Too many comments and I can't reply to them all, but I'll try it in this specific reply. Let me know if I forgot something, because I just red all of them replies. First of all, happy to see some users having similar thoughts as me. Thought that I'm the only one after the first replies.

Why it maybe wasn't a good idea? Each new user is different. One will like the portal, because it's more simple and easier to update your player, while other will still think that it might be a bit hard to understand everything there. I think that staying here for a new user is based on if he really loves the idea of a simulation hockey project where you are living your hockey dream. It wasn't easy for me as well in late S20's to figure everything out, but I did it and kinda enjoyed the struggle of it. And many of other users did. Didn't saw a response to my question why descriptions of received TPE doesn't have an exact link from the place we received them as well (on portal). I am not a dude who makes websites, but isn't that pretty simple? However, it's not like I hate it. I think portal is benefitial to people who uses mobile phones, doesn't have that much time to update their players or are triggered to get them all links together when they have to update their players. Or if they are just here to enjoy sims and wants to do updates faster. For me it was more fun, a bit special and nostalgic. You actually had to put in some time, work and effort. More like a good routine. Loved it. Would be hard to keep both - update threads and portal, but it would've been a nice love gesture to the both sides of users.

What we could've improved instead of this? For example, grading speed. Let's be honest. The previous media I did had a lot of replies and when I asked why it hasn't been graded in a long time, reply was something like this: "It was kind of a popular and everyone was replying there, so we kept it up and didn't grade it, so there's activity on the forum". So activity on the forum is important then, but not with other posts like AC's, Update Threads, Fantasy selections etc.? Those topics and replies on there might create new topics and activti yon other subfroums like Thunderdome later on as well. And I think just a reply in Update Thread is important too. At least we can easily see who is active, who is doing stuff. Forum looks alive. It took like 10 days to 2 weeks or sometjing to get my previous media graded. Okay, I had cash to purchase everything I needed at the time, but if I was a dude who don't have time for media and stuff, but he wants to buy Personal Coaching (28 TPE) in the last weeks of season and he needs that money from media when he created one? I wouldn't be able to do that, because of grading speed. Could we do something with that? Okay, we could wait with PT's getting graded, but media, GFX? TPE from PT's we will get anyway, but when there's low balance and you need that cash?

The next thing we could improve is parity. This has been a hot topic for a while already. Can't remember how it was with STHS, but I think it was more competitive for sure. For example, my Toronto "North Stars" have won a total of 43 games in past four seasons (264 games in total, win rate 16.3%, highest spot in the league in this period - 19th place). Let's go further and continue with Tampa Bay "Barracuda". Their last six seasons - 116 wins in 396 games (29.3% win rate, highest place in this period is 14th place in the league, but two seasons they ended with 17th place, one with 18th and one with 19th). Now Manhattan "Rage" - in last two seasons 12 victories in 132 games (9.1% win rate, last place in an entire league both of those seasons). Yes, it's based on GM's work, the current roster situation, recruitment and more, but isn't there some way to help the bottom of the league be more competitive at least a bit? If team has 4 wins (S71) in 66 games then something ain't right. There might pop up some new inactive players from that situation too. Checked NHL data and I don't see anything like that in real life either. And let's not foget we had "Barracuda" going 0-50 in S54. One option would be before trade deadline to make TOP 10 teams rent one player to bottom teams (15-20). One player who is on the 4th line on the top team could be a 2nd liner on team which is in the last place. At least some victories would come for them. Top teams would need to think about roster improvements too at the end of the season. Don't think players would be mad too. New atmosphere for the end of the season. Easy to explain, harder to do it, but it's still a solid option.

Getting something wrong? Yes - automated stuff makes it a bit more simple and you have a feeling that everything should be easier, better and more safe (without the chance of someone messing up the count of TPE). But there are still people who are adding those TPE for me, right? For example, at my post we have a snip from my portal - I got TPE added by luke and bbjygm. Not going towards them, but they still can mess up the count, so it doesn't change a lot at the end of the day.

Of course, it might just be a nostalgia. I got used to FHM when we changed to it from STHS and I will probably get used to portal as well, but I'm not feeling it fully yet. I see that a lot of users had excitement of this happening, but I'm one of the few who has mixed emotions. Hopefully it works out well and we will have much more active users now though.