AVN - Las Vegas 2026 - Page 2 - GoFuckYourself.com

Dugmor · 01-27-2026, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlosTheGaucho

Great pics and a write up!

Last time I went was 2024 - I hear good feedback all around.

Just once again, as I repeat every Year - if the dates for the AVN followed or were before the Affiliate Summit West, I'd do both shows at once.

And I bet I wouldn't be the only one.

Yeah, since Affiliate Summit and AVN are owned by two different companies, I doubt they care enough to coordinate the dates. Affiliate Summit is way bigger, so it would be AVN that would have to change.

I would guess most big conventions are locked in for years in advance. For example, AVN is at the same time as the SHOT Show and Cement Construction Expo. So there are a lot of guys from those shows coming over to try to perv.

I actually liked having a few days between shows. I already booked for Affiliate Summit in 2027, and that's the better one to choose from if you're doing serious online business.
Twenty years ago adult may have been somewhat innovative, but now mainstream is light years ahead of adult when it comes to marketing infrastructure and technology.

Dugmor · 01-27-2026, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forest

It’s funny how no one cares about show posts anymore 😂😂

You're absolutely right, and it's a reflection of how the industry has changed fundamentally.

Twenty years ago, Internext / AVN was THE central hub where deals got made, networks were built, and you had to be there or you'd miss out. The GFY forum posts were packed because everyone attended, and the show mattered for business survival.

Now? The business has decentralized completely. OnlyFans creators don't need trade shows, they need phone farms and automation. Agencies are building in-house infrastructure instead of relying on affiliate networks that barely exist anymore. The serious money is in direct-to-consumer models, not the partnerships that used to get negotiated on convention floors.

The show still has value for specific networking and staying visible in certain circles, but it's not the make-or-break event it once was. Most of the real business development happens in private conversations and Telegram groups, not on expo floors.

I still attend because I'm old enough to remember when face-to-face mattered, and there's something to be said for the relationships you can only build in person. But yeah, the days of everyone breathlessly reporting every panel and booth visit are long gone, and probably for good reason.

The industry evolved past needing one central gathering. Whether that's progress or just fragmentation depends on how you're positioned, I guess.

Dugmor · 01-27-2026, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzebox

Most of the posters here are not active in the industry or do this full time.

That's a huge part of it. The full-time professional base has shrunk dramatically, and the people still grinding daily in this industry are too busy actually working to look at GFY.

Twenty years ago, you had thousands of full-time affiliates, webmasters, and content producers who lived and breathed this business. The forums were their primary professional network, so active participation was part of the job. Now, most of those people either retired, pivoted to mainstream, or got absorbed into the OnlyFans/creator economy, where forums aren't relevant to their business model.

The ones still here full-time are often managing operations at a scale where detailed public posting about strategies doesn't make business sense. Why give away competitive advantages? The serious operators are working in private channels and one-on-one relationships, not broadcasting tactics on public forums.

I'm old enough to have built businesses during the GFY golden era, and I still see value in showing up and contributing because relationships matter and visibility has long-term ROI. But I completely understand why most full-timers today don't prioritize forum engagement; their time generates better returns elsewhere.

It's not that people don't care about show coverage. It's that the people who would write it are either retired from active business or too busy scaling their operations to document the experience publicly.

Different era, different economics, different priorities.

Dugmor · 01-27-2026, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainHowdy

708 views is pretty good

. . . people are mostly in the shadows around here.

Fair point, 708 views is solid engagement by 2026 standards, and lurkers have always outnumbered posters.

But you're right that the scale has changed dramatically. Twenty years ago, a new AVN thread wouldn't last an hour on page one. The forums were absolutely flooded with posts, trip reports, and real-time updates because this was THE central communication hub for the industry. If you weren't actively participating in GFY discussions, you were missing critical information and connections.

Now the engagement is more fragmented; people consume content in the shadows like you said, but the conversations that matter happen in private Discord servers, Telegram groups, and direct DMs.

GFY serves a different purpose than it used to.

I think the lurker-to-poster ratio has always been high, but the overall volume of active participants has definitely shrunk. Not because people care less about the industry, but because the industry itself has decentralized. There's no single watering hole anymore, there are dozens of smaller, more specialized communities where the real business discussions happen.

Still, I appreciate anyone taking the time to read these posts. If even a handful of people get value from the observations or make a connection based on something I shared, that's a win in the current landscape.

Dugmor · 01-27-2026, 01:36 PM

Age Verification: The Compliance Nightmare Arrives

Multiple conversations circled back to age verification requirements and the operational chaos they're creating across the industry. The technical challenges are significant: implementing verification systems that actually work, managing user data with appropriate security, and dealing with the inevitable customer friction when you force people to upload government IDs to watch pornography.

