Indeed, there may have been too much to do at this show. Decisions had to be made at every step of the way, and someone or something usually lost out. Do I attend this seminar or that one? Do I go out to dinner or stay at the hotel? Do I go golfing every day or stick around for courtyard networking? These are common decisions for trade show regulars, but in the past only a massive affair like the January AEE show in Las Vegas demanded as many decisions.
On the flip side, TPF had the Mission Palms Hotel all to itself, a major advantage, especially considering the number of people in attendance. As it was, many attendees, including this writer, had to stay off-campus at area hotels, which is a pain when it comes to a quick shower or change but nice if you want to get away for a bit. No matter where one stayed, however, having the home venue exclusive meant that there was always an oasis of like-minded people awaited you upon your return to the resort.
And then there was the courtyard of the Mission Palms, which, in the sublime late-March Phoenix-area weather, was about as comfortable a place to hang as one could imagine, especially during the morning and early-evening hours. Still warm enough for short-sleeved shirts but with a sweet breeze blowing steadily, this year’s comfort barometer was exceptionally high. With temperatures that never rose above the mid-80s, it is no wonder the rabid golfers decided to play each day, and not just during the first official golf day.
The event parties came in all shapes and sizes, with something for everyone. Wednesday night, XBIZ threw a kickoff party, complete with a Guitar Hero contest, hundreds of drink tickets and a nice crowd that overflowed onto the outdoor patio of The Abbey.
Thursday, the entertainment quotient started early, around 3:00 p.m., with a Just Blow Me-sponsored Hooters Happy Hour, and then continued through the evening with, at various times, the XXX Iron Man – Beer Pong, sponsored by Cherry Pimps, Lightspeed-sponsored Dodgeball, a Forum-sponsored Welcome Reception in the courtyard, the Cybersocket Kickoff Party, the Reality Cash GFY Kickoff Party, SmashBucks’ Poker After Hours, a Latenight Suite sponsored by PrideBucks and Mansites and Latenight Breakfast served by Amateur Allure. The last of these parties ended at 4:00 a.m., just in time to start all over again.
The second day featured many of the same parties and events, plus a few new ones, including a Phil-Flash Cash-sponsored open bar in the courtyard, a Forum-sponsored buffet lunch, also in the courtyard, an nnmasters.com Mixer, sponsored by SpunkyCash, a Sponsor Meet Market, the Maleflixxx Cock and Tail Party and the GPF Pool Party, sponsored by Intense Cash. The late night offerings included the previous night’s soirees and also the Pimproll Party and the Late Night Suite by YappoDollars.
The fun stuff continued Saturday with even more parties by more sponsors, including a FreeOnes-sponsored buffet lunch by the pool, which segued into their 10-year Anniversary Party, a Farewell Party by PussyCash, the Porn Poker Tournament and a Closing Party by Girls Gone Wild. These all took place in addition to continuing versions of the previous nights' parties.
Suffice to say, TPF was potentially an all-day, all-night affair for anyone with the time and brain cells to burn.
Sadly, not every event was satisfactorily concluded. Of particular note, the finals of the Lightspeed Dodgeball contest had to be cancelled, all because of Joe Francis, owner of Girls Gone Wild. Actually, he was only indirectly to blame. When a federal judge refused to allow him to travel to Tempe to take part in a show that he was in part sponsoring, the mainstream press became interested and sent reporters over to see what was going on.
When the reporters were not allowed entrance to the venue, instead of going away and covering something important, their editors apparently did not get the message and instead ordered photographers into the hills overlooking the premises and on helicopters hovering above the tennis courts, where they tried to get shots of something prurient. The venue, perhaps concerned for its liquor license, decided to nix the shedding of nubile clothing, essentially rendering the Dodgeball finals moot. Thanks, Joe!
There was also a plethora of roundtables and seminars, covering an embarrassment of topics, and while attendance varied, the quality of the speakers ensured a valuable experience for anyone interested in actually learning something about the business. For those who think they already know everything, the various nooks and crannies of the resort afforded endless networking opportunities, which many readily took advantage of. Indeed, there were times when it was hard to find a quiet place to sit and chat, because people were already sitting and chatting.
It may be that The Phoenix Forum has finally reached capacity. Those of us who have attended since the first one remember the early years fondly and perhaps a bit wistfully. When things get a bit too large they can become unwieldy, and that goes for anything that gets too large.
Still, TPF has everything going for it, especially the good will of both the straight and gay sides of the adult webmaster industry. If any show can claim to bring everyone together, this is the one where we can all honestly sing a rousing refrain of “We Are Family.”