Well I think you are pretty correct. Traveller isn't really gaining in
market share that I see. My local store (in Duluth, MN) only carries
one or two TNE items at a time. I think there are couple of problems
that are evident.
1) The quality of materials in MegaTrav definently drove people away.
2) Not creating a new fad with TNE, sort of jumping on the destroyed
universe bandwagon.
3) Computer Games are getting much more sophisticated, and Traveller
has not kept up.
4) Detail, not enough detail for novice group to build a traveller campaign.
ie. DND were everything there for you. Even a novice player who
knows the rules can get buy with one of the modules. It may only be
passing, but it is not failing. Therefore it is hard to bring people
into traveller.
This was just off the top of my head.
Alex