Several of these data points include the Covid timeline. This is going to be a period where the pac 12 naturally takes a hit. I think their response deserves to be criticized (I certainly didn’t like it). However, does it reflect future data numbers? I’m not sure but I know it distorts things in a negative direction for the conference.

So using a year where the PAC didn’t play or get ranked because of their political approach skews the numbers. Fans in those cities were also less likely to talk football during that time and they are going to take a couple years to build back up. Certainly their approach can and should be criticized. But that was a very unique event. And including that year and it’s aftermath does favor teams that kept playing.

It matters, but does it mean what the spreadsheet implies over a longer period of time with no COVID.