I'll be honest I only read the main post.
Every game I play the rich get richer and it excludes those without the means to compete. Rewards should benefit another aspect of the game and not the PvP section, otherwise each season that is supposed to be a clean slate is not and advantages are already in place from winning the previous session. The new guys always are at a disadvantage not only from skill but the top guys already got a win button. so the seasons are going to end up the same with less effort involved.
now on the other hand these top players may not like other aspects of the game and therefore the rewards aren't worth the effort...I haven't seen a good solution to this problem
All I want to highlight is the rewards shouldn't be a win button for the same aspect of game play as the rich will just get richer, but then maybe that's what the Cows want. besides then the ones who aren't top have to try even harder (read donate more) to compete.