Sports Makes for Good Networking (at SXSW!)
Ran into Mike D today, sitting just a few cubes away from mine. We chatted a bit about the upcoming South by Southwest Interactive and Emerging Tech conferences (Mike's going to SxSW, I'm going to ETech).
According to the people Mike talked to, the SxSW panels are alright, but it's the networking opportunities that make attending the conference worthwhile. Austin is a great town to hang out in, and I can see how it provides a great backdrop for networking. I didn't realize how good, however, until I read Anil's post about Kick, an annual kickball game on the first morning of SxSW.
Don't get me wrong, ETech and San Diego will be awesome, but alcohol aside, nothing makes fast friends like competing together. I've been thinking about attending SXSW for three years. Next year, I'm going.