You’re right. If fresh TBC servers become a reality, a lot of casual players are going to be faced with a harsh reality. Fresh servers attract some of the most meta, min/max, AH manipulating, speed clearing hardcore players out there. And then other hardcore players see a chance for competition and join in too. It’s a wave.
The main difference being, it began at point 1 rather than point 60 or whatever. So phase 1 and 2 will be a different experience but by phase 3 and 4, you’ve become a lot more like every other server. But that’s okay, it’s a community that shaped itself from nothing rather than carried over from 2 years of pre-existing. There will always be that feeling of difference throughout its TBC life and that’s a big draw-card for many, including me.