Because although I'd love to go, I'm not going to game the system to go. If I were to do that, I'd be the wrong person to be there. Hopefully they are open to alternate guild representatives, but if not, that is their loss and I won't fake my way in.

Does the person applying for this have to be the "Guild Leader" in terms of the top position in the structure of the guild or merely part of the Guild Leadership? It would seem that another member of the Guild Leadership should be allowed to apply if they have the ability to participate where the Guild Leader may not. Our Guild is primarily European and our Guild Leader is in Norway so his attendance would be very costly and time consuming. However, I am a Council Member and participate in the leadership of the guild and live in Fort Worth, TX so may attendance would be very easy to work out. I would be able to represent my guild, our views, concerns and wishes even though I don't hold the title of "Guild Leader". I've known our Guild Leader since 2001 along with many of our Guild Members as this guild has been carried across many MMOs. Something to consider, hopefully there can be some real yellow text (not the people that write in yellow text to try to trick people into reading their posts) in response to this as I think many more guilds would be able to have an opportunity to participate if they are allowed to select an alternate established guild member.