WMLute, I have just thought about your idea. The result would be very simple.
Basically All people would be in one arena. All other people would be waiting for a player from a different country to join so they could get in to the 1 arena.
HiTech
Maybe. Then again maybe not. I know if I had the choice between an arena with 400 players and one with 200 I lean towards the smaller. I also know many other players feel the same.
I also think that both arenas have taken on their own identity to a degree and you will have player loyalty to that arena.
I honestly think that after a time you will end up with both arenas well populated.
A squaddie suggested tonight that maybe we keep SOME form of arena cap present. Just not to the degree we have it now. That in and of itself would keep all the players from just one arena.
I might suggest this Tue. you open up two LW arenas. See if everybody goes into Orange(TT) or if some do indeed fly Blue. I am betting Orange(TT) will get close to maxed out but Blue will also have a decent amount of players in it. Lord knows I HATE TT as does most in my squad and if given the option of TT with 550in it or another LW with 150 we'd fly the 150 in a heart beat.
That might give you a general idea, but until you add the side balancing that forces players into the "other" arena we really can't use that as much of a guide.
The $50,000 question that made me start this thread is how best to populate both arenas, and at the same time keep the countries balanced.
Two LW arenas with each one having a huge hoard on one country is getting out of hand. There HAS to be a way to balance out the players.
You tried ENY to force players to change sides (at least one of the reasons). It didn't/doesn't work (very well anyway)
You originally did the arena split because the arenas were "unhealthy". I would suggest they are again unhealthy.
Tonight in Blue the knits had 15-25 ENY because there were hardly any Rooks on.
They were all in Orange where they also had a 15+ ENY and were rolling the map.
This has become the "norm" in prime time.
What we now have are two arenas that are constantly out of whack with one country having a huge # advantage.
Maybe my suggestion won't "work" (I think it might) but I really feel that something needs to be put in place to balance the players.