This is basically also my understanding. This was one of those TSR is almost bankrupt moments, and Gygax had said he put out a lot of things with his name on them to save the company.
As for M. Froideval, he was also supposed to be working on 2E with Gygax. What that may have looked like has...
Based on the line in the OP, that many followers would lead to about $6 million for an EN Publishing product. So Cosmere really is a big deal, and not just in terms of number of followers.
You left off "soft drink". Which I do not say, but which is the reference for it.
Also, in other parts of the world, "soda" can be much more interesting. I saw one like this just yesterday (except it was more of a blue color):
Its the DMG...so many places in such dense text. (My memory of weapon speeds used on a tie is in fact there, but under "strike blows", not "Initiative...ties".)