I have read most of the replies here and would like to add my two cents. The hobby IS a business and any retail establishment is going to be about making as much money as possible. Any LCS charges as much as they can and such things as location play into their costs.
I would much rather deal with people at my LCS and watch my fellow collectors bust wax with a few of them being friends of mine rather than watching a whole bunch of strangers essentially gamble their money away during group breaks. Group breaks have become dull and boring for me actually sinçe it's the same thing being pulled over and over again and a lot of the breakers have little or no personality and only care about the money they are making.
There are only a couple of live breakers I will be a part of since the atmosphere in the rooms I frequent has a distinct LCS feel and not just some guy sitting in his basement trying to fill a case of whatever it might be. That being said, the LCS despite all these group breaks and raffles going on online will continue to strive and survive and it essentially has to since w/o it where will those without internet access get their dose of cards?
I am also someone that rarely buys or sells cards online and I know I am in the minority and I pretty much only use the internet to view breaks from those places I already mentioned. Don't get me wrong I still get excited about watching online breaks, but it just isn't the same as experiencing the same thing in person.
