If this is true, the USATF is so idiotic it's not funny anymore. I completely disagree with the idea that the standards should be made harder. They should be made easier--the men's at least. I think the women's standard was about right where it was at 2:46 for the B standard.
They must have some of the stupidest marketing people in the business. If the standards are made easier, then more regular working people will be training to qualify for the trials. In turn, that gets more non-running people interested in spectating marathons because then they could follow their family member or coworker's progress as they try to qualify. And if they do, they will want to watch the event on TV when it happens.
As an example, take the women from Chicago who were trying to qualify this year. Somebody was so interested in their story as working people who also train hardcore for marathons that she decided to make a movie out of them! Here is somebody who is VOLUNTEERING to give the marathon trials more exposure, and it's because the trials were made accessible to regular people who train for the trials.
As of now, most people don't even know that USATF selects the marathon team for the olympics. Hell, most people don't even know that USATF exists. They should do themselves a favor and make the trials more accessible to regular people.