While this may be true, none of the shows promote it toward the average affiliate. Almost every promotion thread goes into "Can't wait to get wasted with you bro" mode within seconds. There is little to no mention of the seminars or speakers. Lets look at a couple examples:
Internext is in a couple weeks. Here is their
seminar list. Now for the most part, the list is real vague. I mean "How to be a succesful affiliate"? How about getting more in-depth. Seminars on SEO, PPC, social networking. What about other issues that effect affiliates such as hosting, development, and emerging technologies. Even the ones that are interesting don't list any information. Is the domain name seminar being run by someone with a lot of experience in the field or just some guy off the street? The entire seminar portion of the site is secondary to everything else.
And this isn't a knock on Internext, all shows do it. Atlanta Forum doesn't even have their presenters or seminars listed.
And perhaps that's the whole point. The seminars and learning is secondary to the parties. But the average affiliate who may not want to dish out a couple thousand dollars to attend a show that he really doesn't know what he'll get out of it. I'm sure the show is fun. I'm also sure fun is a weekend at Wrigley Field. While having fun at a conference is a plus, it's not why I'd attend one. It's also probably not why a lot of average affiliates would attend one.
But the shows do well enough now that they don't seem to need new blood. I have heard a lot of programs ask why I won't be going to a show, and I've seen a lot bitch about not having many new people at them. The whole thing comes across to me like a big party that is masked as a business event. Maybe that's not what it is, but that's how it's sold to the industry. If I'm going to spend time and money to party, I'll do it with friends and somewhere of my choosing. If I'm going to gain something businesswise, then I'll attend a show. I've found networking can be done just as easily online and over the phone.
This isn't a knock on any of the conventions at all either. Just an explanation on why affiliates may not be flocking to these events.