Do You Want to Attend NamesCon Next Year?

There are two groups of people in the domain industry – those who attended NamesCon this past week in Las Vegas, and those who did not attend for whatever reason.

Obviously those who attended the conference have formed their opinions about the value of attending because they experienced it first hand. Those who weren’t able to attend have to rely on a variety of industry reports from the conference, including one that I shared. Other reports I recommend reading including Ron Jackson’s analysis, Morgan Linton’s article, Donna Mahony’s recap, and Theo’s post. I assume Mike Berkens will also share some feedback about his experience at NamesCon.

From what I’ve been reading and hearing, most people have said this conference was excellent. I know plenty of people on both sides of the new gTLD issue enjoyed the conference, and I personally did not feel like I was being forced to like the new TLDs. I was, however, impressed with how much money and backing there seems to be behind the new TLDs. I don’t know what opportunity will exist for domain investors to make money selling the new domain names, but I can bet that there will be many people talking about these new domain names in and out of the domain name space.

Next year’s NamesCon event may have more or less of a focus on new gTLDs – I really have no idea and it probably depends on how well the roll-out and initial adoption goes. Frankly, my interest in attending the conference will most likely not be influenced by the new domain names in any way.

I am very confident I will be attending NamesCon 2015 assuming the dates fit into my calendar, and I am curious to know if you plan to attend or will not be attending for whatever reason. Of course, if you aren’t going to be attending (and you already know this), I would be interested to hear why you have no interest in it. Some people have real jobs and don’t want to take a “business” vacation of sorts, and others just don’t want to hang out with a bunch of domain investors! Whatever the reason, I am interested to hear what it is. Vote in the poll below and feel free to share why or why not.

I know that I am looking forward to the next one.


Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
  1. Really enjoyed the conference! We had a booth, so I didn’t get to check out the sessions, but I enjoyed the keynotes and we made a lot of good connections both on the show floor and at the events afterward.

    We’ll definitely be back next year.

  2. I did not go, however I would not want to go until there is a glimmer of hope the new TLDs will take off. It appears this show is currently for the new TLD crowd so nothing serious there for me yet.

    Why would I want to go to a conference with a bunch of new TLD domain amateurs, or at least many are, to hear about something I’m not interested in yet? Even worse, hear all kinds of garbage spewed from the mouths of noobs and those with deep pocket, vested interests?

    It does sound like fun, but I would never go to a show just for “fun”. If I go I want it to further my domain knowledge.

    I am glad there is a new show alternative though. Maybe it will grow into something different as time goes on.

  3. Had a ‘great’ time at the show, and found it very informative and well balanced between the new gTLDs and current domains. Richard Lau, Jothan Frakes, Jodi Chamberlain and crew did a ‘great job’ putting this event on. It was a very well organized and enjoyable conference, priced right both show and hotel accommodations, and full of a variety of speakers and sessions. It was full of great networking opportunities (best part of any conference) with old and new contacts, and I enjoyed seeing so many old friends again, and meeting new ones. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the new gTLDs, the true fact of life is..They Are Coming!! And hearing and learning about them first hand from those that are behind them, their reasoning’s for, intentions with, and future plans for, gives one a better grasp on them, then listening to all the ‘we know they will fail’ crowds whose only perspective is fueled by their or those with ‘one-sided self-interest opinions’. Obviously some new gTLDs will win, and some will lose, but one can have a better understanding of them and what opportunities do or don’t lie ahead with them, when hearing, seeing and talking with those from both perspectives. Definitely will be there again next year.

    Nice to see and chat with you again Elliot. Hope your cold is gone by now.

    • the new gtld guys have invested millions and want make back much more and now they need to convince you that you need them. if thats not a ‘one sided self interest opinion’ I’m not sure what is.

  4. Do the math, Elliot.

    If you were to take that same, say, $2,000 and buy a decent .com domain (or renew 225+ of them), in ten years you will have a precious commodity worth many tens of thousands of dollars.

    Blow that same money going to a cheerleading session for a retarded gtld concept that was flawed from the getgo and you will have lost the profit as well as the associated opportunity costs including the profit and rental income you would have made had you bought a .com.

