Sure, but the topic is about if prices will return to 2020, not whats the most cynical thing happening in pokemon right now. Just like in 2020, the noisiest activity ≠ the entire market. No doubt streamers are a major factor for whats happening today, but an even larger factor are consumers. I mentioned the other day how pokemon center has over 1,000 clothing items for adults, and 30 for kids. These aren’t scalped or streamed, they exist because pokemon knows its target audience is adults. I’d go even further and say you could eliminate tcg entirely and pokemon wouldn’t care as merch sales eclipse TCG.
Point being, the consumer is larger and more silent than anything happening. To your point, why streamers are driving the market today is because their viewership (consumers) are greater.