I actually agree with this one.
I have said before, Battletech could actually use a relatively peacefull interlude with no sphere-shattering conflicts to allow some of the dust to settle, and for the powers that exist to rebuild their stuff so we can blow it up all over again. A time skip seems like a perfectly appropriate way to handle it.
I wasn't paying much attention during the original 3250 controversy. Was the issue with the time skip itself, or with some element of the teased future era? (I genuinely don't know) I could imagine either, or both being the case.
(Also, I would totally buy a Euro-style economic game based on FWL trade in the age of the 3rd Star League. :D)
Let's see if I can sum up..
1) Hints that the sheer number of weapons/equipment would be reduced spooked those that want to spend all day designing new units.
2) People that were just getting in to the Dark Age and didn't want to jump immediately into a new era. (we haven't gotten all the Dark age units as miniatures, story isn't complete, etc)
3) Concerns that a time jump would make existing collections obsolete. Whether it's minis, or rules, or whatever is new about the new era.
For my own opinion,
1) I think we need to start with new player friendly, and then BT can expand from there. As long as that expansion keeps the base game new player friendly. ie. keep expansion of equipment on the sidelines (prototypes) or easily accessible (expansion box set and still new player friendly rules).
2) I think the new era needs LOTS of prep time. It's not coming next year or the year after. We have time to finish up the Dark Age before any new era comes along. That time should be used to make sure the new era is done well.
3) I don't have any fears that BattleTech wouldn't keep Thunderbolts, Orions, Wolverines, etc recognizable (see Classics..). And the new era would feature them prominently. The same as 3050 Griffins were recognizably Griffins. Rules-wise, I wouldn't expect major changes either. It would still be BattleTech.