Art is subjective, and there is no a priori reason to claim a superior experience based on how the MUD's owner derives their income. That said, I'm not opposed to disclosing that status, and never have been-- I didn't like the loaded word "amateur" because of its (intentionally) ambiguous meaning.
However, there is an a priori reason to know the business model-- everyone has a budget (even if it is thousands of dollars), and if you can't afford a game where money matters, you won't be able to play it. Everyone knows their budget, and a good MUD resource would let them know what they are in for.
Conversely, you've argued that some players prefer a pay-for-perks model because it allows them to make a trade (RL money for in-game time) that another game might offer. They might actively search out a game with that criteria. More power to them. I just don't like hiding the information from them.
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