I think this has been hit on quite a bit, but that fact that a large portion of franchises don't make it that far into the franchise just shows how lame franchise mode really is.
I maybe lasted about a few weeks into Madden 16 until I lost interest. However, the one thing that keeps me coming back to my franchise in Madden 17 is the roster/ post draft roster editing.
I love being able to have to have full control of my franchise, and I think a lot of people are in the same boat. That is why people come to Madden forums and mention games like the Show or 2k.
I think if we see more customizing/ sharing options in franchise mode, we will see more people flock to one of Madden's oldest and most popular game modes.
#MakeFranchiseModeGreatAgain