I'm currently out of commission due to shitty internet service until August, but well before that issue popped up, my attempt to gather folks had pretty well died.
It seems like there's a combination effect of having a playerbase that isn't huge on PvP to start (at least among those I tend to play with on ER Alliance) being further winnowed down by the perception that Rated BGs are a lot of organization and coordination for little reward. The fact that 5 arena wins caps out weekly Conquest and are easy to slap together in an hour or two also decreases the reward of RBGs. Esentially the reward of RBGs is a chance to make a run for titles, and I don't think that's much of a draw. Personally, I think it would be a lot of fun, especially given my usual experiences pugging normal BGs vs taking in a small group of friends.
If there's still interest out there, count me among the interested, although as I said, I'm out of commission for another 2 1/2 months.