Nice job with this, Chris.
To me the way we improve franchise mode is quite simple: It needs to be built around community.
- Allow for community modding (just look at what the Steam Workshop has provided)
- Allow commissioners and other members to publish podcasts and other material
- A mobile app to access the league basics and a league website (auto-generated and can be further customised)
- Allow for carryover so that leagues can easily and accurately (very important) transition from year-to-year
- Obviously a fully-featured online franchise mode for the particular game
- A direct link to a YouTube and/or Steam channel which would auto-broadcast games from that league, or other content folks may want to share (offseason plans, etc.)
- The game studio should spotlight certain leagues each week ala NBA2K TV. Heck, OS could be a pioneer in that venture.
- Game studios should add in an eSports element where the best (most active and creative?) leagues are covered and eventually play in a yearly tournament against other leagues
These are just a few off the top of my head to go along w the ideas Chris (OP) has shared. It's time, and folks are ready. This and many of the other ideas shared in this thread could be a framework for Franchise Mode 2.0.
EA, 2K, SDS: If you build it...they will come.