The Showdown was always going to be interesting, but at what cost? The first 2/3 of the season are now less important. I understand the basic concept of creating a value-added media property. It's something to sell to the media, it's something specific for journos to write about, it is culturally compatible with other sports so the possibility of attracting "playoff viewers" is possible, but they have opened a Pandora's box.
What's to stop a team from sitting out a few rounds before the Showdown b/c they have clinched a Showdown spot and they want to make sure their rider is 100% fit and they want to preserve team resources? This happens all the time in playoff sports. They bench the big players to make sure they don't get injured before the big games. If the sponsors protest a sit out, what's to stop the team from hiring wild cards? or running Evo spec to save money?
We already see this problem in MotoGP with the engine rules. Just the other day Wilco Zeelenberg said who cares if Yamaha get an engine penalty as long as Jorge has clinched. Uh.....I don't think the GPC was anticipating that kind of response.
They've launched the Showdown in a vacuum. It looks good now, but over time it will start to exhibit the same problems as all playoff sports. If the Showdown gets huge, teams who don't make it will go under. BSB will respond by increasing the Showdown to 10 participants over the last 4 rounds. Eventually, the entire thing will become "knockout" not points oriented, and people will wonder what the hell they are watching.
I'm not knocking the idea in principle b/c I like it when people think outside of the box, but the solution is going to become more complicated than the problem. Furthermore, I don't believe BSB have looked at the real source of the problem which is that the league isn't compelling know that there are 7 Brits in WSBK. BSB has been gutted over the last few years.
