[Triple T]

I could argue either way, but to be positive for a change, I'll say that it is good for business. Assuming that the soke-ship is meaningful to the art and that the art itself is a legit system and not just a new label on the same McDojo garbage, having a soke adds a certain amount of authenticity to the training at lower levels. In theory, everyone teaching the art has been authorized to do so by this soke, and this soke is of such a high skill and knowledge level that such authorization is meaningful.

The historical background, I believe, has been that the soke was basically the vehicle for the transmission of information regarding the art and as such had control over who learned what, which was important in a day where martial training could be outlawed or when schools would try to shut each other down. Theoretically, the same thing could be true of today. Think if Randy Couture's Team Quest only got students because of his and his students' success in the UFC. Then think if Randy and all of his students lost to members of, say, American Top Team. Quest could lose so much money from student tuitions and sponsors that they might have to close their doors while ATT could soar into wealth and prestige. Well, the curriculum and methods of these schools could be protected from imposter students sent to scout them out if a soke-like system were in place to restrict dissemination and ensure accurate replication over time.