2016 regional dates?

[BSV]

We're trying to get some things on the school schedule this summer, including FTC and FRC events for the next year.

We know when our local (1-2 miles from school) regional is suppose to be scheduled, and can't attend due to a conflict, and so have to look elsewhere in the region. Unfortunately there are currently zero FRC events listed on the FIRST web site. Does anyone know when the event database starts to populate with next season's information? Thanks!

[Jon Stratis]

If it's like last year (http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...-being-posted), events will start to be posted about a month from now. And then it'll take a couple of months until all events are posted, since they aren't posted until they are confirmed (generally means contracts are in hand and signed).

If you want to get tentative info on a schedule now, your best bet is to contact the RD or regional planning committee for the events you're considering and see if they can give you some unofficial guidance. For example, I know that The scheduling of the MN events is almost settled, but is by no means assured yet. Besides venue availability, we also have to consider other nearby events (Milwaukee and Chicago, for example), and how scheduling for all of those events will impact a new event in.... But I've said too much already. I'll leave that as a teaser for all of the teams who have been clamoring for another event somewhere in the upper Midwest

[Billfred]

What Jon said. I know Palmetto's dates have already been discussed among the teams, because it's possible that we'll have to shoehorn it into a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday format.

(I hope they find a way to fit it in the regular window, but if they don't: any team that's bold enough to do Palmetto and then a Saturday-Sunday district event the two days after gets a cookie.)

[JB987]

Week 5 for Vegas...contract signed I believe (I'm on planning committee).

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by JB987

Week 5 for Vegas...contract signed I believe (I'm on planning committee).

Glad to hear that the Las Vegas Regional will be returning again after the concern over its existence this past year.

[orangemoore]

I think Midwest will be week 4 this year. The regional usually falls on UIC's spring break which is a week earlier this year And the season starts 1 week late.


This is total speculation and could very easily be wrong

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Billfred

What Jon said. I know Palmetto's dates have already been discussed among the teams, because it's possible that we'll have to shoehorn it into a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday format.

(I hope they find a way to fit it in the regular window, but if they don't: any team that's bold enough to do Palmetto and then a Saturday-Sunday district event the two days after gets a cookie.)

Week 1? Possibly challenge accepted.

[MikLast]

anyone have an idea if the PNW champs are going back to Portland next year? It would be nice to have a general idea now to get some funds before the rush.

[lynca]

Why is the kickoff on Jan. 9th 2016 ?

It seems the kickoff should be Jan 2nd 2016 ?

[LDiDomenico]

Why is the kickoff on Jan. 9th 2016 ?

It seems the kickoff should be Jan 2nd 2016 ?

I think that if Kickoff is too close to New Year's day, FIRST will move it back a week so it doesn't conflict with people's travel plans.

[lynca]

Originally Posted by LDiDomenico

I think that if Kickoff is too close to New Year's day, FIRST will move it back a week so it doesn't conflict with people's travel plans.

Do week 1 events still begin on the last week of February ?

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by lynca

Do week 1 events still begin on the last week of February ?

Nope, everything gets pushed back a week. Week 1 this year will be the first weekend in March. I doubt we'll ever see kickoff held before Jan 3, unless there is a big redesign in the way FRC works (like a big change in how everything is scheduled)

Part of the problem with having kickoff too early is shipping the KoP. With there being so many holidays in there where nothing moves and shipping organizations being overwhelmed by the holiday rush, it's difficult to get stuff to the kick off locations on time as it is. And just shipping everything earlier isn't that great of an option, because then you need to arrange for storage at all those different kickoff sites, with the possibility of having to store off-site and then use a rental truck and volunteers to move it to the kick off site... The logistics are just messy all around.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by LDiDomenico

I think that if Kickoff is too close to New Year's day, FIRST will move it back a week so it doesn't conflict with people's travel plans.

This is correct, at least as far as what happens. It's happened before, and will happen again.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

Nope, everything gets pushed back a week. Week 1 this year will be the first weekend in March. I doubt we'll ever see kickoff held before Jan 3, unless there is a big redesign in the way FRC works (like a big change in how everything is scheduled)

Part of the problem with having kickoff too early is shipping the KoP. With there being so many holidays in there where nothing moves and shipping organizations being overwhelmed by the holiday rush, it's difficult to get stuff to the kick off locations on time as it is. And just shipping everything earlier isn't that great of an option, because then you need to arrange for storage at all those different kickoff sites, with the possibility of having to store off-site and then use a rental truck and volunteers to move it to the kick off site... The logistics are just messy all around.

This. 4901 hosted Kickoff this year for South Carolina, and it was hard enough since the USC campus was shut down for winter break. The regional committee had to rent a storage locker, I had to go when the pallets arrived and break it all down to get it inside the locker, then we rented a U-Haul to get it from the locker to USC and staged. Far from ideal, and with so many institutions shut down on January 1 even if they're open during break? I see why they do it.

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by MikLast

anyone have an idea if the PNW champs are going back to Portland next year? It would be nice to have a general idea now to get some funds before the rush.

Last I heard, PNWs were going back to Portland, but I heard a rumor that they might be in Seattle. Either way, I'm pretty sure they won't be in Spokane, but I'm not positive as to Portland or Seattle.