I disagree. Northridge has been around and very popular in other communities. Each forum has helped, WAL is not solely responsible for their success. Lots of people knew who NR4x4 was before this forum. I'm sure new relationships with and through WAL have helped, but they've been widely known and supported on various other platforms for years.
It is apples to oranges because like you said, NR4x4 is a parts vendor and shop, WAL is an automotive forum. Neither are in the video production business. NR pays to promote their business on this site. WAL accepts money from vendors to promote them on this site. Sure the video may have rubbed Eddie and others the wrong way, but apples to apples would be if NR started their own forum and tried to take members from here. Such loose analogies have been thrown around - fucking your wife in your own house, selling shit in your shop. In all fairness, there's nothing proprietary about narrating an expedition/outdoor documentary style video. Expedition Overland has been doing that for years and it can be said that NR copied them, too. Expedition Overland, Eddie, and NR just applied this style of filming to our sport.
Now before the flame brigade sets out and attacks, I'll say that I'm not disagreeing with Eddie or agreeing with NR. NR should have made sure posting that video was okay with Eddie - his house, his rules. Outside of that, it is a company promoting themselves on a forum they pay money to promote themselves on. Something I'm sure they regret now considering the business they'll lose.
/rant.