I've said before that the setting of SAO is a good one with a lot of potential and that SAO just hasn't been able to capitalize on it in any way whatsoever. People might be identifying with that potential and not the actual execution.
That's the closest I can get you to an answer. If it's not that, then all I can say is people have bad taste.
Thank you. You actually pretty much nail one of the three reasons I like the show.