So Has AVN Made A Statement Yet?

[gaybucks_chip]

Wise decision

Part of being a productive community is people from all viewpoints voicing their opinions, whether popular or not, and doing so without intimidation.

Total agreement.

Sometimes that can be hard when you feel passionate about something, but rarely do you get all of the best information out there if you take an antagonistic approach.

[Lee]

Just giving this a bump because the questions asked still dont appear to have been answered

Regards,

Lee

[wnc]

Why is CCBILL not ALLOWED to be a Sponsor at the scheduled Gay event, due to a non-compete clause?

I think that is a question the LEE still seeks an answer to, *I* certainly wait for an answer.

[gaybucks_chip]

Epoch and AVN *still* playing "duck and cover."

At least Cybersocket had the balls to come and say *something* even if it didn't exactly have the ring of truth to it.

I hope people will keep bumping this thread and starting others until there's a satisfactory response on all of the issues.

[Lee]

Bump for answers from AVN and Epoch

Regards,

Lee

[BuzzWestChris]

Bump, Still Waiting:innocent:

[gaybucks_chip]

Bump again...

[gaystoryman]

bump....

[XXXWriterDude]

Hmmmm, all these bumps. Sounds like you guys need to go get checked out by your doctors. Too many bumps sounds like a problem to me...

[hdkbill]

Why is CCBILL not ALLOWED to be a Sponsor at the scheduled Gay event, due to a non-compete clause?

I think that is a question the LEE still seeks an answer to, *I* certainly wait for an answer.

I've been reading this thread since it's inception and just kept quiet not wanting to get involved with what appears to be a lot of hearsay and conjecture on the part of many. And, I didn't want to add to the hearsay.

Have any of you taken the time to actually talk to Epoch? Yesterday I spoke with my representative there and ask him point blank if it was a FACT that CCBill was banned from being a sponsor at the Retreat. His answer was, and I quote, "absolutely not". He also said that most companies who deal with Epoch also deal with CCBill, so why do something that is going to piss everyone off.

So, assuming he was not lying to me, where is all of this coming from? What proof has anyone provided that CCBill is banned from sponsorship?

Both CCBill and Epoch are great companies, as well as AVN. And, thank heavens we have CCBill and Epoch or most of us wouldn't be in business. AVN??, well I tolerate them, since they have certain policies in place against reviewing or doing feature stories on companies that make bareback films, while at the same time constantly calling trying to get me to spend my advertising dollars with them and I think they are hypocritial as hell, but yet, they do have a damn fine organization that keeps us all informed. But until they change their policies or at least gets rid of their editor at GAYVN, they'll never get a dime out of me.

Back to the topic, I talked directly to Epoch, they told me that CCBill has NOT been banned from sponsorship at the Retreat. So, who has proof that I was lied to by Epoch? If you have the proof then let's hear it, and no more hearsay please. If not, then don't you think it's time to stop saying it?

Bill

[gaybucks_chip]

Well....

In it's initial announcement, CCBill reported that an exclusive deal was made with Epoch, and no one from Cybersocket, AVN, or any of the Cybersocket supporters that magically appeared and then disappeared said anything to the contrary.

Offhand, I can see a couple of possibilities.

(a) CCBill wasn't telling the truth in the first place. This seems unlikely, since if that was the case, Morgan would certainly have clarified that point, and Epoch would immediately have posted to report that they had no objections to CCBill's participation. Neither of those happened.

(b) Epoch eventually figured out what everyone had been saying all along: that they were hurting themselves severely. They then changed they their mind and voluntarily gave up the exclusive arrangement, but decided to leak out the news rather than publicly make an announcement so they could avoid the heat of having to answer for taking an exclusionary tactic in the first place. Not the best choice, but from a PR perspective, probably the best option they were left with after stonewalling in the first place.

Perhaps there's another explanation, but once again, those who talk about "all these other factors" surrounding both the exclusivity and the squashing of the GPF event aren't offering up anything.

I am pleased to hear that the exclusivity has been lifted, assuming it's true, but it still doesn't address the main issue, which is the squashing of GPF by scheduling the Retreat at the same time.

Perhaps the loud complaints from all those who posted here HAVE had an effect, in which case, it does show that when the community bands together, we can have an effect.

I would still like to see full resolution, explanation, and a commitment to openness and cooperation on future events, and that has still not been forthcoming. I hope people will remember that.

[Lee]

Bill,

I spoke with someone at CCBill yesterday afternoon in person and was told they are still presently unable to sponsor that event to their knowledge.

So heres another bump to get some answers.

Regards,

Lee

[gaybucks_chip]

Makes it even worse to know that someone here - either ccbill or epoch - is directly lying. One thing to dodge the question completely, another to lie directly to someone's face.

So... either CCBill is lying and Epoch has removed the "non-compete", in which case you'd think that Epoch would be banging down the doors to tell everyone, or Epoch lied to Bill, in which case.... you'd expect them to be silent.

I can't believe that Epoch is still thinking this will just go away.

[djdez]

I've avoided posting in this thread too.

Can someone tell me why its such a big deal that Epoch made an exclusive advertising agreement? Yeah that means that ccbill, netbilling and any other billing processor can't be a sponsor, but it doesn't mean they can't attend. I guarantee if this happened in any other way, it would have been hailed as a good business strategy. If a company is willing to pay the money for exclusivity, heck all the more power to em!!!

btw: epoch wasn't allowed to sponsor phx forum

The way i see it there are two different issues.

1. AVN choosing the end of October for their forum. This somehow bumped out the Gay Phoenix forum when the last i heard ccbill was looking at the end of September, if at all.

2. Epoch making an exclusive advertising agreement which doesn't prevent ccbill from attending. In all a good business strategy. I'm sorry the ravings about this issue is pathetic nonsense.

Hey I like ccbill. I like epoch. Both companies have always treated us well. The way i see it this couldn't have worked out better for ccbill. 1. They don't have to hold the gay phx forum which I do believe they didn't want to do again. 2. They make epoch look like the bad guys.

Dance puppets dance!

[desslock]

Nicely said!

Steve