So, what "protection" is on the roadmap for these low level tournaments to ensure that they are winnable by those for which they are intended and not dominated by the big guns?

I think this is your problem... The ones you and I would think are intended are not the same as what Aggy intends. He is rewarding EXACTLY who he wants to reward, and taking everyone's pool money to do it as well. Every day that goes by without them making adjustments, just tells me truly what their intentions are.