Why does CC even have a ranked-vs-casual distinction? Compared to FL, the quicker matches and much smaller teams should drive players to a MMR/rank reflecting their intrinsic skill level much more rapidly. Thus the players who treat the game as a competitive mode will quickly float like cream to the top, whereas those banging out games to get the participation rewards will slosh about towards the bottom.

If the issue in ranked is the lower ranks drying up as competitive players ratchet into the higher ones, simply having everyone in the same pool would keep the lower ranks populated, and possibly obviate the need for the majority of players having to DC travel.

It's like CC uses two independent methods (casual-v-ranked and MMR within ranked) to encourage match balance, whereas FL says: " Your first match? Here, have a semi-static premade as an opponent."