Solo AQ and AW
I made an earlier suggestion to have two modes of play - a solo mode and an alliance mode. You have to commit to one or the other on a season by season basis.
The solo mode would replace Alliance-driven AQ and AW with a solo-driven AQ and AW.
A solo player would bring in 3 teams of 3 champions and have three linked classs-specific paths to go down and like AQ have to run through 3 sections, the first 2 sections with mini-bosses and the final section with a boss. You have 24 hours to get through day 1 and it runs for 5 days. So basically a solo version of AQ.
The same with AW. A solo player places their defenses with similar nodes to Alliance mode AW...15 champions total on defense in sections 1-3 (five in each section). And you now battle other solo players using a match up system. Like solo AQ - you each bring in three teams of three.
The numbers may be wrong but basically solo versions of AQ and AW. I think this could be a lot of fun.
The difference may not be in the time consumed but rather free players of the reliance on other player's schedules and how active they are. We can do it at our own pace and not feel like we are on call all day. And there are other reasons why being in an alliance can be unappealing that I won't discuss here.
The rewards would be equivalent to Alliance AQ and AW and allow players to advance at the same pace regardless of what mode they prefer. Solo mode could be only for Uncollected players as a requisite.