It seems that a lot of regattas now are just having less attendance which can be some of the problem. Both sailors having to be US Sailing members also adds cost and may deter some. If you sail with a lot of sailors in your area, you know which ones come out on top more often and you have never beat so why spend the extra money on US Sailing membership just to go to a regatta. The Alter cup is a week long event and getting time off can be a problem so why go to the qualifier and not just a local regatta that does not need US Sailing membership. I go to the qualifier because it is in an off time of the year and is a lot of fun and the host has kept the costs low. If the qualifier has another regatta as a conflict and the cost to attend is high I don't think I would go. I don't really care to go to the Alter cup but I do like going to a fun local regatta. I sailed in a qualifier before a Hobie 18 nationals to get practice for the Hobie event and was not a US Sailing member and did not get scored because I just did not want to spend another 40.00. I almost did not go to our qualifier last year because my teammate could not come, so I sailed with my super crew (wife) and had to buy her a US sailing membership on the way to the regatta. It is just a waste of money for her to be a member when she sails a few regattas a year and would never go to an Alter cup.
Maybe waive the fee for crew, or both, for the qualifier to see if that gets attendance up.