Championship registration list over the last few weeks to find that only 2 teams were added that had not won awards to get into championship 09. 538 which hasnt been to Championship since 2006 and 980 who went to Championship in 2008. now observing that FIRST requires there to be 18 slots for Michigan teams it seems to hurt our chances and the chances or any other teams on the Waiting list.

With that said what are the expereinces of others who have been or are currently on the waiting list for Atlanta?

are there any teams that are currently registered but ultimately wont go?

Plane Tickets are sure getting expensive as the day approaches!

-Osc

[Vikesrock]

Northstar's six qualifiers:

79 - Winner - Was already registered
2970 - Winner - Not yet registered
2549 - Winner - Not yet registered
2220 - EI- Was already registered
2169 - Chairman's - Not yet registered
2970 - Rookie All-Star - Already qualified by winning

So it looks at most 3 teams will be added from Northstar.

[SpaceOsc]

if every team that can register this weekend does, there will be 346 teams.

2008: 345
2007: 343
2006: 343

[jblay]

im sure there will be a bunch of teams who qualified and don't have the money to go and a bunch who choose not to. still though the chances are low regardless because of how many teams sign up for the wait list especially since it appears that you signed up pretty late which would not put you at the top of the wait list.

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by SpaceOsc

Team 702 ran into some money last minute this year specifically geared to pay for Atlanta this year. Once that happen we got on the waiting list to get to Championship which was a big thrill for us since we havent been to Championship since 2002 . ive been carefully monitoring the the Championship registration list over the last few weeks to find that only 2 teams were added that had not won awards to get into championship 09. 538 which hasnt been to Championship since 2006 and 980 who went to Championship in 2008. now observing that FIRST requires there to be 18 slots for Michigan teams it seems to hurt our chances and the chances or any other teams on the Waiting list.

With that said what are the expereinces of others who have been or are currently on the waiting list for Atlanta?

are there any teams that are currently registered but ultimately wont go?

Plane Tickets are sure getting expensive as the day approaches!

-Osc

Team 980 got on the waiting list just after the window closed for veterans (who played in 2008) to register. We, too received financial support late in the season (week 5). However, we decided early that it would be better to have the right of refusal, should we come off of the list. BTW, last year we came off the list during the Los Angeles Regional, we accepted, but ended up on the winning alliance (thanks to 330 & 1717!)

The CMP invitation e-mail from FIRST came last Thurs. afternoon. Fortunately, our crate had not yet shipped to LA from Las Vegas, so Shepard was able to redirect the crate to Atlanta. We accepted the spot, then scrambled to get plane tix and hotel rooms.

Team 980 will need to ship some items to Atlanta we would otherwise have put in the crate if we knew we were going to Championship (another lesson learned!). I don't know if the hotels will accept >100 lb packages!? Maybe we can get some help from a local team??

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by David Brinza

Team 980 got on the waiting list just after the window closed for veterans (who played in 2008) to register. We, too received financial support late in the season (week 5). However, we decided early that it would be better to have the right of refusal, should we come off of the list. BTW, last year we came off the list during the Los Angeles Regional, we accepted, but ended up on the winning alliance (thanks to 330 & 1717!)

The CMP invitation e-mail from FIRST came last Thurs. afternoon. Fortunately, our crate had not yet shipped to LA from Las Vegas, so Shepard was able to redirect the crate to Atlanta. We accepted the spot, then scrambled to get plane tix and hotel rooms.

Team 980 will need to ship some items to Atlanta we would otherwise have put in the crate if we knew we were going to Championship (another lesson learned!). I don't know if the hotels will accept >100 lb packages!? Maybe we can get some help from a local team??

Perhaps not 100 lbs, but we shipped a box full of batteries (close to 10) to our hotel in Atlanta in 2006. Other than the very strange looks we got (but they did make us go out back and carry them out ourselves) it was fine.

[kazzykaty]

Team 223 is currently wait listed. We made alot of changes to our team, and although a veteran team, Lakeland Regional High school took over the team from Middlesex County VoTech this year. Because we were starting fresh and were just learning, we did not expect to do well in the Regionals, or that we'd have the money, therefore not planning on attending Atlanta. But now our chances aren't looking too good considering certain factors:
-There are plenty teams before us on the list.
-Team 223 went to Atlanta last year.
-There are already many many New Jersey teams attending and FIRST likes to have people from all over the place
-It seems there are quite a few winning teams from this weekend that weren't already registered for Atlanta.

