[rexreed]

Performing on private property without the permission of the property owner is not a "right", and is subject to many restrictions, most, if not all, have nothing to do with SXSW.

Try going to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and pulling off that stunt there - you'll get more than just an earful from management.

SXSW is a big event. Whether or not it makes sense for startups has a lot to do with the people who attend and how you plan to get their attention, more than whether the conference organizers care to cater to the less well-funded.