Fist thing first - lobpot enthusiasts predominantly are not forum participants and those who dwell in forums, from looks of it, are amusing themselves by making up problems where is none and lobbing around it with pseudopolitics :) (what? my honest lurker's opinion...)
For all places i've been in, scarce as they might be, i must point out one tendency - there is always equivalent of what locally called "pot" in some shape or form. ut2k4, part of the "ultimate hardcore shooter" series that i obsessively played for some years, while offering some competitive gametypes, most popular servers were teamgames including vehicular 16vs16 clusters-something, most of which are spam, camping, trashtalk/cheating accusations dramas or attempts to gathers votes to kick some trolls.
[Spoiler]In fact it was hard to find players for classic 1v1, by far not everyone will find a joy in tryhard-ing, counting 55/25 sec for items and zoning out that shock rifle. Admins of our server (took me years to appreciate their work...) were saying it is fun for everyone ( and i concur here) - every person can find application for that one thing they like to do, be it raw aim skills, map navigation, tactical moves or camping and chatting.
And here some possible answers to question "Why do you find such big games appealing" : less tryhard/less waiting time/easier for balance (ut had no balancing system whatsoever).
I'd argue same true for a FAF: here are gap-and-likes/thermo/a-crater and semi-clusters like wonder, and i will avoid commenting much here, but i would consider those valid equivalents of local "pot". Also i've encountered an idea there somewhere i can only agree with, something like - playerbase is like a pyramid, you have a base where is majority, upper more competetive players and pros at the top, top ones are coming from lower tier so firs of all you have to support very bottom.
I personally would rather join big grey mass, because otherwise i feel like i getting into someone's party i've never been invited in a first place. Apparently most will do. Ofc you can do everything in interest for the elitists, ban n00bz, ban maps, ban all those thing
*I* consider bad, but there are examples of where this path will lead. UT was full of elitists, some are even explicitly proclaim "i am an elitist and proud of it" but you can see what state UT now in: dead, dusted and forgotten and latest establishment of the series is in longest pre-alpha season ever. Besides folks probably will join games they want, and play how they want regardles of how many times local elite population will call them lazy scared noobs or throw any other eclectic slanderous barrages. Most will rightfully answer to that "shut up and let me enjoy a game". None have to put up with this, there are other many places to be in, things to do, and other methods to convert your free time into "fun" and, who knows, even with better efficiency rate.