You do need to include information about what you're talking about and who's involved, that's true. But you want to subordinate that background information to your debatable. First establish what's at stake and then fill in the information that makes it possible to address your debatable. Build your argument around reasons for your position. If I wanted to argue against the designated hitter rule in baseball, for example, I wouldn't simply walk through the rule's history.
Rankings are inevitable but necessary.
Your readers need to understand what information is more important. To some extent, you establish that importance by the language you use. Beyond language, you establish the relative importance of parts of your argument by logic and reason. Show that one particular point depends upon two others. If you establish causality between points, you ensure that your argument isn't arranged randomly.