Seems like you were unlucky that no new teams were entering below you if you were always the lowest rated.

Like I said in my first post on this - if there had been an unseeded draw so you got a random team then you'd have some years with a chance at a run and some where you get booted out early.

I agree though, that the banded approach would be the best compromise, making a competition that is periodically winnable but reasonably realistic. If that gets put in though I'd like the draw to be random so even those at the bottom of the band would have a chance to go a few rounds with a lucky draw.