    I’ve heard of new math, but this is just bad math.

    • As I mentioned yesterday, I didn’t feel like the new TLDs were shoved down my throat. I also didn’t attend very many sessions that were focused on them. I went for some meetings and introductions, so it was a big success.

      On the financial front, I paid $505 for my JetBlue non stop Getaway from Boston (including 3 nights at the conference hotel), so all in my cost was under $1,000.

  5. Hi Elliot,

    Ever throw a party and worry about no one showing up?

    While it sounds like the recent conference didn’t have that problem, I feel safe in predicting that some gtld registries are about to experience that very dilemma. But nobody reading this should feel sorry for them. They have been warned again and again (and again!) that gtld’s are generally dumb, waaay too long and the acceptance rate from the general public will make ObamaCare’s enrollment numbers look great!

    In fact, the attendance of NamesCon reminds me of the initial polls that erroneously said people favored Obamacare, but, when it came down to actually enrolling in it, well…not so much.

    These people claim to be professional domainers so they should already know about the graveyards filled with failed tld of old. Still haven’t heard anyone explain to me why any of these are any different. I see the same .crap

    Making a fortune in domaining entails knowing what to invest in and what not to invest in. The gtlds certainly fall into the latter category.

    Keep up the great work and welcome back. Hope you are feeling better.

    • “Keep up the great work and welcome back. Hope you are feeling better.”

      Thank you! Yes, I am feeling almost 100%.

      I don’t disagree with your comments about the new TLDs. I do think this is more of a unique situation with so much $$$ and marketing $$$ behind them. I’ve had friends outside the business ask about these new domain names, so people are hearing about them.

      I am not planning any major investments right now, and I am going to keep my .com focus. However, because of my blog and probably my personality and outlook on things, I am going to keep following along and not get too caught up on hating the TLDs because there is the potential for opportunity.

      I am not going to be a first adopter, but I don’t want to wake up one day down the road and realize I totally missed the boat.

      As always, I appreciate your comment and thoughts.

  6. @Mike & @Math Man Jr.

    You don’t go to Namescon to learn about the gTLDs… you can do that online from your computer. Namescon is like any other conference / event that you attend to build connections and business relationships with expert domain investors. gTLD panels and sessions are an extra thing if you want to do them. I went to DomainFest, and I can confirm that most domain investors were doing meetings for the most part – where rarely making it to each session/panel. If you want to discuss your business in person, then domain events such as Namescon are your best option since we all live in geographically dispersed areas.

  7. I find it amusing that the staunch, anonymous critics that did not attend NamesCon attempt to find all sorts of flaws and to disperse negativity – on the dime of us who attended.

    Additionally, unsigned posts bear little to no validity. You know who you are.

    There is absolutely no doubt NamesCon is a new, exciting, very successful type of conference, and this sentiment is shared by everyone who attended, more than 580 people in total. Those who didn’t attend because it wasn’t their cup of tea, surely cannot criticize what they didn’t experience in person.

    I’ve attended three TRAFFIC conferences (2008,2010,2012) so far, and I can offer valid, unbiased comparison points; the serial naysayers never set foot to any gathering bigger than a sports bar. Keyboard bravado at its finest.

    Regarding the silly argument of rather be spending money on domain renewals instead of attending, industry conferences are business expenses, down to the last double espresso as you boarding your plane back home. So, if you aren’t writing these off, maybe you aren’t truly a domain professional by a part time ‘flipper’ or hobbyist? Form a company and learn to do things right.

    No offense, but let’s cut the bullshit, domaining isn’t for everyone.

    The conference was stellar in every way, from hosting to the balanced agenda, and it sets a precedent for every future event, including TRAFFIC. Competition is healthy and it leads to a bigger, better domain industry that grows, as opposed to a flat-lining economy.

    Domainers need to decide whether they want to do the tiring same old, or open their minds and expand their business outside of the small town mentality.

