That's incorrect. If someone used to watch 4 games a week and now watches 1 or 2 those other 2 games now have fewer viewers, and viewership would be down.
I took you saying they “watch less” as instead of watching 4 quarters they now only watch one quarter a game, This wouldn’t effect viewership, but yes would effect rating, I believe.
Either way getting way off the point I originally made, Those I know who don’t watch anymore don’t watch b/c of the protests and nothing else