Great article, I'm also enjoying the feedback you're getting.

We've been having the same discussion internally for some time. As a small agency that doesn't cater to the typical Camp attendee, it's a difficuIt call to make each year when sponsorship rolls around.

When considering sponsorships the business owner in me says one thing, the WordPress advocate says another. At the end of the day, can I expand or enrich my team with goodwill? No. I have to opt for smarter spending until I'm big enough to contribute meaningfully back to the community without the concern of ROI.

On the topic of attendees: I'd like to see some sort of survey or info on the content of the crowds. Who is coming from where and for what reasons. (I can't recall being asked to fill out anything in the past at registration, but it's possible I'm forgetting.) Information like that would be a great way to start the conversation of who would find sponsorships financially feasible.

Having attended DrupalConf in NOLA this year I can attest to the different vibe. I echo Mario's sentiments there. The attending audience is different, as well as the ecosystem of Drupal in general (i.e. as a code base, at the cost level, in user perception).