A good point Todd.
I have been to many seminars with many styles present. And I, as a freestyler, was embarrassed by the standard of techniques shown by some freestylists, where technique has been sacrificed for "pointscoring"; "street realism"; "its easier to do it this way" etc etc.
My instructor prides himself on teaching good solid technically correct techniques, not deferring to the easier quick win mentality. We often mix with traditional clubs, who are normally surprised when they find out we are a freestyle system because of the way we train. However, there is an amount of snobbery as well. The same people you could have been training with, sparring and groundfighting, will change their attitude when they realise you're a freestylist.
To me, freestyle means not limiting yourself, everyone can teach you something. To others it means, take what works and just use that.
Unfortunately, everyone finds different things that work. e.g. If i show 10 defences to a standard right cross, out of 10 people, most will choose a favourite that is different to everyone else..... so a freestylist has to be careful not to teach only what works for themself.
A good freestyle club should still have a strict syllabus, that encompasses all the necessary basic and advanced techniques, although that syllabus can be amended if and when necessary. Any club that ditches certain aspects such as kata.... really are selling themselves short.