How about doing away with the Pre-season,

then

When the regular season is done, EVERYONE gets in the post-season, with Home-field advantage and who you play determined on how you ended the season.

No 1 vs 32.... no 2 vs 31..... all the way to No 15 vs 16 with the higher seed having Home-Field.

It would only take 1 more week (5 total) to do the playoffs and every city that has a team would have a stake in it.

Tommy