I did the math and the stuff I listed for 3 bots only is 2130. and that is not everything
Yep, I’ve spent far more on far less. 
From one view point VEX robotics is really inexpensive and it’s got an amazing payoff with STEM College / University scholarships and grants to a really cool job that can make you a ton of cash. But kids still chase the dream of the multi-million dollar sports payday. Odds are not in their favor, but OTOH, I still buy a Powerball ticket after it goes past $100 million, and I can math.
Bryce Harper, widely regarded as the most prized free agent in baseball history, agreed to a record-breaking, 13-year $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. So that runs out at $25 million a year. I have friends (ok people that talk to me) that think that he’s worth every penny of that.
You want to blow through some cash for a kid related mechanical thing? Plunk down on go-cart racing.
At some levels it seems like VEX is over priced, but once you start comparing costs with other items then it is in that sweet spot of price. We all go "so a radio joystick, an arduino and a few $15 motors and BOOM I have a robot. But it’s a competition robot that needs to be more robust. And that robust costs $$$ to get. While I have one of those $24.99 4 channel model plane controllers, next to is is the state of the art multi channel that I paid $250 for. So the V5 controller drops nicely into that space.
We dont have coaches and we’ve never made it to states. The bot is paid for via donations bc our school has budget cuts and cant fund us