Look at it this way: MK9 has had the 3rd highest turnout of any game ever at Evo, and from what I hear about Season's Beatings it will have drawn over 100 players at 4 other majors (not even counting PDP). CEO, East Coast Throwdown, Devastation, and apparently SB are all in triple digits.
The last time I can think of a non-Capcom game having a run that good was GGXX Accent Core in 2008, which drew similar to slightly smaller numbers at a time when all the relevant Capcom fighters were 7+ years old. The current scene is a double-edged sword for MK I think - more people overall, but also stronger competition from other games and more heavily Capcom-dominated. I don't think the current FG craze is carrying us, all in all.
I had said before that we need to deliver at these majors late in the year to prove we're alive and well, and so far we've done just that. Now we just have to keep it up for SCR & NEC...I'm a bit pessimistic about Canada Cup since that area has a pretty weak FG community period, but hopefully some online warriors will surprise.