I find it cute that some of the "good customers" here think that united would close the MP accounts of those who took advantage of this offer. Current united is not about the "right thing to do" but only tries to gain as much money in each transaction.
I'm a kettle, seat in my Y seat without expecting upgrades, never try to get out of fees that I have to pay, don't ask for compensation for every small customer service issue, I have their credit card and actually use it sometimes. If I just bought a TOD or two I would be the perfect "new united" customer.
They will happily keep my account open and continue incentivize me with RDMs that they know I like, although they now know that I'm a "bad person" who will try to take advantage on the next mistake fare. Why would they cut me off when my participation in MP is a net gain for them? I would go for the mistake fare with or without being a MP member (assuming most mistake fares are not award related).
In the meanwhile, if they have a big loss that they "must pass to the customer", hey, they can always cut more benefits from their elites which continue to defend their airline despite everything it did to them. Why not, they are not going anywhere unless they are of the over-entitled variety. That's how this airline thinks, and with the responses in this thread I wouldn't be surprised if this strategy actually worked for smisek et al.