Hype, SEO, backlinks and to expose Techcrunch to a wider audience by indirectly forcing finalists to link & talk about Techcrunch on their respective sites.
"I don't like honors" (5:30)<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qILEIio8jZU#t=5m30s" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qILEIio8jZU#t=5m30s</a>