But, I do understand what you're saying. But I know how hard the staff at the AHA works. And I'm starting to get that same knowledge with the BA folks. In fact I think they share some staff members.
And I appreciate their work, even if it's not perfect.
I don't believe that anyone who has been around the AHA for a while (i.e. not just the people who signed up to get in on the presale) thinks for a moment that these people do not work their asses off for this great hobby.
That said, with the issues with NHC registration, 1st round competition entries, and now GABF (2 years in a row from what I'm hearing), there definitely needs to be some action taken to address these situations. It is only going to get worse as more and more people get into homebrewing (rumor has it there will be 4000 people at NHC next year ) and craft beer. Whether or not these events are the fault of the BA/AHA, it reflects badly on the brand and makes it more difficult to sell. GABF was not a concern for me since I never plan on going, but if something similar happened for NHC, I would be rather upset.
I realize the growth of the AHA is astronomical, and I'm sure everything is being done that can be. Maybe once this recent debacle settles down, Gary can issue a statement to the membership detailing what steps are being taken to prevent or at least, minimize these issues.
For now, I am glad to continue my AHA membership and plan to renew when it is up, mostly due to the items listed above.