I'd like to help out in case some peeps need a system or a monitor or something. I don't have much, but hopefully I can match a needy gamer up with a piece of equipment for the weekend.
A lot of people come to Icrontic from a variety of angles; you, for example, came to us through our TF2 server, which is a sort of community outreach effort on our part.
Icrontic does a lot of hard work. For example, just search for the CES 2010 tag to see the kind of industry relationships and reporting we did in January. A lot of those relationships then blossom into something like a sponsorship for Expo.
With Icrontic's strong social media presence, 300,000+ monthly pageviews, and a dedicated internet following, companies are ensured that they will be noticed all over the internet, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more. This is a chance to get some grassroots exposure and PR for their companies. This is also a chance to execute on some creative marketing strategies with fun and innovative connections directly with computer enthusiasts, connected tech geeks, and gamers.
Smart companies and their PR agencies know this, and that's why they sponsor events like ours
This is really wildly off topic now, but I feel the need to respond, so hey, why not.
Thanks for this post, as it explains a lot about Icrontic that I didn't understand (even though I've been hanging with you guys for over a year now). Essentially, before coming to the TF2 server, I'd never heard of you guys.
While never being a huge hardware buff, I've always been interested in reviews and what tech is out there (I'm a gaming buff, and a general technology buff for sure), so I've been reading a number of "big tech news sites" for years. From stuff like Wired to sites like Tom's Hardware... yet, i'd never heard of Icrontic. :P
So, anyways. I've been around the internet for more than a decade now (holy crap, that makes me feel old. Ok, not really, but yeah). I've been an active member in dozens upon dozens of internet communities on a huge variety of topics, some small communities with only a dozen or two members, some huge with thousands involved.
A number of these communities have been big enough to hold events from local get-togethers at someone's house to large multi-day conventions (yes, complete with keynotes, speaker panels, etc.). I've even organized a few of these events myself.
The Icrontic events, until I read this thread (including Epic) have been represented to me (largely via TF2 voice chat, so maybe that has something to do with this) as "home grown" community events. Even calling the site's base ICHQ led me to assume the sort of "dude with a server or two in his basement" setup, possibly because I've heard such terminology used to describe such places before (or possibly for some other reason, I don't know).
This is at odds with such things as a multi-day convention which I've experienced before (though in that specific case, not actually in person. :P). Combine these and you can see how my mental view of IC is of a much smaller community and organization than the existence of (true) sponsors (as opposed to "sponsors". You know, the "we'll throw $50 your way" guys I've seen before.) would lead me to believe.
(If this small community vibe is what you're going for; Congratulations! You've succeeded, at least in my case! )
Even the CES reporting you guys have going doesn't necessarily betray a corporate relationship that is sponsor-worthy. I've been involved in enough communities with comparable reporting to what you guys have (probably not the same level overall, but still close) solely powered by people interested enough in such events to go as attendees or under other auspices and still take huge swaths of time to report on things in depth, even just for their own blog.
It almost makes me angry or annoyed. I've been involved with bigger communities, trying to run more ambitious events, with possibly more clout in the areas of society they moved in, and I've never seen sponsorship like this. Even for small events, I've been often stuck in a situation where a lack of funds has castrated an event (even my ability to attend an event, for example). It seems almost unfair.
Now, that said, i'm NOT angry or thinking that this unfair (I'm annoyed a little, but that's probably mostly just because this is something I haven't had the chance to utilize before myself). Just to clear that up. If I had to qualify my emotions about this, incredulous would probably be the best word.
So yeah. I'm not sure where I'm going with this beyond that, but...yeah.
Anyways, enjoy Epic everybody. Hopefully someday I'll be able to afford travelling to an IC event so I can hang out with you all.
I've been often stuck in a situation where a lack of funds has castrated an event (even my ability to attend an event, for example). It seems almost unfair.
Expo is castrated by a lack of funds and appropriate venue. We have it in our house because it's the only venue we can afford to equip with the requirements of the event (Internet, electricity, security, and sovereignty). By all rights, Expo should be in a convention hall by now. We just don't have the funds to make it happen.
