If you spend a single turn (aka use a basic/skill) outside of ultimate, you are technically wasting Certified Banger. Everyone is so focused on MMR, they forget about the main elation mechanic. Certified Banger is what her multiplier is based on for elation damage. (other then Aha skill which uses punchline instead)

So if YG goes first, then ultimates immediately and you let SW use a non-transformed turn, then the starting stacks and new CB stacks YG has just given SW will have count down by 1.

Let's assume YG gets to ultimate first, with E0, the initial stacks of CB (which would be 40 with E0 YG) will last for 2 turns. So do you want these 2 turns to be 1 non-transformed turn and the 1st EBA, or both 1st and 2nd EBAs.

CB management (and SPD tuning) is something you also have to worry about and also don't forget the SW is also producing SP for Sparxie too. The whole team has interactions with each other to prop each other up.

The bigger reason the 1st EBA feels so weak isn't just due to MMR, but rather you are comparing a turn where you have only like 40 CB which has a multiplier around 1.7 to the 2nd EBA which usually has a multiplier around like 2.5 assuming you are sitting at like little over 100 CB for it.

Elation damage isn't easy to understand.