Club event rewards not enough for what you have to spend to compete

Really disappointed in this game, you used to get a #1 pick and 2 first round picks for placing between 11-25 in a weekday club event.  I just spent a ton of gold to get my club into the top 11-25 and only got a first round pick and some cash.  For reference, you still get a first round pick up to placing #100.  This is counter-intituitive and doesn't reward people actually playing the game.  In hindsight I should have spent 100 gold on a first round pick instead of spending gold actually trying to play the game.  For reference, this was the weekday sprint event.  It makes no sense because the only way to actually place is to spend gold to refresh you energy.  Glu is basically saying that 1 energy refresh is worth the same as placing in the top 25?  Is anyone else upset about this?  It just makes me not want to play the game because there is no point.