What was the turnout this year?
Gary G said 2437 on Tuesday. Could have gone up a few with last minute purchases. Still the 5th largest conference, and 1100 more than the last time in Minneapolis.
I expect Portland OR to be well attended.
I guess it wasn't my imagination...it did seem lighter this year than in the past.
I miss the banquet. Not so much for the food, but the hanging out in line and sharing beers ahead of time and then the passing bottles around yours and neighbor's tables. Was this a one time thing, or is the banquet dead forever? If this is the format going forward, I'm going to start booking my flights home on Saturday after the awards ceremony. Sure would beat getting up at 4am like I did this year.
The knockout party was a waste of time in my opinion. Couldn't understand anything being announced and I was right up by the stage. I would have preferred a social club setting with all the leftover comp bottles rather than having them poured by staff, but maybe that was a legal thing. An so much Whalezbrah! left over.