I agree. They are doing daily and weekly challenges soon though which you don't need premium to contribute towards.
But I know what you mean have some way of ranking the clans up without enlisting would make sense. Or keep the enlisting and give that a high reward but come up with a new xp system separate as well.
I think Elite will progress just because it's not the finished article yet does not mean it does not show promise for the CoD series.
Also one way to look at it is if you got the hardened edition you were paying for 3/4 map packs and getting elite premium for free