I always wondered what was the real sense of these kind of gatherings.
Yes, I can understand a big sponsor or a payment system going there, it's probably not an expense for them. You see always the same faces in those places. Just take a look at this thread, always the same people going there. You can also see affiliate managers who don't lose anything, because they get all expenses covered for going there.
But for the regular affiliate? Nothing will change for them. They won't make a difference going to that place. Wasting 5K on the trip and getting nothing in return? At max, they could talk to some Affiliate Manager and get what? A special deal? A 60% revshare instead of 55%? A discount in hosting? Not really worth it. Specially in a shrinking business.
This said, if 90% of people going there are either sponsor owners, photographers, content sellers, affiliate managers, payment systems, traffic brokers, etc... It really makes no sense. You barely have some affiliates to talk to. It makes no sense, seriously.
