I am not anywhere as irate about anything as either one of you two.
As far as I am concerned everything turned out for the better, and perhaps we can all work together on future events and make them true affiliate conferences. Affiliate managers for one would just love to see affiliates at these things.
That is the main reason the alternate event is so successful – it is geared towards affiliates, and managers want affiliates above all. The resounding chorus is: “we go where the affiliates go!”
What I truly do not understand is why it took so long to dismiss Gator. It took me a long time to organize this event, it is not something I have done before and I chose a highly unconventional way to do it. All the time I was trying to get this done I could have been easlily swayed by the removal of Gator.
Yet like clockwork it was removed just after I entered final commitments. That was not at all helpful. If it had been removed earlier it would have solved all kinds of problems.
As is, I am quite happy. This is by far going to be the most enjoyable event of it’s kind I ever attended – but then that is probably a given since I arranged it. 
Everyone I talked to is really looking forward to it, and the number of affiliates who are turning out is unprecedented for these events.
Next year we can perhaps all work together to create a truly dynamic AFFCON, and this October we will have a giant spinoff of the smaller Montreal event. I expect up to 100 affiliates to be at that event, and every affiliate manager who is able will be there. I already have all kinds of commitments for this, from affiliates flying in from around the globe to every aff manager I have talked to (most of the active ones) to a great number of sponsors.
For the Montreal event we have so many sponsors that I had to turn them away. My advice : put it in the piggy bank for October. A point well taken by all.
I am really looking forward to this, and I have no bad feelings toward anyone. (except Gator 
)
Let the good times roll in Montreal, and let the networking begin!