sjm...Great answers to a myriad of problems. Perhaps if the ABP lowered their minimum to, say $10K, they might get a few takers...maybe.
One thing about business, there are no magic numbers....economy, demographics, business climate, location, and Many other factors determine this. Yeah, the IPT could of dished out smaller pies to different locations, but with No true business plan, even if they had Smaller venues, it still couldn't walk like a duck.
To start without Huge backing and to develop your first Microsoft computer, you start SMALL. How about something as simple as $1,000 or $2,000 added added events around the entire country, coordinate em so you could play in four per month without more that a 400 mile drive, that perspective is realistic and could develop the players, the venue, local interest, a ranking system & the sport.
WHY does it Have to be dbl elim? Have em play sets, like tennis, 2 outta three or three outta five, what ever works for that location, if you can't get thru the first match/single elim like tennis, then you go home, no room rental or extra food costs and your lady is glad to see you on Sunday, sometime.
Something as simple as awarding more player points @ a 2K event than a 1K event, TBD to what does work in the real world....till you try, nothing ever works or fails.
To develop the game, ALL aspects of play must be considered, not just the players, but the room owners, travel costs, players families, holidays, and on and on, heck the tennis tour is now complaining about too many events being required by the players to keep their card/elegibility.
Change, is what's needed, something will eventually work, give a Player Only organization a $100,000 and it will spend fast, guaranteed, give it to a smart business man, possibilites of success increase dramatically with still no guarantee.