That's completly wrong. Anyone who check this thread on FSE can vote, the amount of people checking this thread daily is huge and certainly more than 40% / 50% of it won't play in the RGL Phoenix, that's a fact. Some people just love giving their opinions even though they're not even remotely concerned, how can you 100% sure that the people voting will all be playing in the RGL. I'm pretty sure you can't.
Most of the players check this thread regularly to stay updated so most of the votes come from the same members. If I ask the leaders I am 80-90% sure they will not make a fair internal vote. I think the 40-50% of unconcerned players you're stating are false. Most active forum members either only read the off topic threads or play in a competitive reg. The casual NW scene isnt proportionally represented on the forums.
You will never make everyone happy therefore such reasoning can only lead (in my opinion) to many problematics even though I agree with the general idea, that would be cool but its impracticable unless you wait to have all the rosters and you ask every single members about their opinion. But opening a FSE poll and hoping that the result will represent accurately the average opinion of the hundred players which are going to partake into the RGL is naive if anything. And I'm pretty sure your experience taught you better.
I care more or at least as much about the votes of these players than about a lot of the leaders' votes so I won't ignore them. The 72nd and the 66th alone have 100+ members. Asking the leaders wouldnt represent the opinions of the players either. I think that's the better approach.
By experience, it works and its easier to deal with complaints afterwards.
By experience, the leaders vote what they want.
I mean applications end Nov. 1st, now imagine when it actually starts; NW is dead by then
Dont think there will be much delay. Maybe a week or so after the sign ups are closed. If there will be a roster rule it will shortly be announced so that the regs have more time and the regs wont have more than two weeks in total to prepare them as it is not much work and they will still be able to update them.