pgt: Exactly this is the reason I do not participate in gammon(especially cloning backgammon) tournaments with long time controls. It does not matter how many years it can take for a tournament to finish. You have to take that in account when setting up time controls. This is why Fischer time controls exist. Any tournament creator can make use of them. Anyone wanting to participate to a tournament can take the time controls in account.
Less people participate in tournaments, because less people play in the site. And from those that pay, very few like quick time controls, it seems. I am one of those that try to create tournaments with quick time controls. Hardly any of them ever get enough people to start.