I think culture and barriers to entry in the U.S. are big driving factors for a less competitive ranked playerbase. Physical sports are cool. FPSs are cool. MOBAs? What's a MOBA? Oh this MOBA thing looks cool, but it will take a lot of time to unlock every champion and learn every match up.

I actually find it really surprising that franchising hasn't had an effect on competitiveness in the amateur playerbase. The pros are getting paid a lot and the game is still seeing growth, so you'd think kids/young adults who aspire to make a lot of money and enjoy gaming would be motivated to "climb to the top and reach their dreams." How is no native talent developing around a game with such a strong esports foundation? Advertising pro player's salaries and investing in the amateur scene are some things that I believe would help. Ultimately, I believe the U.S. will never have a gaming culture like Korea's and will never be competitive in non-shooter genres without a cultural change driven by following generations.