But the strategic implications run deeper. Age verification creates natural moats around established platforms with resources to implement compliant systems while crushing smaller operators who can't afford the infrastructure or legal complexity. It's regulatory capture disguised as child protection, and everyone in these conversations understood the real dynamics at play.

The shift toward safe-for-work content strategies emerged as the other side of this coin.

If age verification makes adult content too complicated or risky, the play becomes building an audience on mainstream platforms with SFW content, then converting that attention into adult platform subscriptions through careful funnel design. Instagram thirst traps leading to OnlyFans subscriptions and TikTok personalities building followings and then monetizing through Patreon with increasingly explicit tiers.

Forest · 01-28-2026, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainHowdy

708 views is pretty good

. . . people are mostly in the shadows around here.

Man 10 year ago this thread was 5 pages and everyone doing shout outs. 😂😂

Dugmor · 01-28-2026, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forest

Man 10 year ago this thread was 5 pages and everyone doing shout outs. 😂😂

What happened to all the INTERNEXT -2015 Las Vegas, pics from FUBAR pictures ?

I thought FUBAR would stay online for historic purposes.

Forest · 01-28-2026, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dugmor

What happened to all the INTERNEXT -2015 Las Vegas, pics from FUBAR pictures ?

I thought FUBAR would stay online for historic purposes.

I was just thinking about Julius the other day. One of the best people this industry has ever produced period.

Dugmor · 01-28-2026, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forest

I was just thinking about Julius the other day. One of the best people this industry has ever produced period.

He name did come up in Vegas.

They said when people used to ask him nicely not to take pictures of them, he would purposely take even more pictures of them and then blackmail them to "sponsor" to remove the photos from his site.

Forest · 01-28-2026, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dugmor

He name did come up in Vegas.

They said when people used to ask him nicely not to take pictures of them, he would purposely take even more pictures of them and then blackmail them to "sponsor" to remove the photos from his site.

😂😂😂😂 brilliant!!! Gotta love that guy

fuzebox · 01-28-2026, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dugmor

What happened to all the INTERNEXT -2015 Las Vegas, pics from FUBAR pictures ?

I thought FUBAR would stay online for historic purposes.

He updated the CMS since then which I guess broke all the original hotlinks, looks like they just moved them under /storage so an oversight which could be fixed on that site (hosted by Mojo I believe).

Internext 2015 - https://fubarwebmasters.com/events/361

Dugmor · 01-29-2026, 07:36 AM

Banking Restrictions and the Payment Processing Stranglehold

Perhaps the darkest recurring theme was banking restrictions and payment processing challenges. Even successful, fully legal adult businesses face constant threats of account termination, holds on legitimate revenue, and the arbitrary enforcement of "acceptable use" policies by financial institutions that would never dream of applying similar standards to mainstream merchants.

The conversations revealed sophisticated workarounds, international payment processors, cryptocurrency options, and structuring business entities to obscure adult industry connections, but also the fundamental vulnerability of building businesses dependent on financial infrastructure controlled by entities ideologically opposed to your existence. It's the sword of Damocles hanging over every transaction, and nobody has solved it permanently.

Dugmor · 02-01-2026, 08:31 AM

Networking and Genuine Connections

Between the technical discussions, I observed the full spectrum of convention networking, from genuine reconnections between industry veterans to the performative card-swapping, where people collect contacts they'll never follow up with. The difference is obvious once you know what to watch for: real conversations involve specific problems and potential solutions, while business card swap networking consists of vague promises to "circle back" and "explore synergies."

I also experienced the logistical chaos that defines major conferences, scheduling conflicts, last-minute meeting changes, and the eternal hunt for decent coffee and quiet corners where you can actually hear business discussions over the casino floor ambient noise and competing booth demonstrations.

Dugmor · 02-03-2026, 01:51 PM

Industry Insights: Day Four Technical Insights

Data collection trumps content production; sophisticated operators focus on pixel deployment, behavioral tracking, and customer profiling as much as content creation, the data enables perpetual monetization beyond single transactions.

Age verification creates consolidation: Compliance costs favor established platforms with resources while crushing smaller operators, regulatory moats disguised as child protection.

SFW-to-adult funnels bypass platform restrictions: Building mainstream platform audiences with safe content and then converting to adult subscriptions solves the advertising and discovery problems platforms create.

Payment processing remains an existential risk: banking restrictions and arbitrary enforcement threaten even legitimate, successful operations; diversification across processors and entities is survival insurance, not paranoia.

LeRoy · 02-05-2026, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dugmor

Industry Insights: Day Two Realities

Piracy remains unsolvable at scale: DMCA services provide necessary damage control but can't stop determined theft, build business models that account for content leakage, not ones that collapse when it happens.
Top-tier operations separate through systems: The big companies succeed because they invested in infrastructure and discipline, not because they got lucky with viral moments.
Consistent personal branding creates instant recognition: Wearing the same distinctive outfit to every show isn't laziness, it's strategic visibility in crowded environments.

