It’s one last hurrah for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today in downtown Seattle.
About 13,000 Microsoft employees are flocking to Key Arena this morning for the annual company meeting. This year’s big internal get-together is particularly notable because it is the final company-wide meeting for Ballmer, who set to depart within the year after announcing last month that he was stepping down as CEO of the Redmond software giant.
Here with 16000 people lining up for the #Microsoft Company Meeting. We’re all gung-ho for Steve Ballmer.
— Hannes Bretschneider (@hannes_brt) September 26, 2013
I'm an insider at @microsoft Company Meeting .. You Need any info :-) pic.twitter.com/omzdOODnFG
— Kemalettin BULAMACI (@kemalettin) September 26, 2013
Some stats on today’s meeting:
- About 13,000 are at Key Arena and Microsoft expects more than 25,000 to be watching via webcast
- There were 220 busses filled to capacity that transported people from the Redmond campus to Key Arena today
- 9,000 arrived via Microsoft shuttles
The Twitter stream showed a seriously long line to get into the arena, which has a capacity of about 17,459.
The line is ridiculous. Please start letting people into the Microsoft company meeting. Or at least provide coffee.
— Marcin Dobosz (@marcind) September 26, 2013
I'm pretty much the 16,000th person in line for the @Microsoft company meeting. We are wound all through Seattle Center.
— Bex (@bexrowl) September 26, 2013
It also caused some traffic problems for Thursday morning commuters:
Note to self: Do not attempt a commute to Seattle just before the annual Microsoft company meeting at Key Arena. cc @520_bridge
— Sasha Pasulka (@SashRocks) September 26, 2013
And apparently there was some rapping going on involving Windows Azure:
All I can do is cringe when I watch the videos they're playing before the Microsoft company meeting. Rapping about Azure? Awesome?
— Randall (@RandallWBrown) September 26, 2013
Meanwhile back on the Microsoft campus, conference rooms are available.
Ahhh, Company Meeting day. The only day at Microsoft where vendors work anywhere, and conference rooms are easy to book.
— Dave O'Brien (@obiwanjr) September 26, 2013
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11:15 A.M. PST with attendance numbers from Microsoft