You see the sponsor list as crazy. I see it as very gratifying, but missing the venue sponsor we so sorely need.
Comments
http://icrontic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89870
I'm pretty sure they want me to win them so I can add them to my collection.
This is really wildly off topic now, but I feel the need to respond, so hey, why not.
Thanks for this post, as it explains a lot about Icrontic that I didn't understand (even though I've been hanging with you guys for over a year now). Essentially, before coming to the TF2 server, I'd never heard of you guys.
While never being a huge hardware buff, I've always been interested in reviews and what tech is out there (I'm a gaming buff, and a general technology buff for sure), so I've been reading a number of "big tech news sites" for years. From stuff like Wired to sites like Tom's Hardware... yet, i'd never heard of Icrontic. :P
So, anyways. I've been around the internet for more than a decade now (holy crap, that makes me feel old. Ok, not really, but yeah). I've been an active member in dozens upon dozens of internet communities on a huge variety of topics, some small communities with only a dozen or two members, some huge with thousands involved.
A number of these communities have been big enough to hold events from local get-togethers at someone's house to large multi-day conventions (yes, complete with keynotes, speaker panels, etc.). I've even organized a few of these events myself.
The Icrontic events, until I read this thread (including Epic) have been represented to me (largely via TF2 voice chat, so maybe that has something to do with this) as "home grown" community events. Even calling the site's base ICHQ led me to assume the sort of "dude with a server or two in his basement" setup, possibly because I've heard such terminology used to describe such places before (or possibly for some other reason, I don't know).
This is at odds with such things as a multi-day convention which I've experienced before (though in that specific case, not actually in person. :P). Combine these and you can see how my mental view of IC is of a much smaller community and organization than the existence of (true) sponsors (as opposed to "sponsors". You know, the "we'll throw $50 your way" guys I've seen before.) would lead me to believe.
(If this small community vibe is what you're going for; Congratulations! You've succeeded, at least in my case!
Even the CES reporting you guys have going doesn't necessarily betray a corporate relationship that is sponsor-worthy. I've been involved in enough communities with comparable reporting to what you guys have (probably not the same level overall, but still close) solely powered by people interested enough in such events to go as attendees or under other auspices and still take huge swaths of time to report on things in depth, even just for their own blog.
It almost makes me angry or annoyed. I've been involved with bigger communities, trying to run more ambitious events, with possibly more clout in the areas of society they moved in, and I've never seen sponsorship like this. Even for small events, I've been often stuck in a situation where a lack of funds has castrated an event (even my ability to attend an event, for example). It seems almost unfair.
Now, that said, i'm NOT angry or thinking that this unfair (I'm annoyed a little, but that's probably mostly just because this is something I haven't had the chance to utilize before myself). Just to clear that up.
So yeah. I'm not sure where I'm going with this beyond that, but...yeah.
Anyways, enjoy Epic everybody. Hopefully someday I'll be able to afford travelling to an IC event so I can hang out with you all.
WALL OF TEXT CRITS YOU FOR MASSIVE DAMAGE
You see the sponsor list as crazy. I see it as very gratifying, but missing the venue sponsor we so sorely need.
That is exactly what we go for.
Not to be rude, but I basically never believe people when they say I'M HUGELY INFLUENTIAL.
If I see outsiders saying "So and so is hugely influential", that changes things.
Not that you guys aren't influential. Just not 10,000 times more than I've seen and heard. :P
And yes he does have three balls.
AND THEN IT TURNS OUT ITS ACTUALLY TWO BALLS ITSELF. FOUR BALLS.
I heard that mother had like 30 freakin dicks.
I'm gonna go listen to that again. For the 4th time today.
He's coming, he's coming, he's coming...
Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age and its expansion pack, NHL, Tiger Woods and Battlefield 2.
Ate opponent's brains, Invented Cocaine
Washingtonnn, Washingtonnn;D
I also love the scene where he pushes the burning school building full of British children off a cliff.