I knew this post could become negative the minute the "level 4" comment was made.
Last year over 75? teams competed in Small Senior AG lvl5? The posts after Worlds are just as interesting. Many posters believe there are too many bids given out in the first place. Too many teams, too many people. This could very well be the cause, too many level 4 teams actually making it to Worlds. When you have at-large-bids left over and all the true level 5 teams have received theirs, EP starts giving them out to the rest.
For me there isn't pride in making it to the Worlds floor if you don't deserve it. You are just buying your way into the most elite competition. If a team isn't bringing the level 5 skills, then they shouldn't get to go. Layouts, tucks, Level 4 stunts should be the best Level 4 they can be, try restricted level 5 and go to The Summit competition and continue to work on getting the standard worthy of "Worlds".
PS...
Not all the kids were leaving because they were bored. Some left because it was too expensive to continue to travel as much as was needed to have good competition and still not be able to progress, aka my kid :)