As far as goldrush just getting played more, well, it is the 2nd most popular map, behind dustbowl, and that still manages to maintain something more like 40/45 - 60/55. There are plenty of 24/7 dustbowl servers, instant spawns, and so on that make would do the same thing to that map. Yet it is far closer to balanced than goldrush.
Also, look at the deathmap.
That area that receives the most kills is the spot shortly after point 1 in round 1. It is not something that is particularly close to a point, such as 2nd point 2nd round, which would make instant respawns a big deal.
I would have hoped that, if this was a better map, the heatmap would reflect an increasing number of deaths as the map goes along, indicating that it becomes harder and harder for blu to continue (ie, the map gets harder).