I’ll try to keep it focused . . .
MM is not as good as it can get. This is like the guy who wanted to close the patent office in 1940 because everything had been invented. Lots of people think MM is bad, . . . they might all be wrong, but I bet MM isn’t as good as it could be.
I’ve never heard of anyone being banned for afk, ever. In fact, I’ve never heard of a suspension for it, so . . . it clearly isn’t done enough.
The idea of “never match” is a community policing mechansim. Those who are universally disliked will never find matches. This way of policing is much better than the reporting system, which has the flaw you point out, people getting triggered for nohting. Limit the “no match” list to 20, and the worst of the worst will never find a game, done.
Yes, the league I suggest is like smurf accounts. It’s also a mode where you current skill matters, no you historical bias. MMR is too slow to adjust, so why not make a mode where is does quickly. I bet that mode becomes the most competitive and serious. Too many modes now? Well yes, because they are basically all the same now. What I suggest is different at least.
What is wrong with the reporting system? Are you serious? Yes, it’s too harsh for certain things, and not enough for others. I don’t see a problem with the logic there. You yourself say triggered teens control the system. I agree. The system is horribly inacurrate (garbage in from triggered teens, and garbage out from automated penalties). I’ve had this discussion before, so I can only point to the reviews of HoTs outside the bubble of these forums, and a negative always listed for this game is the arbitrary reporting and penatly system. Many (like me) would rather have no penalties for language, because you have to communicate in the game.
Also, there is a mute button. I don’t get upset if someone types something I don’t like. I mean, really, language so bad you are so hurt that you can’t manage to use the mute button. At the same time, completely horrible players are matched to your team, do nothing, get numerous reports for afk, and . . . . I see the same ones back in games over and over. IMO the reporting system has created a snowflake community, non competitive. I want HoTs to be the industry leader, and imo, that means competitive.
Meh, you like skins fine, but they do nothing to improve the game. If it really takes nothing more to make skins, then fine, but I don’t think that’s the real world. Someone is paid to make skins, and lots of them. Move that resource to real issues, imo.