This implementation has confused me ever since Season 1. Considering that it hasn’t changed in Season 3, I’ll bring it up again. It is flat-out stupid and the fact that it still works this way is baffling to me.
If someone reaches "insert rank"5, the current system incentivizes them not to play close to season-end or, at best, gives people anxiety about playing because if they lose too many games out of their own control, they will receive a lower reward. This can obviously affect other players, too, because they will have more try-hards in their games who could get really, really mad if they lose.
For God’s sake, change it to highest rank reached in season, not current rank at end of season. It also fixes the confusion that is seen here in the forums at the end of every season when people don’t get the reward they thought they should’ve gotten.