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Again, the assumptions are being made that A) no one could understand M-e in the intimate way JRRT did (never mind that it is a flawed universe that Tolkien himself never finished); B) that no one could wish to continue the tradition for any reasons but money or self-agrandizement; C) that Middle-earth will now and forever be considered by fans and "Tolkien scholars" only within the scope of what was written by JRRT; and D) that fans and scholars would be asked thereby to consider new stories alongside the old as both being within "Tolkien's world".
A) M-e, as written by Tolkien, never was intimately understood by anyone, even Tolkien. See HoMe for details.
B) Some of us actually love M-e, and a few can actually write well, to boot.
C) Tolkien scholars can study the Tolkienesque parts of M-e stories; scholars of Middle-earth can study all stories written about it. There is no reason to equate Tolkien scholarship with Middle-earth necessarilly; in fact, there are Tolkien scholars who might only be interested in his other writings.
Also, who speaks for all or most fans of Middle-earth? I dare say that a good percentage of them are under 20, had never read any Tolkien before the movies came out, and could not get halfway through the Silmarillion. Who are we to consider our opinions more true or important than theirs?
D) Middle-earth is no longer Tolkien's world. If you don't believe me, just ask him.
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