There's a lot of game design baggage that big IP titles just can't resist including, I'd expect an arena revival to come from an indie shop trying new things and importantly leaving out a lot of other things.
I wouldn't mind seeing Tribes sledding in more stuff though.
"Skiing" -- a physics bug that could cancel out friction with the ground, which (together with the game's wide open terrain and jetpacks) was so beloved by the community that it became the identifying movement mechanic of the franchise.
I wouldn't mind seeing Tribes sledding in more stuff though.