    It was a pleasure sharing a panel with you, Elliot. The conversation was unforced and offered great value to those that attended, and to us who exchanged ideas and what drives us forward.

    As a participant of larger conferences in the telecom and technology sectors, I am impressed by the quality of the results in under 90 days. Congratulations to everyone involved, and attended.

  8. *

    I just might, if it’s held in Vegas again or some other great locale.

    I like the report that women of domaining were included with a special session.

    Someday, as more women enter domaining, there won’t be a need for special sessions, but we’re not there yet.

    I’m not sure how the new gTLDs will play out; I suspect that some will succeed and others will fail, but one thing is for sure: there’s no turning back to old ways.

    For now, .com is king, but progress moves forward, although it often does so with unexpected twists and turns.

    🙂

    *

  9. I am definitely going again next year. Hats off to Richard, Jodi and Jothan! They deserve much praise for organizing a very well attended show that was reasonably priced and provided so much value for attendees.

    I really enjoyed the parking, minisites and megasites panel you were on Elliot. Sorry I didn’t get to meet you in person this time. Glad you’re feeling better!

  10. “So, if you aren’t writing these off, maybe you aren’t truly a domain professional by a part time ‘flipper’ or hobbyist?”

    Hard to take Theo Develegas (aka “Acro”) as he unfairly criticizes other professional domainers while operating a blog with a .net domain.

    How embarrassing.

    • Well, Theo is a business man and has been in the domain trade for a long time, he makes some fair points, and he his entitled to his opinion, whether he writes a blog or not. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

  11. I am sure that going to Las Vegas for vacation or a wedding or just to have a good time, is surely worth the money you spend, but when it comes to the new TLD’s, it is mainly curiosity to those who want to know more about the new extensions that are being offered in the 100’s and if it is worth the time and effort to register domain names with those new extensions. On the other hand those who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get those extensions to market went to Las Vegas to get feedback if the money they spent is worth it. As an old-schooler, who owns hundreds of domain names, mostly .com, less of .net and a few .org, I feel that the new TLDs will be a bust. Sorry to spoil the party, but just take a look at the number of domains that are registered for .info and .biz and the rest, and how many websites are in existence that use those extensions. As I am cleaning up my portfolio of domain names, I am getting rid of internationalized domain names, .us, .tel, .biz and only keeping the domain names that have a resale value. The three main extensions represent beachfront homes. They will always be desirable, now and in the future. When it comes to the new TLD’s, good luck for the next 10 years as you try to recoup the money you spent. You cannot duplicate the success of the pioneers with newcomers.

  12. I will definitely plan to attend the next NamesCon. I thought that it was well balanced, and although it seemed to be biased towards discussions of the new gTld’s, I did not feel overwhelmed by it. The panels had something for everyone, and the ones that I attended were interesting and informative.

    It was great to see so many old friends and make some new ones. It’s always a good sign when you realize afterwards that you missed speaking to a few people that you knew were there!

    Overall – a job well done by Richard, Jodi, and Jothan! I know that they’ll make the next one even better! I highly recommend that anybody serious about domaining consider attending the next one. And if you’re not so serious – you should attend too!! 😉

  13. I for one regret not going, unfortunately I’m in the midst of heading back to the States and needed to go through the process of attaining a visa for a special someone.

    Good work to Richard Lau and all those who helped, I really applaud you for creating a conference that’s affordable and outside the traditional show. This event needed a theme and I think the new gtld’s were a good way to go, as for the nay sayers I like shaking my fist at a brewing storm as much as the next guy but these new TLD’s will effect your .com portfolio sales as well. Like it or not. You want to excel at anything you must understand that topic inside and out, sticking your head in the sand won’t help. Besides, every show in any industry I have attended I made my money back from networking, most of those who attend I’m sure would agree.

    I fully plan on attending next year.

  14. I will definitely put it on the calendar. I’m heading out to Italy in a few days, so have been getting ready for that, so I couldn’t plan a trip to Vegas as well (from the UK).

    If I lived in the US, I would be at as many conferences as possible, that’s for sure. But that’s going to change in the near future. It will be great to network etc…

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