FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

Welcome to the FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

Your source of season information for the FIRST Robotics Competition.

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Registration Issues Update

Sep 29, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

Yesterday, I noted we had an issue with first-round event assignments, in which approximately 5% of teams were not assigned the correct event. I apologize again for this.

Kit of Parts – 2018 Drive Base Kit Option and International Game Pieces

Sep 29, 2017 Written by Jonathan Bryant, Kit of Parts Engineer

Edit 9/29/17: Added start date/time of Drive Base Opt Out period, highlighted in yellow below. 

Drive Base Kit Option

Your 2018 Kickoff Kit will again include a drive base kit! Maybe; it’s up to you.

Event Assignment Issues

Sep 28, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

We found a bug in the software that was used today to assign teams to events. I apologize for this. Approximately 5% of teams were not assigned the correct event.

We kept the lottery numbers teams had been assigned during the first run of this process and re-ran the process with the bug corrected. We then compared the first-run results with what the results would have been if the bug had not been present.

It’s a Big Day! And Some Numbers

Sep 28, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

Event Preference Submission Deadline Thursday!

Sep 27, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

Just in case you missed the 23 tweets, 12 emails, 7 blog posts and 2 carrier pigeons we sent directly to the home of every FIRST Robotics Competition mentor on this planet, the deadline to submit your event preferences is tomorrow, Thursday, September 28th, Noon, Eastern Time!

Event Preferences Update

Sep 25, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

As of last night at 10 PM, 2,226 teams had submitted event preferences. This is 80% of all teams that are 'Event Ready' meaning they have completed all requirements necessary to let them submit their preferences.

Event Preference System and DLC Pack #1

Sep 21, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

The Event Preference System we’ve been talking about for weeks is now open! We hit a bit of a rough patch when we first opened at Noon, but the system seems to be performing well now. For those of you who experienced issues, sorry about that. If something in the systems still does not seem right to you, please contact us.

Preference System User Guide and Events Posted

Sep 19, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick


The system will open at Noon Eastern Time this Thursday, September 21, and close at Noon Eastern Time next Thursday, September 28th.

The Teaser and Event Preferences

Sep 18, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

Training on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Sep 15, 2017 Written by Frank Merrick

One of the Five Strategic Pillars of FIRST is Increase Diversity. As Don Bossi, President of FIRST, said in this blog “we need kids of all backgrounds, capabilities and social circumstances to contribute and participate in addressing the world’s toughest challenges and making the world a better place for future generations.”