09-10 D-League Schedule is a mess

[USBasket_EricE]

I don't know if I've ever seen a schedule as scrambled as this year's D-League schedule. Before I say anything about it, take a look at the new set-up:

Eastern Conference
Dakota
Iowa
Sioux Falls
Fort Wayne
Maine
Erie
Springfield
(7 teams)

Western Conference
Austin
Tulsa
Rio Grande
Los Angeles
Reno
Idaho
Utah
Albuquerque
Bakersfield

7 vs. 9?????? WTF!!!

Now, for two random schedules (one from each conference):

Dakota
West Teams
Vs. Albuquerque: 4 (2 Home, 2 Road)
Vs. Austin: 2 (2, 0)
Vs. Bakersfield: 2 (2, 0)
Vs. Los Angeles: 2 (2, 0)
Vs. Reno: 0
Vs. Utah: 3 (2, 1)
Vs. Rio Grande: 4 (2, 2)
Vs. Tulsa: 2 (1, 1)
Vs. Idaho: 4 (2, 2)
East Teams
Vs. Maine: 3 (3, 0)
Vs. Iowa: 7 (2, 5)
Vs. Erie: 4 (0, 4)
Vs. Fort Wayne: 3 (0, 3)
Vs. Sioux Falls: 8 (4, 4)
Vs. Springfield: 0
*Note: 48 games, 2 Showcase games TBD

Rio Grande
West Teams
Vs. Albuquerque: 7 (4 Home, 3 Road)
Vs. Austin: 7 (4, 3)
Vs. Bakersfield: 3 (1, 2)
Vs. Los Angeles: 4 (3, 1)
Vs. Reno: 4 (2, 2)
Vs. Utah: 1 (0, 1)
Vs. Tulsa: 6 (3, 3)
Vs. Idaho: 1 (0, 1)
East Teams
Vs. Dakota: 4 (2, 2)
Vs. Maine: 2 (2, 0)
Vs. Iowa: 2 (0, 2)
Vs. Erie: 2 (0, 2)
Vs. Fort Wayne: 1 (0, 1)
Vs. Sioux Falls: 2 (2, 0)
Vs. Springfield: 2 (1, 1)
*Note: 48 games, 2 Showcase games TBD

I don't know about anyone else, but I fail to see a pattern anywhere. Right now I'm assuming Dakota will have to be playing Reno and Springfield in the Showcase, since they don't currently have any games schedule against them. They play more games against Idaho and Rio in the West than they do against several teams in their own conference. And Rio...well, the schedules speak for themselves. And look at the differences in Home Vs. Road games.... A+ to whoever put this together.

[USBasket_EricE]

For the fun of it, lets put the Springfield schedule next to their in-conference ghost opponent's schedule:

Springfield/Dakota
Games Vs. Albuquerque: 1/4
Games Vs. Austin: 6/2
Games Vs. Bakersfield: 2/2
Games Vs. Los Angeles: 1/2
Games Vs. Maine: 9/3
Games Vs. Reno: 3/0
Games Vs. Erie: 5/4
Games Vs. Rio Grande: 2/4
Games Vs. Fort Wayne: 6/3
Games Vs. Sioux Falls: 6/8
Games Vs. Idaho: 0/4
Games Vs. Tulsa: 3/2
Games Vs. Iowa: 3/7
Games Vs. Utah: 1/3

So, they seem to schedule as many games against their nearest opponents as they can (Springfield 9 times vs. Maine, Dakota 8 times vs. Sioux Falls). But then there are awkward outliers when they play games against certain teams in the other conferences (Springfield plays Austin 6 times vs. Dakota playing them 2 times...and Dakota plays Idaho 4 times vs. Springfield not playing them at all).

[wellington]

For what it's worth, I'd probably would have split the league up into 4 divisions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
Fort Wayne
Maine
Erie
Springfield

Northern Division
Dakota
Idaho
Iowa
Sioux Falls

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwestern Division
Albuquerque
Austin
Tulsa
Rio Grande

Western Division
Bakersfield
Los Angeles
Reno
Utah