District System in Other Regions in 2010?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

Steel is so 1970's. If we want to be current in depressing descriptions of where I live, how about the Bankrupt Automotive Industry Belt?

Old Steel Belt?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

You could make a slightly more persuasive argument if you say include Maryland, DC, and North Carolina as well. You then jump from 59 teams to 111 teams in the region. The Championship event, regardless of which of the three venues, will then hold approximately 55-60% of the capacity, a much more reasonable number.
You then have 222 needed competition slots, or 6 districts (with 18 slots left over for 3rd events, assuming no more than 9 new teams are formed in this area). Placement then becomes even more tricky, with too few North Carolina teams (11) to truly mandate a district in NC (raising their travel costs) and almost all of the team density focused around the Washington DC area.

That would be the general concept. You could decide to throw in DE as well. I'm not sure how you figure this would be a detriment to the NC teams, though. They could choose to go to one event with the same travel costs as they have today (likely less, one less night lodging), and play more games. And it would be a great incentive to increase the number of teams in NC, a state which is very underrepresented at present. They should be able to field not just one district, but 2 or 3 based on population.

More importantly, this would "close off" three regionals that have traditionally had a good deal of out-of-state support, and flourished because of it.
Chesapeake had 26 teams, or 47% of it's attendees, from outside this proposed area (mostly from NJ, MA, NY, and NH).
DC had 17 teams, or 26% of it's attendees, from outside this area. Even more importantly are WHICH teams those were. 45, 234, 365, 118, 538, 1279 and others were instrumental in making DC the high quality regional it was. Five of those teams were in the finals, and 234 won the Chairman's Award. These were among the most gracious and outgoing teams at the event (especially 234 and 365), and helped many in "rookie row" make it out onto the field.
Even VCU, which has a smaller portion of out of state teams, has very significant impacts from those who do come from out of state. What would the regional be without appearances from teams like 383 (Brazil), 843 (Canada), 359 (Hawai'i), etc?

And that's the biggest detriment to any district system. If cross-border trades could be arranged it would help tremendously. That wasn't a part of the MI Pilot, but could be added to the district model later. It becomes more important when we consider this possible Capitol area is immediately adjacent to Philadelphia. Other areas that would require cross-border team trades would be around St Louis and Kansas City, both of which sit on the edge of MO. (Presumably KC would be in the middle of some South-Central area, but there are IL teams that would be cut off from St. Louis.) Michigan lost contact with teams in the Toledo area who traditionally came to GLR and/or Detroit because they were the closest regionals.

Once we figure out what the future will be, we need to figure out a name for these things. District/Area? District/Sectional? State Championship worked for MI, but won't work for multi-state areas.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Alex Cormier

Don't you dare take our "North" name and disgrace it... Maybe the Rust bucket car in the front yard region?

Just for that, Rochester gets lumped in with Ontario. We'll call it the "Poutine and Snow" region. Getcha passports ready! :-)

Clevelanders use the term "North Coast" to describe the region near the Lake Erie coastline all the time. The area around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is called "North Coast Harbor". I've always thought it was a cool term.

Originally Posted by Collin Fultz

I looked at what I was calling IKIO (Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio). I don't have all of the data with me at the moment, but something like 80-85% of the teams at Buckeye, Midwest, and Purdue came from these four states.

Implementing six districts in these areas (2 in IL, IN, and OH), seems fairly realistic.

Work would definitely need to be done and it is probably a two-year project...but I think it can happen.

The planning resources/team support/FIRST experience is definitely there.

I'd support this region. It would even have its own chant:

I-K.................I-O!!!!

If this region ever formed, I'd argue strongly for a team's ability to attend events in another region, primarily for the sake of the Pittsburgh Regional, which draws many of its participants from Ohio.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Collin Fultz

I looked at what I was calling IKIO (Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio). I don't have all of the data with me at the moment, but something like 80-85% of the teams at Buckeye, Midwest, and Purdue came from these four states.

Implementing six districts in these areas (2 in IL, IN, and OH), seems fairly realistic.

Work would definitely need to be done and it is probably a two-year project...but I think it can happen.

The planning resources/team support/FIRST experience is definitely there.

122 current teams. Plan for growth, plan for 7 districts like MI had with 132 teams this year. And I agree, this area probably has the support to run it. Look at one of Jack Jones' posts though - if there isn't planning going on NOW, you're late for 2010. Maybe not too late; you can piggyback some on what MI learned. But it has to get going.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

122 current teams. Plan for growth, plan for 7 districts like MI had with 132 teams this year. And I agree, this area probably has the support to run it. Look at one of Jack Jones' posts though - if there isn't planning going on NOW, you're late for 2010. Maybe not too late; you can piggyback some on what MI learned. But it has to get going.

