My solution to this would be as follows:
Instead of having heaps of survival servers that are very similar, if not the same, the network offers a variety of servers.
Example 1: Player 1 joins 'Server A' and is having a good time, and decides to go on the network website to see what else is offered. Now player 1 also really likes Hardcore PvP servers, so he sees that 'Server C' IS a hardcore PvP server. He decides that he would like to check out server C, and finds that he prefers 'Server C' over 'Server A'. Win for C, and A just supported server C
Example 2: Player 2 joins 'Server F' and is getting bored quickly. The server staff suggest he take a look at some of the other servers in the network. Player 2 goes to the network website, and reads a detailed description of each server. He decides that 'Server B' sounds interesting, and joins it. Win for B, server F helped.
So in the end, each server would be helping the other to get as many regular players as often. The goal is to get each player to find that one server that they fit into, and to make it easier for them, we have more than one type of server.
Some servers we could have:
-Survival
-Creative
-Hardcore PvP
-Economy
-Tekkit
etc, you get the point
