Events as a communtity

VEX Robotics Competition Discussion
1

This is for both VIQ and VRC teams.

Back in 2006 when Steve and I started out there were an amazing lack of events. It’s a chicken / egg thing. Without teams you don’t need events, without nearby events there is no interest in building robots. We started out trying to build a sense of community around events.

For example, you get your cafeteria, we’ll bring a field and all the electronics and help you run a 12-18 team event. (Yea, early days were 6-8 robots). And then as things grew it was get your cafeteria, a second field from someone that’s coming and we’ll bring ours and do a 16-24 team event. And from that the growth in the SE PA region grew and grew.

From what I’ve seen most events are a collection of fields from different teams so there is a lot of cooperation.

But with 30,000 teams out there and how simple it is to run events, I’d assume that there would be 8,000 events not the 3,500. And I’m interested in 1) Why and 2) How can we boost the number of events.

There are a number of polls here. Please read the details about each question for each poll before answering.

This is the number of events you go to. Count local events, Signature Events, do not count your Regional Champs or Worlds

  • 1 - 2 events per season
  • 2 - 4 events per season
  • 4 - 6 events per season
  • 6 - 8 events per season
  • 8 - 10 events per season
  • 11 or more events per season
0 voters

Answer for your school/club

  • We only go to events, we don’t hold ones or bring our fields to any
  • We only go to events, but we take our fields when we go
  • We go to more events than we hold (ie go to 3 events, but 1 we hold)
  • We hold more events than we go to (ie hold 2 events and go to 1 outside event)
0 voters

If you chose “We only go to events, we don’t hold ones or bring our fields to any” please pick:

  • We don’t have the space (no cafeteria, gym, etc)
  • Our school / club won’t let us have an event
  • We don’t think we have the people to run an event
  • We don’t think there is a demand for other events
  • We just don’t want to
0 voters

If you chose “we take our fields when we go” please pick

  • We take our field(s) to less than half the events we go to
  • We take our field(s) to more than half the events but not all
  • We take our field(s) to all the events we go to
0 voters

For any team:

  • We lend our fields to events we are not attending
  • We take and set up our fields we are not attending
0 voters

For any team:

  • We don’t volunteer at any events we attend
  • We volunteer at some events we attend
  • We volunteer at all events we attend
0 voters

For any team:

  • We volunteer at local events that we don’t compete in
  • We don’t volunteer at events that we don’t compete in
0 voters

Reasons we don’t volunteer:

  • We don’t have the adults to volunteer
  • Our adults are not interested in volunteering
  • We never get asked, but if we did, we would help out
0 voters

More events in your area?

  • We have enough events to go to
  • We would like to go to more events
0 voters

If you answered would like to go to more events, why can’t/don’t you?

  • Events don’t exist in our travel area (distance)
  • School / team won’t let us travel to events (rules)
  • We don’t have the budget to pay for the events
0 voters

Does the size of the event matter?

  • Yes, but we will go to an 18 team or smaller event
  • Yes, but we will go to a ~24 team event
  • Yes, but we will go to a ~32 team event
  • Yes, but events have to be 33 or more teams
  • No
0 voters

Does the number of awards / slots to your regional make a difference to what events you go to?

  • No, we just love to play
  • Some what, we need to play in 1 - 2 events to qualify to local championships
  • Yes, all our events need to have slots to the local championships
  • We don’t do events other than Signature Events, we want that direct chance to Worlds
0 voters
  • We participate in a League
  • We would participate in a League if there was one’
  • We are not interested in League play
0 voters

Thanks for your time to answer all of these!

7 Likes
2

We’ve been trying to increase number of EPs (local schools) to host events. The reason why they do not is they perceive it is too hard, or it can be done in their facilities. However, we have managed to get a couple on board, and it is great having organizations step up. Hopefully, with covid management, more will come in the next couple of years.

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3

To help out new organizations, we have our “event trailer,” which we rent out for a nominal fee. For an additional fee, we’ll send a couple students along to supervise the setup and run the T/M, too. This has helped in getting new EP’s on board, as they don’t have to worry (especially for their first time) that the event won’t go well. All they need to provide is the space and some volunteers.

Some resist because they perceive that is costs money to run an event, rather than being a fundraiser. Nearly half our annual budget comes from hosting events.

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4

We juggled around with that idea - but the question came down to where to store/who operates etc. As a public school district, it was a long discussion.

