"Many 'Broadway-Lovers' really have just experienced POTO, Wicked, and The Lion King, but they have yet to inquire in the true Broadway classics"
Now that's not entirely fair. While Phantom is my favorite show, and I have a love for the newer musicals, it doesn't mean I haven't watched/listened to many of the classics. (My Fair Lady has a sturdy place in my Top Ten list, and of course I have watched the film versions of shows such as The King and I, Sound of Music, Chicago, etc.)
The thing is that, as much as we may all be saddened by it, Broadway is changing and will continue to change. Newer generations will like the newer shows because those are the kind that speak to them the most, so naturally musicals such as Phantom and Wicked are going to become classics in their own right. The reason Phantom is my favorite show is not because I'm "uneducated" or a "newbie," but because I happened to enjoy it the most out of all the shows I've seen/listened to; I really do think one should be able to like whatever show they wish without being accused of not being a "true" Broadway fan.
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire