The argument about attendances is pretty simple - meaningful games, pushing for europe crowds go up towards the end of the season, decent cup run, fighting relegation you might get a bigger crowd in if there's a deciding fixture, playoffs, maybe. The thing is outside of that folks just don't turn up if there's fuck all to play for, witness bottom six fixtures if we're safe or top six if we can't catch the team above us.
If we were 8th in a 16 team league and able to comfortably beat the bottom 4 who would turn up for 8th v 9th? Ten teams is too few, sixteen too many, fourteen with a top six and a bottom 8 would work.
If it's too cold my old man won't attend he's quite happy to Sky Sport's News his afternoon with a cup of tea and listen to the commentary online, no doubt there are also those who stick a coupon on and have a couple of pints with what they'd pay to get into Fir Park.