In the end, we have no problems moving fields and gear around, it was solely due to the “too hard” meaning not motivated to do it for what ever reason.

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There are a couple perks about being and independent organization :slightly_smiling_face:

On the other hand, we have to be independently funded too…

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I think many new & potential EPs could benefit from guidance on how they can optimize their concession stand to make a good amount from an event. What sells well, is it better to offer preorder lunch and focus day of on snacks and soda, etc. Many veteran EPs seem hesitant to give specifics on this topic. Yes, different things likely work better in different regions, but an open conversation would at least help generate ideas and show the potential.

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7

I am rural. Like very, very rural. I love to hold events, but I can’t get teams to them. I held two events last year and no one came. I plan on holding two events this year. I’m going to keep trying. And yet, I have seen people in my region complain that there aren’t enough events. The coaches say that their districts won’t let them travel and/or that their parents won’t travel.

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8

Well one size fits all does not really work with so many venues. I do share what works for us in a public school district (9,000 students) where the district gives us a lot of access to our middle school building. So we essentially use one whole wing of the building that has two gyms, a fitness center, a cafeteria and rather large lobby all on one level. Concession stand lives in large lobby as hub for all (should rename it Event Admin :slight_smile: ) - it does make money as fundraiser for the club, lots of bad sugary stuff sells. Parents get donations for stocking the concession stand, what they do not use, is rolled to next event or given to other clubs at schools for their events at end of school year. Tweens/teens love to spend pocket money. Lunch we do not break for lunch, so rolling lunch block - each team gets two cheese pizza pies, drink, chips, and cookies. We include it in the event fee. Keeps teams at venue and we can offer more matches and not lose momentum.

Now that said, that does not work for everyone. First time event partners may want to have a lunch break to recalibrate, run skills, etc. Venue may mandate no outside food - period. Teams will need to bring money for lunch, face long lines in cafeteria. Not fun, but got to roll with it.

One thing I do know - do not run out of food at events. I have nightmares of Dallas SigGraph in the late 80s and they ran out of food for attendees at the reception - it was not pleasant.

No teens/parents complain about going home with leftovers, once less worry after a long day.

Your mileage may vary, this is for VRC MS and HS events I run. Other EPs in the region do things differently, some charge for lunch, so tell teams to bring in their own bagged lunch etc.

One thing to foster discussion between EPs is to have the RECF EEM hold a start of season mini-summit and have those discussions.

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One thing regarding concessions: as a year-over-year event host, I think we have built a reputation at having our concessions at reasonable prices (so don’t be greedy). If your concessions cost too much, teams will start bringing all their own stuff for lunch and snacks the next time, so you’ll lose in the long run.

We just try to keep things simple, a buck for most snacks (skittles are a favorite) and drinks, and we can usually get boxes of free doughnuts donated for the morning, and our local pizza chain gives us a good price for one-topping pizzas, which we have teams order the morning of the event. We then get about 10% more and sell those “by the slice” at the concession stand.

Covid concerns took away our fresh cooked hot dogs and brauts, and nachos, but those will be coming back soon. We bought one of those “rotary grills” for the dogs years ago, which has long-since paid for itself.

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Having a variety of things helps. Our major EP does a variety of drinks (different colors of Poweraid, water, some soda) and food. Having access to a Costco or other big warehouse store is good. As a non-profit you may be able to get access to the nearest Restaurant Supply Company and get food at a discount there.

Sometimes food places will give you an in-kind donation (ie a pizza place will give you pizza or sell it at a reduced cost) as knnonh said. (If you are doing lots of pizza’s branch out to 2 or 3 stores, it’s a mess to get 100 pizzas from a single place. ) Branch out to other food other than pizza. Chick-fil-a used to do this where the sandwiches were $2-3 less than the retail price, so there was a profit there. Now they don’t do any discounts. I’ve run events in the past where I knew I needed a salad for one of the judges, I got a stack of premade ones and they sold out in moments.

Home made food may be possible depending on your situation. The VEXmen in Downingtown had Indian food for years and it was a huge winner. You may need to get a food handler card (Delaware it’s not needed, Maryland is a online $8 class and PA is $7) I got the Food Handler Manager to not have issues with local schools that may get picky. It’s like $15 and it’s good for 5 years.

Key thing is to track what sells and adjust accordingly. Coffee is no longer a real thing, people stop and get their “single shot light roast, double almond milk heated with a dash of cinnamon” on the way in rather than even consider “Box o’ Joe” from DD.

