Love the EP and Yoda events. It gives you something to desire, plan, and build towards. Whales have a few months advantage since f2p can't generally build their faction roster quickly enough. Long time f2p might be able to get an unlock or maybe even a 7 star if they luck into a team already built...but isn't it okay to throw these players a bone for being loyal daily players for over a year?
They make me have exactly the opposite feelings of whatever it is I feel about tournaments. And better fit a mobile game structure where you can make daily progress on your squad and the battle is tough but kind of just a formality once your team is strong enough. I like the part of this game that is about collecting and less the part that is sitting at my phone for 8 hours refreshing tournament matchups endlessly and fighting Wiggs over and over again just to get 60/80 shards or something.