I don't get the whole self defeating, ohh the poor locals will never get to SCS thing going on here. The SCS are well within a person's reach if they put in the effort. You're contributing to something you have wide open ability to be involved with at whatever capacity you choose. You could qualify in a lot of states with 1 bigger event win, put in the work.
If the TD's don't want the hassle, switch to non-wppr, or do bi-monthly, quarterly, etc submissions instead, lots of options. These are probably the same people complaining that locals don't have a chance anyway, so why care. Don't want to explain to newbies about SCS, ifpa, etc etc., then don't. "Part of the $x entry is for admin costs", I've heard that before & no one has questioned it or cared. I mean seriously, so many people are clunking down (x)thousands of dollars on pinball every year, even playing on location shit I'll spend ridiculous money, another $1 is not going to matter. At least if there's a "cash grab" involved, I'd prefer that $1 is going to help put money into the pockets of pinball people that have put in far more effort than I do, rather than the bar that is selling me leftover crappy beer at full price, or operators who don't take care of their machines.
Instead of bitching maybe people should consider Josh has done so much to help pinball and give him some trust. I can't believe they don't already charge for the ridiculous amount of work they put in.