I hope to have a schedule and the season flipped soon.
Although we have decided to forgo contraction, I am not worried about starting the season at about the same time we started last year.
I believe the start last season was better than a later start because the statistics were less skewed. Yes, there were more TRAD like SIM games late in the season, but still the same year they were produced.
This sim game like any SIM game is made to work with a "reasonable" amount of statistical evidence.

Mike Bravard