its seems like were pretty much devided on this issue, so i decided a poll is in order…
With 23 people voting so far, 65% favor limiting nationals.
While it isn’t a very good sample, I’m sure that FIRST is listening
when i made the poll i just sorta threw ‘other’ in but i didnt really expect it to be used…so im curious what the people who voted ‘other’ are thinking…
I voted other becuase I favor limiting nats, but haven’t figured out what I think the best way is.
Quick tip for Polling. Never have an Other. Never have a agree or disagree with a neutral opionin.
You might want to reword this particular question to a Yes or No question
(Do you favor a way of limiting the Nationals. Yes or No)
Hello,
This question has probably been kicked around since FIRST was created in 1989. I know that every year since I got into FIRST in 1996 we have asked “will they limit Nats?..will you have to qualify?.” Someone has said it every year. For the most part they still haven’t really defined who can attend. Best I can tell it is still a first come situation. However there is the capacity of 340 teams. I think that we will see this continue for a little while. Nationals is open to anyone but if you want to be there you better be one of the first 340 teams to say so. I hope that this is the case. I know that Nationals has just grown out of control…let’s face it, it is almost to unweidly for Disney to handle so I think that logistics will impose a practical limit of some kind. I think that FIRST is reluctant to limit nationals in a qualfying type way because it would also limit cash flow. Plus it would deny teams, kids, etc. the expirence of Nationals. I think that the divisions concept needs to be refined slightly but could work out for the best (as long as the go back to the old way of pit organization 
;- ) )
That’s my take…
-Justin
I had to say First Come-First Served on this one…I admit, it’s probably not the best way to do it either, but at least it gives everybody the same shot at getting there (well, except for maybe those teams that register on the last possible day) I don’t like the idea of taking the Nationals experience away from anybody, but like others have said, they’re going to have to limit it somehow to keep it from getting too out of control. And as somebody mentioned in the other thread on this, any sort of qualification scheme runs into all sorts of planning problems(I know at least one team that I’ve worked with required school board approval for any out of state trips, which isn’t always the easiest thing to get on short notice,) not to mention the flights to the competition, hotels, etc. etc…
Having done the short notice travel arrangement plan (in '99 we did it after the Philly regional :eek: ), I know that it is possible. And I think we got rather lucky as we were flying out of a rather large airport (BWI in Baltimore, MD – hub for US Air and Southwest). It just wasn’t the best way of doing things. I’m sure our travel agent didn’t particularly love us after those arrangements. But it worked out so it IS possible to do travel arrangements on short notice, even if it isn’t the best option.
Matt
would it be possible for 340 teams to make travel arrangements on short notice like that?..cuz 1 team i can see how its possible, because you only need maybe 10 or 12 hotel rooms…but if 340 teams do it that way then you need at least 3400 or so hotel rooms…which really isnt feasible on short notice at disney…
Well if my stupid computer would let me vote…I would say either first come, first serve, or that anyone should be able to come. This past year was my first year, and I loved the Nationals. Even though there were so many people, I loved it! I really don’t want it to have just the high seeds, b/c some teams NEVER get up there! That’s just what I think…I don’t want the amount of teams to get out of hand, but I do want to be able to go again!!
~Jessica~
Metal-in-Motion
Team #343
http://www.metalinmotion.com/
I’m in favor of limiting the Nats. It’s getting pretty crowded from what I have heard of past ones.
If you limit it to the top seeds, where would you draw the line? If you limit it to just the top 8 (like the regionals and Nats) you would only have a max of 104 (13 regionals) teams. That doesn’t take into account that some teams may do well at more than one regional.
What do you mean by “super-regional”?
If you limit it to first-come first-served, the teams that have a hard time raising money wouldn’t be able to go.
What if you say that only the top 2/3 (or 3/4, or 1/2 etc…) at the regionals, would be allowed to go to the Nationals?
*throws $.02 into kitty.