I’ve done a number of sportives and i always think of them as personal challenges, not races, if you’re at the front end, then maybe it is really competitive.
For me it was sub 6 hours for 100, then sub 5 1/2 hours, then sub 5 hours. Then events like Dragon Devil to see if a big lad that lives in Norfolk could ride 180 miles and 5000m of climbing.
Plus when i first moved here, sportives were a way of meeting people and finding some good local routes.
So i think they are what you make of them, i think if you are unfit, it is better to start with 30 mile event, then work up to 50 etc rather than just get straight on an e-bike, but each to there own, it’s about enjoying it and getting out, better to ride an e-bike 100 miles than sit on a couch typing furiously at a keyboard