Where are the people now? Garrison, if the AH is the only thing people are interested in? I highly doubt it. People prefered the Shrine over Sw/Org in MoP. Even tho the AH was Engi only (even now). Stormshield is a wasteland on most servers outside of the PvPers idleing around for queues.
So I don't quite understand what you are trying to say.
Not to mention even in WotlK I remember a lot of people sitting in IF rather than Sw or Dalaran.