That's what I'm thinking tho. I guess it depends on your individual comfort level. Are you comfortable putting 6 figures or so on the line with equipment purchases, quitting your job, benefits etc to buy your own gear and giving it a swing or are you more comfortable with risking SOME of your money to either enter an AP or contract brew to see how it goes.
You return less to your pocket perhaps but some is better than none?
With a lot of things I've been involved with for every 15 people who say "Dude, I'd totally buy/payfor/attend/support XYZ" = plan on 1 actually doing it which means those sales that you're counting on are vaporware more than anything.