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How did BattleBots get started?
Trey Roski and Greg Munson founded the sport of BattleBots in 1999.
The longer story dates back to 1994 in San Francisco when cousins Trey, Greg, and neighbor Gage Cauchois decided to build a robot for entry into a local robotics tournament. Their creation, La Machine, took 2 months and cost $600.00 to build. They entered the Middleweight Class and, to their surprise, totally dominated the competition. La Machine eventually took home the championship trophy and often defeated robots twice her size.
Needless to say, the boys were hooked.
They continued to compete, toured Germany, and otherwise promoted the budding sport of robotic combat.
Around 1997, Trey and Greg began to hold their own "underground" robot competitions, inviting neighborhood friends to meet at abandoned military bases or freeway underpasses, to duke it out for the pure fun of the sport.
At that time, Trey recognized the need for a competition that was organized by the competitors for the competitors. Above all, the sport needed a 100% safe environment that enabled the robots to fully express their powers of destruction. The concept would later become the BattleBox, the bulletproof, hazard-filled arena in which the metal bouts would take place. Hence, the idea for BattleBots was formed.
Two years later, the cousins held the first official BattleBots competition at the Pyramid Arena in Long Beach California. BattleBots was born.
For more details, check out this article from the 1999 issue of the SF Weekly:
http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/1999-09-01/feature.html/page1.html
Were there any BattleBots competitions before the Comedy Central show?
Yes, two in fact. The first contest was held August 1999 in Long Beach, California and was cybercast on ZDTV.
The second tournament was held in November of 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada and was broadcast on Pay-Per-View.
These events attracted the attention of numerous cable television networks, finally culminating in the creation of the "Comedy Central Sports Presents BattleBots" TV Series.
What were the Premiere dates of BattleBots on Comedy Central?
Season 1.0 premiered on August 23, 2000.
Season 2.0 premiered on December 12, 2000, when it moved to Tuesday nights.
What is the show rated?
TV-PG
What Broadcast and Mass Media has BattleBots appeared in?
Just a sampling:
- CBS "Judging Amy" (November 2002)
- Univision "Ver Para Creer" (September 2002)
- National Geographic World Magazine (September 2002 - "Meet the BattleBots")
- TV Guide Channel "Hollywood Insider" (August 2002)
- Playboy (June 2002)
- Fox News Channel "Your World with Neil Cavuto" (4/26/02)
- The New York Times (4/18/02 - "High Schools Vie to Build a Robotic Champ")
- CNNfn "The Biz" (3/14/02)
- CNNsi (February 2002)
- The New York Times (1/28/02 - "When Nerds Collide: Bots in the Ring")
- Nickelodeon "Taina" (January 2002)
- USA Today (12/4/01 - "Robot wars draw Fans with Clanging Combat")
- Sports Illustrated (July 2001)
- Penthouse (July 2001)
- NBC The Today Show (July 2001)
- ABC World News Now (July 2001)
- Newsweek (5/28/01 - "Attack of the BattleBots")
- CBS "Nash Bridges" (March 2001)
- Comedy Central "Win Ben Stein's Money" (February 2001)
- Time Magazine (2/26/01 - "Attack of the Warrior Geeks")
- TV Guide (1/20/01 - Cheers and Jeers "Guilty Pleasures")
- NBC The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (November 2000)
- The New York Times (11/19/00 - "High Tech, High Camp and Battles to the Death")
- NBC The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (October 2000)
- Entertainment Weekly (9/1/00 - "What to Watch")
- Fox "Malcolm in the Middle" (March 2000)
- TV Guide (2/10/00 - "TV's MVPs")
What kinds of people compete in BattleBots?
BattleBots competitors come from all walks of life. However, they all share a common passion for innovation and invention.
Does it cost a lot of money to build a BattleBot?
That depends on a myriad of factors like weight, materials, parts, and labor. History has shown that money cannot guarantee success in the sport of BattleBots. The best robots were often results of prudent spending, careful planning, and simplified design.
What do you win?
Champions win prize money and the BattleBots Giant Nut, which is a beautiful, stainless steel trophy rendered in the shape of a machinist's nut. It represents the pinnacle of the sport of robotic combat.
How do people sign up to compete?
This website contains all the information necessary for entering the contest.
>> More Details
How often do you hold competitions?
Generally, BattleBots holds at least two competitions per year. The first is usually held in May, and the second tournament often takes place in November. In the future, the schedule may expand with the inclusion of youth tournaments and regional competitions.
>> More Details
What's in store for the future?
BattleBots envisions an exciting future with plans for an educational curriculum, a youth tournament, and a children's television show. Look for more BattleBots merchandise like toys, apparel, video games, and books to hit stores in the near future. Stay tuned as BattleBots continues to find innovative ways to combine the elements of education, science, sports, and entertainment.
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