I do think the green has its prestige and I do think that every sponsor of WT team would like to have his rider every day on podium as Cannondale has.
A lot of times, a lot of people claim here that only first place should be interesting for riders, that first place should be rewarded with double points, double money, that podium should be only for winner.
In the same time the same people complain that riders do not care about the race once the first place is decided.
The problem is when the race is decided in first week. This is the reason why there always been the real mountain stages or GC stages only last week. ( 2014 will be bright exception)
The green jersey was decided the moment when all sprinters found out that Sagan is still fast or smart enough to get podium or TOP 5 in bunch sprints. A lot of people thought here (and I was one of them) that there are enough faster sprinters to put him in 6-10th place.
I am fan of Sagan but believe me I would prefer seeing him to fight with somebody every single stage for each point for each placement, to see him happy each time when they put the green on him on podium. I would not mind if he loses it for few stages.
Going for green jersey takes it tax. For Sagan this year tax is probably too high. This Tour could be his greatest. He will hardly find the stage design that favour him so much in the future. Who knows what could happen if he hads that extra energy not going for intermediate sprints and sprints for second place behind Kittel. And yet lot of people taking the green jersey down as prestigeless.
There are people who think that green jersey and intermediate sprints are stupid and should be cancelled but the same people complain we do not have the action during the race only last few km.
(btw I also prefer 2 even 3 intermediate sprints for much less points)