I have no hope to get first or second. I'm ok with that. But I wish the matches could be a little closer in terms of ability and resources. I'm a new level 50. I'm paired with two long term players (who have earned all the energy creatures they have over the years of work they have put into their games). I may be unintentionally counting some daily creatures. But the first player has about 130ish weekly alicorn/unicorns with about 10,000 LB points. Second in line is just under 7,000 with about 126 weeklies. I'm about 2,000 with 9 weekly alicorns. While I'm not intending to grumble, there is most decidedly an imbalance.
And I can't see a way for S8 to avoid the imbalance or sort people differently. I do wish my neighbors luck on the event no matter what.