Should I?

[Plinko]

If you don't have time to commit to a team, I would recommend getting into lobbies and PUGs for the gametype you're interested in. Then you don't have to make specific commitments beyond playing when you want to, and you get to play.

Team backups usually rarely get to practice with the team, so most leaders want someone who already knows their role in the format when they are needed for scrims/matches. That makes it hard to get started unless you start with friends (always the best way to get started IMHO).

[cam]

Competitive tf2 is a ton of fun! I totally recommend giving it a try.

The suggestion for subbing on a team is a great recommendation if you don't have the time to commit but still want to be able to participate.

[jettah]

I recommend giving it a shot. If you are going to sub and want to give yourself a better shot at some playtime, be able to play more than 1 class at a decent level.

My entry into UGC came as a sub and I very rarely ever played my primary class (I only actually got to play engi in 1 or 2 scrims when their engi was having intermittent internet issues). Be well rounded and you open up a lot more options. I spent a season as a sub and actually got to play in a good number of scrims as well as a few matches. I was def out of my comfort zone, but if you are willing to work as a member of a team and communicate, the individual skill portion became less important.

This past season I have not been around as much and my playtime has dropped off. I would love to ramp it back up again and have the time to commit to it.

I prefer the Highlander game model because I think it is how this game was really meant to be played. Never tried 6's, but I guess I would give it a shot if the right team came around.