What would be so wrong in day 1 only being available to paid AHA members, and you only get to submit 1 beer, presumably your best beer?
Day 2 - If slots still available, open to 1 entry for non AHA member.
Day 3 - If slots still available, open to a max of 2 entries for a member registered on day 1.
Day 4 - If slots still available, open to a max of 2 entries for someone registered on Day 2.
rinse repeat until all slots are filled. I mean, it's a competition to claim the best home brewed beer. Put your best beer out there, don't "buckshot" the comp with 15 entries, hoping one moves on. Take a look at your member base. If half of them register, and why wouldn't you think at least half would, you're filled on day 1. Not, filled in 20 min. Give your membership a chance to enter. As stated in other posts, people are stuck at work with archaic software that wasn't even supported. Or move it to a weekend where the majority won't be at work, or as a last resort, move it to the evening.
I understand that AHA is run by people, and people are human. I get that. But after seeing the fiasco that happened not more than a month ago with the conference registration, they should have been put on notice that something similar was going to happen with the competition registration. You've seen nothing but growth in this organization over the past 10 years, what made you think last years records/statistics were going to stagnate? Personally, I'm glad I did not plan well and did not have any beer that I would consider submitting. Otherwise I'd be just as frustrated as all of you.