My opinion:
Members like me just use this site for hobby. So money needs to be collected from members like me.
The money collected from members should be used for running the site and then some remuneration should be given to members who always update info like TT, CC etc... used by the visitors.
This encourages them to perform better and keep the site...
more... updated. That's how the site grows and stays successful.
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But the model used here is different.
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Some money is generated from ads. And that is used for running the site.
The info updation is done on the basis of members who compete among themselves to update more and more, spending their time and putting efforts to gather info, so that they have more number of TLs.
So this competition helps the owner to keep his site updated at no cost.
Some money is spent on giving these TLMs T-Shirts or conducting conventions - only the last one was held for all unlike the previous ones held for admins only.
Yours truly had some part in that decision to invite all :)
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This model has worked out well, because more new members keep joining and join this TL race even as some old members' interest wanes away.
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Also money can be collected from those using this site to post their YT videos. They get a lot of views from using this platform.
Some even have special treatment like their channel and blog name is mentioned on the side of the main forum, giving greater visibility.