I have observed a trend among a few kids that I know. This will certainly make Daniel Sleator happy. These kids were not allowed to play on ICC in the past because of the payment issues. But now they were able to play for free on USCL and could demonstrate to their parents that online servers are not just some gimmick. The next step is to generate revenue from it.
Young folks seem to have a special interest in on-line play.
The minute you start charging for tournaments, the attendance drops dramatically. For US Chess Live to be part of that appeal, the server needs to offer something of value that exceeds what ICC offers. Currently, I see only lectures and prize tournaments. If someone can't attend at these hours, or has little interest in lectures or blitz tournaments, or is worried about computer cheaters, then this has no added value. On ICC, a person gets the services of a well-run server that has been around six years to work out the kinks.