I don't think anyone expects (or wants?) this to happen that quickly. But if it were to happen, I think the IKIO region would be the most preferable arrangement.

As for the 2nd OH district - I'd think somewhere in Columbus on the Ohio State campus would work nicely.

And how about Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis for a 2nd Indiana district? I'm fairly certain that venue could work. Just cancel school Friday and have all the students volunteer.

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

I think we can come up with a more respectful designation than that.

Seriously, most people in the so called "rust belt" area find that term pretty offensive. Every time I see it in the media I cringe and fire off a nasty e-mail to the journalist.

Steel Belt, Manufacturing Belt, Large Industry Belt - these imply correctly that this area is responsible for creating much of the large heavy machinery that makes everyone's lives better.

Rust Belt implies decay, mechanical death, and junk piles. I don't really appreciate my chosen area to live being compared to a junk pile.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by fuzzy1718

Just a note since some have referenced this, the MSC was run just like any other regional, not a district.

It certainly wasn't "just like any other regional" when it came to signing up. Teams had to qualify to attend.

[fuzzy1718]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

It certainly wasn't "just like any other regional" when it came to signing up. Teams had to qualify to attend.

I ment in the way it was run. Yeah the level of play was higher, but it was run just like any other year's GLR. with all day thursday and the professional sound crew and everything. when compared to the 2 day districts, that is what I ment, it sounded like some people were thinking it was run like a district.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Chris Hibner

Rust Belt implies decay, mechanical death, and junk piles. I don't really appreciate my chosen area to live being compared to a junk pile.

Sorry Chris. I honestly had never heard the term before and did not know it was that offensive much less deeply offensive. Please accept my apology for the joke I contributed.
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As we know, many of these areas are just not ready for any type of districting format. It is fun to see how folks would carve things up though. As we move further out west, it becomes clear to me that the states covered are large in size and could be harder to district. For example - Colorado could be put with Texas but my goodness, the distance involved. I'm also keeping in mind that Texas, in my opinion, is no where near ready for districting in FRC, and I don't know that it would be welcomed immediately. Again, an opinion.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

That would be the general concept. You could decide to throw in DE as well.

Delaware only has two teams right now (1370 and 365). While both teams attended the Washington DC regional this year, both also consider the Philadelphia regional their "home event." I don't think either would like to be locked into one "region" but if they had to chose, I bet they'd select whichever one Philadelphia was in.

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

I'm not sure how you figure this would be a detriment to the NC teams, though. They could choose to go to one event with the same travel costs as they have today (likely less, one less night lodging), and play more games. And it would be a great incentive to increase the number of teams in NC, a state which is very underrepresented at present. They should be able to field not just one district, but 2 or 3 based on population.

With the current TEAM population/density, North Carolina wouldn't warrant a single district. Instead of paying the travel costs once (as the current system), they'll have to do it twice (three times for those who qualify for VSC). This is especially tough for the NC teams that typically select Peachtree and Palmetto (1533, 2655, etc) instead of VCU.
While you cut the Thursday out of the travel costs (aside of the state championship), you easily make that up by adding a whole second trip. Similar statements can be said for Southeastern and Southwestern Va teams.
Eventually NC might mandate their own districts, which would be terrific, but eventually isn't now. Right now, a district system doesn't make sense for this area. Too few teams would see any real travel cost reduction (I can't find any, given the high density areas already have regionals).

[Jared Russell]

Originally Posted by Chris Hibner

Seriously, most people in the so called "rust belt" area find that term pretty offensive. Every time I see it in the media I cringe and fire off a nasty e-mail to the journalist.

Steel Belt, Manufacturing Belt, Large Industry Belt - these imply correctly that this area is responsible for creating much of the large heavy machinery that makes everyone's lives better.

Rust Belt implies decay, mechanical death, and junk piles. I don't really appreciate my chosen area to live being compared to a junk pile.

I honestly had no idea that the term Rust Belt had so many negative connotations. Chalk one up to ignorance. Sorry!

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by Jared341

I honestly had no idea that the term Rust Belt had so many negative connotations. Chalk one up to ignorance. Sorry!

No problem - It's obvious from its rampant use on TV and in the newspaper that no one really gets it.

It has become more sensitive because the term has recently come back into vogue in the media and that coincides with the auto industry on life support (and that about 50% of Americans say "good riddance"). Having a phrase with a negative connotation thrown around doesn't help to sway anyone's opinion of the area and the industry that supports it.

[Mr. Tech Vike]

As a team member of 2054 from michigan i see that making the rest of FRC having the option of running a District type of compititon would be better than just the one regional event you would compete at. i have seen both types of systems and i wish that Michigan did the switch sooner. At the first district you will see the flaws in yours and others robots and at the next district you will see those flaws have been fixed so at every level the competition gets tougher and tougher. Competition brings out the best results.