Good hanging out for a bit! Hope your travels have been easy.. Let's connect soon

Dugmor · 02-05-2026, 09:06 PM

Day Four confirmed that the industry's evolution continues accelerating away from simple content production toward sophisticated data operations, behavioral targeting, and the kind of customer lifetime value optimization that requires genuine technical infrastructure instead of just cameras and performers.

The gap between operators who understand these systems and those still thinking in terms of "post content, get subscribers" grows wider every quarter.

Guess which group survives the next wave of platform restrictions and regulatory challenges.

If you're ready to discuss pixel strategies, funnel optimization, or just want to compare notes on payment processor horror stories, message me; I'll be wherever the technical conversations are happening.

01-27-2026, 01:36 PM	#55
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,677	Age Verification: The Compliance Nightmare Arrives Age Verification: The Compliance Nightmare Arrives Multiple conversations circled back to age verification requirements and the operational chaos they're creating across the industry. The technical challenges are significant: implementing verification systems that actually work, managing user data with appropriate security, and dealing with the inevitable customer friction when you force people to upload government IDs to watch pornography. But the strategic implications run deeper. Age verification creates natural moats around established platforms with resources to implement compliant systems while crushing smaller operators who can't afford the infrastructure or legal complexity. It's regulatory capture disguised as child protection, and everyone in these conversations understood the real dynamics at play. The shift toward safe-for-work content strategies emerged as the other side of this coin. If age verification makes adult content too complicated or risky, the play becomes building an audience on mainstream platforms with SFW content, then converting that attention into adult platform subscriptions through careful funnel design. Instagram thirst traps leading to OnlyFans subscriptions and TikTok personalities building followings and then monetizing through Patreon with increasingly explicit tiers. __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 850+ websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook

01-29-2026, 07:36 AM	#62
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,677	Banking Restrictions and the Payment Processing Stranglehold Banking Restrictions and the Payment Processing Stranglehold Perhaps the darkest recurring theme was banking restrictions and payment processing challenges. Even successful, fully legal adult businesses face constant threats of account termination, holds on legitimate revenue, and the arbitrary enforcement of "acceptable use" policies by financial institutions that would never dream of applying similar standards to mainstream merchants. The conversations revealed sophisticated workarounds, international payment processors, cryptocurrency options, and structuring business entities to obscure adult industry connections, but also the fundamental vulnerability of building businesses dependent on financial infrastructure controlled by entities ideologically opposed to your existence. It's the sword of Damocles hanging over every transaction, and nobody has solved it permanently. __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 850+ websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook

02-01-2026, 08:31 AM	#63
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,677	Networking and Genuine Connections Networking and Genuine Connections Between the technical discussions, I observed the full spectrum of convention networking, from genuine reconnections between industry veterans to the performative card-swapping, where people collect contacts they'll never follow up with. The difference is obvious once you know what to watch for: real conversations involve specific problems and potential solutions, while business card swap networking consists of vague promises to "circle back" and "explore synergies." I also experienced the logistical chaos that defines major conferences, scheduling conflicts, last-minute meeting changes, and the eternal hunt for decent coffee and quiet corners where you can actually hear business discussions over the casino floor ambient noise and competing booth demonstrations. __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 850+ websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook

02-03-2026, 01:51 PM	#64
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,677	Industry Insights: Day Four Technical Lessons Industry Insights: Day Four Technical Insights Data collection trumps content production; sophisticated operators focus on pixel deployment, behavioral tracking, and customer profiling as much as content creation, the data enables perpetual monetization beyond single transactions. Age verification creates consolidation: Compliance costs favor established platforms with resources while crushing smaller operators, regulatory moats disguised as child protection. SFW-to-adult funnels bypass platform restrictions: Building mainstream platform audiences with safe content and then converting to adult subscriptions solves the advertising and discovery problems platforms create. Payment processing remains an existential risk: banking restrictions and arbitrary enforcement threaten even legitimate, successful operations; diversification across processors and entities is survival insurance, not paranoia. __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 850+ websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook

02-05-2026, 09:06 PM	#66
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,677	Day Four confirmed that the industry's evolution continues accelerating away from simple content production toward sophisticated data operations, behavioral targeting, and the kind of customer lifetime value optimization that requires genuine technical infrastructure instead of just cameras and performers. The gap between operators who understand these systems and those still thinking in terms of "post content, get subscribers" grows wider every quarter. Guess which group survives the next wave of platform restrictions and regulatory challenges. If you're ready to discuss pixel strategies, funnel optimization, or just want to compare notes on payment processor horror stories, message me; I'll be wherever the technical conversations are happening. __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 850+ websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook