I have no idea what the financials say (and wonder how many people really do) but can accept that there’s a dollars and cents rationale to playing the game. The bottom line does matter.
How about from a wins and losses standpoint? If this game is the difference between 9–3 and top 25 and 8–4 and unranked, are we still glad we took it? I’m happy taking on Notre Dame but only in arrangements where actually beating them is not disadvantaged to the near-maximum extent.
I can point out the most-successful and highest ranked BYU football teams. I don’t know who generated the most revenue or gained the most exposure.
Beat them and it’s all moot. But there are reasons other than spite not have taken this arrangement.