Looks like Intuit is going the low priced ($199) conference root. They also have the faux celebrities - including Magic Johnson. I'm guessing someone in the know tipped Sage very early in the process that this is the new trend for ERP conferences.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/intuit-adds-earvin-magic-johnson-to-jam-packed-quickbooks-connect-agenda-2014-09-29