Got an ax to grind? Seems so.
I know Alec and his crew, and they always man their own booth, just like they did at Houston Con. They also look for help since they can't always be there. And they spend all their own money going to all these conventions. So do their "pals" as you put it.
Oh, they NEED "help." Yes, indeed. And if they've got so much of their "own" money to throw around, why don't they give some to their employees instead of bumming freebies.
I think the
Axanar production team has been fairly forthcoming about exactly what expenses the Kickstarter money is intended to defray. Securing studio space, building sets, post-production editing, etc.--all the various expenses were pretty well itemized in the Kickstarter campaign announcements. The earmarks were explained in advance.
I think a lot of people would have major problems with
Axanar deciding to now spend their Kickstarter money on convention attendance and manning booths and other P.R. activities and all kinds of
other things--instead of using the money exactly as they announced they would.
Should "all kinds of P.R. activities" have been earmarked as one of those expenses on which the Kickstarter money would be spent? That's a different issue--and it's too late for their two heretofore campaigns.