I guess you gotta fight, for your right, to party.

In an email titled “An update on our event policy…” a representative from Inman News laid down some stringent policy changes regarding its event policy in relation to “unsanctioned parties”.

“In a few short months, nearly 4,000 industry professionals will gather in sunny San Francisco for Inman Connect. Each year, companies host dozens of parties and events that surround the conference, taking advantage of having the best of the industry in one place.

We’ve introduced a special sponsorship level for companies who host satellite events at Connect for 30+ people that provides additional visibility to attendees and influencers they hope to connect with, while ensuring that the Connect attendee experience isn’t compromised.

Due to the negative impact that unsanctioned parties have on the conference, we have implemented a more stringent event policy for companies who choose to host events at and around Inman Connect without directly participating in the conference as a sponsor. The policy will be strictly enforced and violations will result in revocation of attendee badges, speaker spots and other sanctions at the sole discretion of Inman.

Emphasis mine.

I would argue that instead of being a “negative impact” or having the event being “compromised” the amount of industry parties being held around the conference is a huge draw.

No doubt Brad and his team have done a great job in putting together a great show, but threats of revoking badges and speaker slots is pretty draconian by any standard. How is having a party any different than having a meeting in the lobby with someone? What’s next? Do they shut down the lobby bar or Starbucks in order to get more people in to the sessions?

I sincerely hope Inman News reconsiders this policy before Inman Connect in San Francisco.