I'm a big believer in Jerome's rules and strongly support and encourage outfitters to become sponsors.
AH is possibly the best community I've encountered on the internet- lots of great information shared, friendly environment without judgy types, etc. I also trust the"Sponsor" banner when I see it- it means that the outfitter is not just trying to get money, but is supportive of this community.
Its important to remember that AH is not free. It costs money to host a website- and the more traffic you get, the more expensive it becomes. Its easy to forget about these costs if you're just a visitor or member enjoying the content. Sponsors paying their dues is what keeps AH up and running.