With the merit system you didn't have to be playing at the same time as the leader, the provost would send a note saying promotion board is open for next 48 hours, you send a note saying which merits you have attained and why you think you should be promoted. If the Provost doesn't question your merits, you are promoted, if he has questions, then he sends them in a note, you answer and get promoted.
Without the merit system, it is just who the provost sees all the time that gets the promotions. No notes to tell him what achievements you have made that he doesn't know about. It is based solely on what he has seen first hand.