I agree with your comments, especially regarding cycling. THE Tour was amazing this year. Add to that the spring classics, and cycling becomes a fun sport to not only do but to follow. Cyclocross is the same way. There are tons of races, granted most are in Europe, but they are fun to follow. And those athletes are giving 100% every race.
Your analogy to the NFL or any sport where the athletes are not out truly competing or racing is also true. Ultimately they are just hurting the sport and themselves.
Not only do I dislike the limited running, but I also really dislike when the pace is so slow (Olympics marathon in China, if I recall correctly) that they are running MY pace which means I could be running with the lead Olympic group. That is truly and utterly ridiculous, and I usually stop watching. Not only does having more engaging events inspire interest, it inspires. Seeing top athletes run my pace is not inspiring at all. Competing and giving 100% is what people like to support. It lifts everyone up. It reminds all of us to try and be the best we can be, to not be afraid of failure or fatigue. To be bold. Running a 6 minute first mile in the Olympic marathon is NOT inspiring. (I don't know if that what the ladies did, I am just giving an example to my point.) And though I find 6 minute miles x 26 hard, I am not a top athlete. Even announcers say "the pace is pedestrian".
My guess is that the only way to MAKE athletes complete more, is a number-based mandatory participation if one wants to participate in something like Worlds. That then requires Worlds to collaborate with others, like the DL schedule. Worlds can't occur prior to the end of the DL series (or others series). My guess is getting collaboration will be difficult.
It is true that the cost and effort to fly to Europe repeatedly would be difficult for those from NA/SA/Central America. If there are a number of mandatory races per year, there would need to be various races 'accepted' throughout the world for athletes all over the world to participate in, and not have to jettison to Europe.
On a side note, can someone explain why at Pre one does not get 'points'?
I suspect in summary, it is a narrow short-term verses long-term vision issue. Often they are not in harmony. I understand how athletes want to shine at certain events, but I also understand that following T&F Q 2-4 years is not going to hold the peoples interest. And what athletes want more than winning is money. Well, maybe money is a very close second. But to have money means to be seen and known by the masses.
I am not an expert at all, but I am comparing this present issue with prior times. I am thinking about when the primary men (Sir Dr. Barrister, Mr Landy etc) were trying to break the 4'/mile, how frequently did they race? They ran in the UK, and then in Canada, right? In the same summer, right? The passion around that is still electrifying even today when one watches the videos. The point I (am so poorly) trying to make, is that those guys gave 200% each race...frequently. The people loved it, and the racers probably loved it too. One just doesn't see that anymore. And thus the slow death of the sport.
Just my 2 cents.