why is it that so many people think that this game is all about ranked?

This game (LOL) has how many different modes? pvp classic, dominion, aram in classic there is sr and tt, within sr, there is team builder, blnd pick, draft pick and one ranked; dominion has 2 modes, neither are ranked; aram has one mode ... not ranked. there is co-op vs AI with 7 more modes; and then custom.

So when ranked is only 2 of the modes available, and ranked for many is the least desirable mode, why is it that a proposed change is always evaluated as "this could hurt ranked" when it is the least of all the modes?

I'd hazard a guess that fewer people play ranked than the rest of the modes. I'd also hazard a guess that ranked has the worst offenders in toxic play. How many times when someone complains about poor sportsmanship is there "wait until you get into higher ranks where that kind of behavior doesn't happen" ... It practically proves the point the complaint is about. The person is saying "yeah, that happens with lower ranked players, and you are going to encounter it unless you get to platinum or above." What percentage of players are platinum or above? if it is a small percentage (30%? 20%?) then doesn't it make sense to ignore those players and focus on those that are lower ranked (clean up the behavior, make the game more fun for them than for the top 20%).