I still don't get the objection to starting at D1.
1. I wanna play against humans!!! OK, if you're in D1, new humans can't be there til 2019
2. You gotta learn the game!!!!! OK, I keep hearing that D1 is a different beast. How are you learning this exotic, new game in D2/D3?
3. Earn your stripes!!! OK, that's fair. But it doesn't make sense now. World populations don't support three levels