FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

The official RAPID REACT^SM presented by The Boeing Company season may be done, but the excitement isn’t over. Off-season events are already in full swing which means more FIRST^®, more robots, and more fun!

But it’s been a hot minute since we’ve all experienced off-season events, so we wanted to remind you about the resources we have for hosting an off-season event using FIRST equipment. First of all, what is an off-season event? An off-season event is “a gathering that utilizes FIRST program content for which there is a participation fee or sponsorship funding.”

Only host organizations (i.e. FIRST Partner Organization, FIRST Program Delivery Organization, local school/district, youth serving organization, team 501(c)3, etc.) can host an off-season event. Host organizations may borrow a field locally if one is available or borrow one directly from FIRST HQ.

All off-season events must adhere to certain criteria outlined on our Off-Season Event Page and the Off-Season Event Guidance page, including filling out our Off-Season Event Notice. These pages also include information on borrowing a field from FIRST HQ, listing your off-season event online, and downloading the Off-Season version of the FMS that works without the full set of electronics (available soon!).

Please reach out to frcoffseason@firstinspires.org with any questions.

Have a happy and safe summer, and don’t forget to hydrate!

Ashley