For me it's not about a business, it's about a community. The fee is just a barrier to entry to filter participants. I believe even a nominal amount would keep

For me it's not about a business, it's about a community. The fee is just a barrier to entry to filter participants. I believe even a nominal amount would keep most people out, and that's by design. Also you don't need huge numbers to build a personally interesting community. Even a few dozen dedicated people can be plenty.