As per a phone call we received from FIRST recently, as well as the regional website, the date of the regional has changed.
It is no longer scheduled for the period between March 17-19 and is instead going to take place the weekend prior, March 10-12, 2005.
There is no mention of this on the FIRST website as of yet that I am aware of.
We also recieved both email and phone call today announcing this. Luckily for us we are close enough to drive without even needing a hotel, so it dosen’t mess up any travel plans but it is still a big concern. I know most of our team has already purchased plane tickets and hotel reservations for the second regional we are going to attend (Las Vegas) and shifting a regional date like that, especially this late in the season, is going to have a huge impact and inconvenience on teams attending this regional.
It also has a huge impact on FIRST. They have fields to ship from one place to another as well as judges and staff to coordinate, so this defenitely wasn’t a rash decesion, but there isn’t much you can do if your location is double-booked.
This was a very bad choice of dates for several people on our team. I have SATs schedualed that weekend, and several mentors had trips planned for that weekend.
FIRST should do better! :mad:
Are you kidding? How does that work…
Has FIRST ever done this before? I can’t remember any instances of this in the last 5 years.
So, you didn’t get a call from them yesterday asking how your schedule looked in early March? That’s too bad.
I don’t have the slightest idea what caused the date change for this regional, but I feel pretty confident that FIRST tried everything imaginable to make the date and venue work as they’d intended. As far as I’m aware, FIRST isn’t responsible for booking an arena in Portland, Oregon, so I don’t see how they can be held responsible for someone double-booking that space; if that’s even the case here.
FIRST graciously offered to help teams out with any additional expenses incurred by this change. I don’t see how they could have handled this any better than they have, honestly.
another opinion refused- that sucks, I hope everyone can make the new weekend =)
Graah, my team is also attending the Sacramento Regional in Davis. With the schedule change, we’re gonna be attending two Regionals in a row, two weekends gone. X_X My teammates are going to be missing the same amount of school but I’m sure that the teachers won’t be too happy to hear all the absent in two week’s time.
I feel like I understand this situation. I also sympathize with those who have huge conflicts coming up. However, I’d like to point out that there may have been major legal hassles (as mentioned to me earlier) over rebooking and other such things.
It was a little odd, when i got the email. Yet, it still is a fact. I guess there will be 5 regionals in one weekend. Correct me if i am wrong.
It has happened before, the instance I’m thinking about also regards the Pacific Northwest Regional back, but back in 2002. There are just some circumstances beyond FIRST’s control…
Circumstances beyond FIRST’s control??? :ahh:
What next?
Are you sure? If I recall correctly, 2002 was the first year there was a PNW regional and it was at the University of Washington Hec Ed Pavilion. I don’t remember there being a data change.
I was originally signed up to volunteer at the event and here is an excerpt from the e-mail I received yesterday: “Thanks so much for signing up as a volunteer for the FIRST PNW Regional… I’m writing to let you know that unfortunately, due to circumstances we cannot control, the dates for the regional have changed. The FIRST PNW Regional will now be taking place one week earlier on March 10, 11, & 12. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. If you are still able to help with the event on these new dates please reply to this email and let us know.”
Originally I was going to volunteer as the event coincided with my Spring Break so that I could see my old team. However, with the change I won’t be able to be there, so have fun everyone!