Well there are some things true from the both sides of the argument:
- Some final game can be "fixed" once both teams see that if the final goes one way, both will be promoted.
- We must think too that is a award for the champion of the league (they will recieve mor money in the final) and most of the times when you are on the final you just want to "bring the cup to your home"
I guess that the actual formula is the best one: all the champions must be promoted and 4 second places is nice too.
I dont agree with the fact of this 4 "luckys" be compared based on the position in their conference (I can be a 20-2 with a 2nd position in the blue and other one be a 16-6) so I guess we could do a diferent formula to determine who are these 4 luckys:
- If you want to be promoted, you must reach the final of your league so no one will do scrimmages until they get the final (and I think this must stay as it is).
- After the final, I think that we should do a "luckys playoffs", that would consist in 16 teams (considering a III division) and then play in a playoff sistem to determine the 4 that are promoted.
- That could be done just next to the final and the enthusiasm of all teams must be fixed (to not have that scrimmages on the final just to get better to these playoffs)
I think this would solve some of the problems, of course some that weaker teams can be promoted and stronger ones remain but at least we know that for a weaker team be promoted they needed to win against 2 other second placed teams from other leagues