Things that will perish can be sold at 1/2 price at the end of an event to keep from taking a loss on it. More than a few clubs sell the leftover drinks and snacks at team meetings to also absorb the costs.

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11

This coming from a student. It just seems like a lot of work and learning that our coaches would have to go through on top of teaching and running a robotics club full of middle and high schoolers. We have talked about doing an event, and its something I think we would like to try on a small scale, yet we lack knowledge and confidence to run one.

I am from SoCal and I know for a fact that there are mannnnny events and they fill up very fast. So I know that there is more demand for events.

Now I am going to talk about Leagues. So my little story is that in middle school doing IQ we participated in a League event, but because we didn’t go to enough events even though we did really well we could’t qualify for anything. Because I have had a bad experience with leagues in the past I don’t want to be caught in the same situation again because we missed an event.

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12

Thanks for the post!

Thats one of the comments I get is “Events are too hard to run” and I think it’s because lots of events have a lot of glitz, glamour and lots of teams. Hopefully an experienced in SoCal can see this and get to you on how to do a single field 18 team event.

Yep, leagues require a commitment over time and lots of teams miss out on that. Maybe look at Leagues again and see if they can match your schedule.

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13

A suggestion: Start low-key. Invite another organization to have a scrimmage with you. Set up Tournament Manager.

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and the next step is contact your RECF EEM I am absolutely sure you will get the support you need to run a small event… and link you in with other EPs who run events, but dont want to run more, but can help new EP / Venues get off the ground.

Right now I have 9 events I am running this season… Don’t want to run a 11&12, but can certainly will step up and help new EP get started.

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Here is a link to read and then reach out to the RECF Event Engagement Manager:

and definitely many regions NEED more events.

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16

We have a very robust trailer system, one for the local school system, one for the State. What prevents more events is venue cost here, and general difficulty in getting volunteers and other things.

For one group with one trailer, it appears that the school district has to have the person with the trailer. I think it’s a silly policy, and it’s an active blocker into having more events as many schools in that district feel that they have to go through that system to host events.

There are also so many logistical headaches that school admins provide here, and costs add up quickly to where it’s not cost effective to host an event as it becomes an expense and there’s not enough revenue to make it up.

I run a non profit and host probably the most or second most events as well as our event region championship. At the school I coach, we have restrictions on events we host because of sports and traffic concerns into the neighborhood, so space is at a premium. Otherwise, the volunteer base just isn’t quite there yet, because no matter how much you try to make it less daunting, volunteering at a robotics competition when you’re not fully familiar is still pretty daunting.

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Can you talk more about the cost for venues. Most schools that I have worked with are pretty reasonable with venue costs.

I’m confused by this, can you add some more?

Yep, need to have a security officer for setup was the weirdest one. Do people have other flaming hoops they need to leap through?

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Fees include gym, classrooms, mandatory custodial, building supervisor who has to be there to open the building, and this is all an hourly rate, that’s pretty expensive among Northern VA schools. It’s pretty standard no matter what activity is being held at the school, so any school entity hosting even as as a fundraiser is going to have some pretty heavy expenses.

Here, there is a STEM coordinator who manages a trailer set for one of the school districts, some of it with a hodge podge collection of equipment but works for events. However according to the district RM, they has to present for every single event and the burden on them to host that many is a lot, according to them. They don’t really promote having other coaches and teachers be EPs.

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Rebumping this to the top, lots of people out last week on holidays.

20

Lots of great comments here.

I’ve never considered building food into the price of the event, although we do extremely well with pre-orders. This sounds like a great way to simplify things.

Coffee, great to have but a pain. We purchased a Keurig that we use throughout the year, and have for our FRC mentors when we are not having events. An easy way to provide something that people may want, but not a lot of.

Trailers and public schools are weird. My district has a policy that a district trailer has to be towed with a district vehicle. I don’t have access to a district vehicle. No vehicle = no trailer.

Concession stands are an easy way to get other groups involved and not have to build staff. At my current schools we use the FRC booster clubs to stock and staff concessions. At previous schools I’ve used the speech and debate club, DECA clubs, etc. I could cover my costs and then some on the entries, what I really needed was staff. They provide the stuff and the staff, they keep all the profit. I’ve had them do the lunch pre-orders too using a basic template I provided. This was a great way to spread the wealth and get others who wouldn’t volunteer otherwise to take a big part of the event off my plate. This can also be a way to recruit other volunteer positions if a big club gets to use our event as their fundraiser.

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