There is something called inflation.
Too much gold on the server?
Increase all prices by X.
In matter of few weeks, everyone will burn their gold most likely since ordinary stuff such as flying would be changed from 5k to 35k (OriginalPrice*RealmRate)
Even ordinary stuff such as food from vendors etc would be costly. With that in mind, auction house would go nuts for 2-3 weeks but it would burn everyones money down.
Once we reach the point where we can say that certain amount of gold is burned out then simply return the gold rate to x3 as it was planned.
I know many people will say things such as "But people will stop simply buying stuff then while inflation is undergoing", well actually thats wrong. If the inflation was introduced with the proffesion nerf then this would go lovely with eachother.
This could even be automatic for all realms.
Example:
if there is 100.000.000+ gold on the server turn on the inflation mode that would drop down Gold rate to x1, increase prices by x5 etc.
Once we drop bellow 100.000.000 the prices will go back down to original and Gold rate drop would be back to x3
Why are people complaining?
Lets take Frostwolf as an example. This realm is barely working. Most of the stuff is either broken or half-working. Now Warmane thinks this way
"We will tell people that we are going to flush their gold, drop down reputation rates, drop down gold & proffesions, but thats all Okay since we will push few patches that will fix existing bugs".
Can you see the problems? First they are telling people about the nerf and **** while the server is half working.
There was a HUGE mistake by doing this. People wont look at it as in matter of "Oh cool, they will fix everything and then they will do this then. Great!", they are looking it this way "Oh my ****ing god, what the ****. You are trying to make this broken **** even harder. Too many things arent working and you want to now reduce our reputation rates and proffesions... **** off!".
That is the main problem as it goes to MOP atleast.
Regarding Icecrown, well I am not sure lol.