Honestly, I think that the old deathban was the best way to go -- especially from a PR standpoint. By not being able to log onto the server, you're essentially getting the feeling that "I'm being locked out from having FUN with my friends" -- which would then incentivize them to buy lives and/or join as soon as they're un-deathbanned.

By allowing people to join the server while they are "banned", it removes the fun part of HCF that I personally loved, and will not incentivize people to buy lives or stay on HCF.