I am under the impression that where you place in your conference has an effect on next years ticket sales. Throwing games to come in sixth can lower your fan survey in one or several catagories (TV or Rival) which carries over too next season as a modifier to how you do then. Lower fan survey means lower prices/gate reciepts for the whole next season. I realize this is a small modifier to the big picture, but one I had not seen mentioned in this thread.
This is going to be addressed as part of the offseason changes. However, we really do not see it as poorly balanced; 5th place teams have no chance of being relegated. Would any 5th place teams truly prefer to risk relegation in order for an extra game's payout?
There is no more incentive to drop to 6th. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to make the playoffs and wanting to drop from 4th to 5th but who knows.
i prefer to shut down the player salarys and tv income to zero, when you don't have a game in this week.