One of the problems is that for much of the US, Hyatt and Starwood are not viable. Try booking either in Springfield IL or Albany NY.

That leaves Hilton to compete with Marriott and Priority Club, and Hilton is the only one of the three which gives status on stays. The latter two programs are better for those who do 17-20 long stays (3-4 nights) a year in those environments, but Hilton is still the better program for those who do 14-15 stays of 1-2 nights. Especially since with Hilton you can get stay credits on award stays.

That doesn't excuse the devaluation, and it doesn't make me want to rush out and do 28 Hilton stays next year.