The game may not be free 2 play, but it is starting to feel more like pay 2 win than play 2 earn. You compare it to MTG, which is not a play 2 earn game. It is a TCG. If Splinterlands is going to be a play 2 earn game, you need to consider people's time as well their monetary investment. Play 2 earn implies you put time in (play) and get money out (earn.) NOT you put money in (invest) and get more money out (earn.)

Maybe instead of hurting new players (no matter how you justify it, that is what is happening) try increasing the incentive to get to higher ranks (as opposed to getting out of lower ranks) or make the path not entirely based on money. As it is, getting to higher ranks is really just pay walls. Maybe you should change the advancement to some kind of formula that considers both collection power and win rating together, not separate. (i.e. As a person wins more in a season the required collection power for the next rank declines.)

With all that said... the change is really not that big of a deal. A bronze player's rewards do not seem like they're going to change all that much. I really don't see this being some kind of saving grace for the economy in any way.

Maybe worrying about these little things could be put on hold for a while and the team could spend more time actually fixing bugs and developing new sets. If you announce something like this alongside the release of a new set (i.e. something to get new players excited while beating them down at the same time!) hardly anyone would give this a seconds thought.