I don't see it as bitching. I don't know if it's true that nobody questioned it at wotmania. People bitched about everything at wotmania, so I find it impossible to believe nobody bitched about this I wasn't around back when premium accounts first started to be sold, but also those might have been features that weren't commonly found on free websites at that time. By the time I came around people were used to it (as you say) and then there was a system in place for people who wanted to have a premie but didn't want to spend the money on it, so less need to bitch about it I suppose.

There are plenty of genuinely good reasons for people to buy premium accounts. That Mike sold them at wotmania isn't one of them. There also might be better ways to fund the site (and there might not). Ben doesn't owe anyone an explanation, obviously, but I see nothing wrong with a little pushback about what else may or may not have been considered.