We currently are divided into countries. Why not divide us into Associations. They could be based on city, region within a country, country, international region or continent.
Associations would have several Leagues within them. Kinda how NBA has NBDL. Instead of country with many leagues-one assocation(or Org.) with lots of leagues in it divided by level.
Right now(with countries) subleagues are II.1 etc. and main/top leagues are often a specifically titled league.
Unfortunately this imbalances (IMO) across country relative to users how top league competition and national tourneys go. In a small country you are either blowing people out or getting blown out. Rarely finding even matches.
For the computer program/programmers I vs. II.X or III.X can be read but you can be creative with league titles users see, just denote 'level I(top) vs. Level II, Level III etc. league-which denotes level of competiotion/quality of average team.
For smaller countries out there in the world- instead of giving us our own coutnry with a relatively crappy top league (compared to other coutnries), give us a level II league (or III for reallly small countries) in a REGIONAL/continent based association, or a spot in another country's association (kinda how US NBA includes Canadian cities).
When a country gets big enough they get their own association, move their Leagues & teams from the other association/change the association (if it is continental/regional) to that coutnry----. So just decide what the number of users is for an independant country association. So like if it is SE ASIA association to start, it would be a race between all of those coutnries to get to X users to get the association be thier country's association, so like if China was in and then got their own association, then Japan, Korea etc. would have to get enough users for their own country to move out of the China association and have their own top league, in their own large association.
In cases wehre a given coutnry is big enough to move out of another coutnries association (like if Canada started in a US association but got big enoguh for their own later) you could move the smaller subcountry leagues with them to even out the two associations to about the same number overall.
Tell the number of users in a given continent/region/country/city etc. needed to make an association to your users and anyone who wants their own local league will be motivated to advert for you and get users from their area to join, en-mass= business FOR YOU!!!!
For a level II team, again decide how many users need to be in a given region/country for a level II team. Like if I'm in Japan and we are still way to far away from being our own association, maybe we are close to having our own level II league in an Assocation. Similar for Level III, Level IV etc. Cities like LA/New York can try to get leagues, or associations.
This will motivate everyone to get more users near them. and even stuff out competition wise. Regardless if your league is based on a city, state, region, country or continent, regardless of the association- you'll be level 1 (top) II, III, IV or V etc. etc. with international all those denominations balanced by # of users (which in theory evens out the competition).
For drafts- Since the country of origin of a player is not decided on the draft page... once player is drafted make them from the users country, and new players start with a team of players from their country. Its incentive more people with your countries flag playing the game, more players to shop among from your country, and always make the players home country cheapest/number1 fan draw like it is currently set up- PLUS a slightly smaller benefit from players from countries in their current association.
All of this will motivate users to find players near them. And that is FREE ADVERTISING!!!
Also make game funner with more competition and less bot leagues!