Reading the forum always makes me shake my head at the complete disconnect between what people say here and what I hear/read on country and vox in the game. I just don't think this forum represents anything remotely approaching an accurate cross-section of the views of people actually playing the game. But then, I suppose anyone could say that.
So why not put it to the test?
We had arena polls - polls that reflecting the view of each individual who actually logged on and played, not the loudest-mouthed forum warriors - on new planes, so why not have them on issues that are probably more important to most people playing?
First up, arena caps. I'd bet $100 right now that if HTC put up a simple, one-question poll - "Should arena caps be done away with?" - at least 75% of the players logging on would vote "Yes". After that we could discuss questions like the new off-peak arena system, ENY, and whether the recent changes have put the base-taking aspect of the game out of balance, or whether people regard base-taking and strategic goals as an important part of the game at all. One good use to which the forum *could* be put might be suggesting and refining future poll questions.
Of course, HTC being a privately-owned business and not a democracy, there's nothing to say the results would have to be implemented or even disclosed. But at least it would give the company much more accurate feedback on how the people who actually pay the bills feel. After that they can decide whether to listen, or to go on introducing unpopular "solutions" that are worse than the problems and let the game keep shrinking at the rate it is now so they can all be looking for new jobs (and we players for a new game) in a year or two.
I'm sure this idea will bring plenty of flames from the usual forum blowhards who insist their opinions (expressed at LENGTH and with many spelling errors) are superior to and should carry more weight than those of the unwashed masses who actually, you know, PLAY the game (and yeah, by the way, also make its existence possible financially). Which is exactly my point.
So come on, HTC how about it? Don't you want to know what your paying customers really think? What have you got to lose?