There will have been several factors at play in FLP's decision to skew the bonus system towards the higher level bots.
I am not privy to the performance in their markets outside the UK, except what one can glean from the country distribution of cheques, and their country 'league table'.
The fact that the UK, which is clearly a market in sharp decline (as evidenced in their accounts and by the number/size) of UK cheques), has actually risen in the rankings suggests that FLP global is in trouble.
Another indication of this is that, 'largest cheque ever' notwithstanding, the overall amount in bonus cheques given out has been sharply down.
As people have said earlier, there are two main probable reasons for FLP to boost the higher level cheque 'earners' at the expense of the lower levels:
- This enables bots and potential to continue to be dazzled by large cheques, which would not otherwise be so impressive (especially when compared to the boom years).
- The higher level bots are part of the Global Leadership Team. I don't know how much strategic influence this body yields within FLP, so cannot say whether it's them feathering their nests, but what is certain is that they are privy to the internal workings of FLP in a way that lower ranking bots are not. For them to develop a sense of grievance over what they feel is their due risks for them to go rogue, and perhaps divulge some damaging information.
Given the smaller bonus pot due to declining revenue, FLP made the decision to allocate it in such a way as to keep the brightest stars shining.
I do not know how this is playing out in other markets, but in the UK, senior bots below Token ManBot level are now in no cheque or 'not worth mentioning' cheque territory (especially compared to previous years).
How this plays out for the UK very much depends on which way these latter bots go. It could be either "work harder to get back to where we were" or "did that for a lark, I'm off".
Which of those two ways they go is down to a number of factors (their individual personal circumstances, how fully botted they are, ...), but an major one will be whether they feel that the new bonus rules have made it impossible for them to get back to where they want to be.
In order for this factor to come into play, they first have to be aware of it. The Ubers and Bloodsuckers of this world knew about the new rules, which is why Uber redoubled her efforts to (allegedly) buy herself over the line.
I am convinced the other bots (excluding perhaps Token Manbot) did not know about the change - in part, this is their own fault for failing to carry out due diligence and not reading the full text of the new policies and procedures document published on the FLP website- but they certainly didn't have their attention drawn to it.
If those bots became aware of the changes and their effects on their incomes by having it drawn to their attention on this thread, and decide on this information to throw their toys out of the pram, we will have played a major part in accelerating the fall of FLP in the UK.** That would come too late to save my family, but it would give me an immense amount of satisfaction.