Trade show hotel reservations

One of the biggest hassles with going to a trade show is getting rooms booked. The show wants you to book rooms through them...but why? In a pre-internet world, this may have made sense, but today I doubt it. I found this explanation when looking for rooms to the OFC show in Anaheim:

"Avoid future registration and exhibit pricing increases, read below to better understand why booking within the OFC/NFOEC Housing Service is so important!...It has been the customary practice of the events industry in the United States to secure a block of hotels rooms for the use of attendees to their events...." Hotel Reservations

The above statement (prepared by convention trade group) goes on to blame online services for eroding room bookings through the show. Well, duh. Things that were "customary" ten years ago may not pass muster anymore.

I checked available hotels and they offered top-tier hotels near the convention center from $144 to 175 a night. I've booked at the Days Inn a block away for $59 on my own. It appears they have reduced the number of hotels they contract with, as I think the Days Inn used to be a choice. And it looks like they have also eliminated shuttle busses to the show, which will be a surprise to a lot of folks. (Personally, I don't mind a little walk in the beautiful California weather.)