How about 2 x 8 team competition, NPL1 and NPL2. 3 rounds for each division.
End of season - top 4 teams in NPL1 play normal semi/final competition, bottom 4 NPL1 teams play off with top 2 NPL2 teams in six team semi/final format to decide next seasons promotion relegation.
Bottom 4 NPL1 teams seeded 1 through 4, and top 2 NPL2 teams seeded 5 and 6. 1 v 6, 2 v 5 and 3 v 4. The 2 lowest ranked losing teams play NPL2 next year, other 4 in NPL1. Then 2 highest placed winners play-off in a final, perhaps a sponsor can call it the "Sponsors Cup".
This provides several advantages. Firstly the number of games played, especially among the strongest clubs. Secondly, it encourages continual interest in game results for bottom 4 NPL1 teams needing to finish as high up the table as possible to improve chances of remaining in top division. And perhaps most importantly, it means that any promotion from the 2nd division is based on merit, where a team will be truly competitive.
Of course this suggestion may require some tweaking, but the idea is about providing sufficient number of meaningful games, along with providing a pathway to promotion, but only if a team or club is truly worthy and capable of the step up.