Finding flights this last minute is going to be a disaster but hopefully it all works out well.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by kazzykaty

-There are plenty teams before us on the list.
-Team 223 went to Atlanta last year.
-There are already many many New Jersey teams attending and FIRST likes to have people from all over the place
-It seems there are quite a few winning teams from this weekend that weren't already registered for Atlanta.

The second and third factors won't be an issue. After open registration is full (which, I remind you, is ordered by when teams attend Atlanta), any team can go on the waitlist, and it's the order. As for the third point, location doesn't matter, period.

The first and fourth points are the primary ones right now.

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by Vikesrock

Northstar's six qualifiers:

79 - Winner - Was already registered
2970 - Winner - Not yet registered
2549 - Winner - Not yet registered
2220 - EI- Was already registered
2169 - Chairman's - Not yet registered
2970 - Rookie All-Star - Already qualified by winning

So it looks at most 3 teams will be added from Northstar.

Looks like the same amount, 3, at most will be added from 10k Lakes

2826 - Winner - Was already registered
1714 - Winner - Was already registered
2470 - Winner - Not yet registered
2500 - EI- Not yet registered
1986 - Chairman's - Not yet registered
2826 - Rookie All-Star - Already qualified by winning, funny that happened at both MN events

Originally Posted by SpaceOsc

if every team that can register this weekend does, there will be 346 teams.

2008: 345
2007: 343
2006: 343

I think it was
2008: 340 teams
2007: 344
2006: 344

I count 347 if everyone qualified from MN registers
323 (now) + 18 (MI) + 3 (NS) + 3 (10K) = 347 teams

If we have 347, then 3 divisions would have to have 87 teams and 102 matches. If both MN teams added 6 teams then we would have had 353 teams, one division would have to have 89 teams and 104 matches.

If we have the pit space (no car show) then we might as well have 360 teams, every division have 90 teams and 105 matches. Then there would be no surrogate matches. If we have the space and teams on the wait list, then why do we let in an odd number and play surrogate (wasted) matches. On the other hand, the last thing we need is another reasons to fall behind schedule, be cutoff by NASA TV and miss half the wrap party again.

Side note: anyone know where the updated Michigan ranking are? They should be pulling 14 teams off the list considering only 4 of the 9 qualify spots were not already registered (65, 410, 2771, 2834)

[SpaceOsc]

after calling first a week ago i was inform that the waiting list is not a first come first served list, in fact First chooses teams and several criteria, first being if the team had not gone the previous year.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by SpaceOsc

after calling first a week ago i was inform that the waiting list is not a first come first served list, in fact First chooses teams and several criteria, first being if the team had not gone the previous year.

We went in 06 and were allowed to preregister in 07 but didn't go. Then we preregistered in 08 but then qualified by winning and went, and then this year we were once again allowed to preregister. Is this odd?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

We went in 06 and were allowed to preregister in 07 but didn't go. Then we preregistered in 08 but then qualified by winning and went, and then this year we were once again allowed to preregister. Is this odd?

No. It's the order in which pre-registration opens--if you didn't go last year, or pre-qualified, you got first shot. If you didn't go last year, you got a later pre-registration time that you could use. Assuming, of course, that the first registration time don't fill the open slots.

I think that how far down the waitlist they go is determined by how many teams qualify and already have a slot, or choose not to attend, or double-qualify. (It is possible to qualify for multiple spots by winning a regional and winning another award that qualifies you, or winning multiple regionals.)

[thefro526]

I know the waiting list is a very picky thing. We went on early registration in 2006 and 2008 and then we went in 2007 due to our participation in the Fuel Cell Program. This year we were on the waiting list until mid-January but we got in because one of our mentors is quite persuasive on the phone.

I'd say if you know you're on the waiting list and you don't get any updates to call FIRST and see if they know where your position is.

[chinckley]

We went last year because we had never been. We thought we could not go this year unless we won something because we went last year, so we did not sign up. It seems a little hard to understand how it is decided who goes and who does not, unless you win something.

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by chinckley

We went last year because we had never been. We thought we could not go this year unless we won something because we went last year, so we did not sign up. It seems a little hard to understand how it is decided who goes and who does not, unless you win something.

The criteria for going to Championship are provided here.

How FIRST decides the order in which teams registering under "open enrollment" are pulled from the waiting list for teams isn't described there. I would guess the earlier a team gets on the waiting list, the more likely they will be offered a spot.