Managing conflict in game community cultures

So, I happened to have lunch recently with one of the head honchos of a popular MMO, and he mentioned a community management problem that I'd actually been thinking about for years, without solution. But thinking about his situation has led me to a (totally obvious) solution.  NOTE: I'm being a most-time dad these days, and it's hugely good and rewarding and exhausting. Apologies in advance...

So the issue is the twin currents of marketing conflict and competition, and managing a productive, positive community. I'd run into this several times, notably when I was working on Splinter Cell (and I dodged the bullet, so to speak, there, by having Morgan Romine, aka Rhoulette of the Frag Dolls, work with me - her charisma drove the community effort).  In a conflict-based game, the effort is to enhance