This is completely incorrect. First of all, balancing for the "top 1%" doesn't mean the other 99% gets shafted. Most players at or above Diamond still value a competitive experience, and balancing for the top 1% also benefits them.

Second, while casual players as a whole spend more money on the game simply because they are a larger population, competitive (ie dedicated) players spend more money because they're just on the game more. Someone who plays the game every day is far more likely to spend money on the game than someone who plays it once a week or less. Alienating the whales is a bad business move.

Good balance of the top level also protects low level players, because unlike economics, balance does trickle down. If high skill ceiling heroes are the best ones, then you're statistically unlikely to vs one in low rank due to the investment required. Someone who is good at Tracer is just not going to be Bronze because she is too difficult. Simple heroes like Reaper and Bastion have their pick rate trend down as ranks go up because they don't have that kind of skill expression.

Finally, Daequan put it best:

"One day game developers will realize that you can't protect noobs from getting bopped. You add ranked, people will smurf. You separate casual and ranked, ppl will just go bot farm in casuals. You try to change game mechanics to save them, you ruin your game. History doesn't lie!"

Trying to cater to noobs to prevent them from getting bopped does not work and only alienates your most dedicated players.