Yes, let's go ahead with exchange-style, which most players prefer! Yet let's quietly reserve the possibility of re-visiting the game's style if fewer than 9 people want to play. (I'm afraid the alternative confused people before, so we won't emphasize it, just mention it.)

People who play year after year sometimes refine their preferences to reflect experiences in previous years. This is sensible for them! But it can make their preferences harder to match each year, in a limited pool of players.