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In general, more players is a good thing. Makes for a more target rich environment for us
As I mentioned to you on Saturday Cap, there's "elitist" types of all ranges, but so long as you keep your nose clean and don't get too confrontational, you'll find most airsofters are pretty welcoming to new players.
League play is touchy though. A lot of players left that kind of competative game behind when they left paintball to play airsoft.
Most of the active players in Saskatchewan, with more than 2 years of play under their belts, are very familiar with the notion of mil-sim vs skirmish. Most have taken the bootcamp that PDW runs every year as preparation for a season of mil-sim events to come. Its not to say that people don't skirmish, but it seems that if players can only commit to one or two games a month, they tend to save their time for an organized event where they can share the field with 20-100 other players in a bigger game, rather than just a series of 5 on 5. Not to say that you won't get interest, but you likely won't get a lot of interest from the current established playing base because we tend to gravitate more towards mil-sim or themed games.
When I started PDW back in 2000, it was intended as a team/club for players with the following common goals: wanting to play gi joe with guns that looked like guns and not super soakers, wanting to play dressup in camoflage not neon jerseys, and full-auto baby! Even some of the original MAA players might recall our old Op:Stubblejumper games where we started playing more mission based games, instead of just elimination or arena play. And prairie milsim has evolved a lot over the past decade. Westcan, Keystone Strike series, Thunderball, FierySpoon, etc. etc. I know of groups playing and planning zombie style games.
There ARE some competative game styles out there. I know that some airsofters do an IPSC style league, but by its nature its more an individual thing than a team thing. There are skills competition style meets that are played and planned. But not much for "league play" if you are referring to paintball styled arena ball with 5vs5 games. I don't personally know of any of these types of leagues, but then, I hardly know everything about airsoft in Canada.
In a typical milsim you may see Team A Main objective, defend the airfield (with 15 sub-missions). Team B Main objective, capture the scientists (with 10 sub-missions). Team A will have 50 players. Team B will have 30. Will there be head to head action? Will there be intense firefights? Will there be a clear winner of the game? The answers are: Yes, yes, possibly maybe depending on how the missions go.
You can't get the kind of equal rules you would in a 5v5 league game, but for people who like sims, you get just as much fun and satisfaction in playing, even if there is no clear "winner" of a match.
Are you confident in your abilities to read a map and compass, bushwack through heavy undergrowth to find your supply cashe, call in your coordinates for an emergency evac, assist the combat engineer in wiring up the building to explode and do so while under fire, people screaming for medics and mommy all around you, and a creeping artillery barrage has you pinned down? If this is the kind of challenge your players are looking for, then by all means, attend a mil-sim game. If your players are preferring a 5vs5 format, then I wish you best of luck on your league and we'll possibly see you at the next skirmish instead.
Re: retailing
Based on the links on their page, looks like a possible deal is being worked out with Velocity Arms.
More retailers in general, is likely a good thing.
Unless it leads to an influx of under-18 players who have no respect for the established rules and established community.
Note: This is not to say that there aren't over-18 douchebags. But said douchebags CAN be charged for their idiocy because they are 18. Like the twit in Greer Court who was caught after shooting two kids with pellets during the easter break last week.
IMO, under 18 players in Saskatchewan that have turned out ok, are the exception, not the rule. Our local communtiy is pretty strict about who we bring into the hobby.