What I'm going to say will... probably sound harsh, but please know I'm not directing it at anyone in particular.  I know that it's frustrating to not be able to reach elite due to work or school, but I personally get why the top tier is the way it is.  DV is a game, and depending on how much time you're able and willing to put into it you'll get different rewards.  It's disappointing to not be able to get what you want from a game that one plays for fun, but this is sort of how any game works?  Even if we're not considering other online games but something more "real" like capture the flag if you or your team is unlucky you can "lose" even though you tried.  Only!  There isn't a way to "lose" in DV.  It's a game where much of the challenge and fun is self imposed!  The important part is to enjoy yourself while playing and be comfortable with your result regardless of how long it took you to get there.  If this current event is stressful by all means voice your opinion (the devs are for sure listening to us) but maybe consider that you don't need to do something that bothers you so much.

I also think it's important to note: I think these items will come back next year.  The item descriptions tell us that they're seasonal to the summer event, not seasonal to the 2020 summer event.  We can contrast this with the premium shop items which give a specific month and year to their limitation.  The only thing that will not come back next year are the achievements which are labeled as 2020.