For me the reason I like AH is the format it uses...I'm not into the small arena..ready set go type games...
the $ side of things ...well many steam users look at it in a strange manor..... even my kids are the same...they go on about how this game is free blah blah blah....but they clock up some ridiculous $ on the added extras required to be better and hang with the big boys....but they don't see it as it is a little cost here a little cost there.... 6 mths later the bank account is stripped and they are dumbfounded....Guess what...they move on to the next game....Attention spans are short these days especially if you can't get the entitlement you are told you are supposed to have.
The free part of it if time is taken to read is stated plain and simple....granted the arenas are not highly populated yet but if the word actually gets out and is understood then this could change in time...I do feel that the two weeks free part should be more of a...so many hours online....I know when I started I didn't play for a few days of the two weeks so they were ultimately wasted.... not that it mattered...I was hooked and going to pay anyway...
I think if it could be changed to a say...(I don't know what would be a feasible number) but lets say 100 hrs online time....this would give new players a whole heap of time to get totally addicted....not just partially....without having to cram it into a 14 day period.... cause life is busy you know...chores, sleeping, facebook and stuff hahaha