I'm not opposed to this new change if leagues below diamond had anything to fight for. But its birdseed at the bottom now that you're making people jump through hoops for. If you're saying there's not enough cards to get for everyone to have a level three card, why are you trying to push everyone to champion? Make gold and silver the bread and butter. Get outside endorsements for diamond and champion level players to sweeten the pot up there but put the bulk of the rewards in silver and gold and push players up there. THEN enact this so people actually have real incentive to combine to level 3 or 4 and we get scarcity.

Champion players will never be how you get all these cards combined. They will never be the way to absorb 75 million cards. It's going to be the players in the middle. Build up your middle class by making it rewarding to be in the middle class. The 1% will be 1% regardless. Yes reward them but someone who is driven to be champion level will be there regardless of the incentive you give them to a large degree.

FInally, I understand why you want to perfect the rewards system before you work on the new player experience but the reward system is a big part of the new player experience. The reward system should be built to reward new players. It should take them by the hand and show them that while this is profitable and fun, moving up just a little bit (which takes time) is even more profitable and fun. Once you hit gold, there is really no need to heavily incentivize people further. If a lot of people make it to gold and silver with the appropriote cards, the system worked. Those ultra competiive deep pocket people who really want to get to the top because they want to play at the highest levels will do so even if the rewards aren't SO much higher. Especailly as esports becomes bigger for Splinterlands.

Gold should be the end of the journey for middle class players. Diamond is the proving grounds for the ultra motivated who eventually want to make a name for themselves at the highest levles but need experience with the cards. Champ is Esports and endorsements.