Page 958 of the Fordham article explains where Orphan Crow is getting her contention. Their victory is totally based upon the "house-to-house preaching method" being their primary activity, not publishing. The entire case hinged upon this, and them being the governing body of a religious denomination.*
The fact that 1975 was mentioned in their literature decades earlier is a fair point.
I am left wondering, though, if the escalation of 1975 as a significant doctrine that required much more door-to-door activity was fueled by the need to prove tax exemption. It is very plausible this could have occurred.
Think about it. Now they are slowing down this activity, amidst an extreme pro-religion conservatism movement in this country--at a time when loss of tax exemption for publishing Bibles would not be considered.
*Was there also an escalation of them calling themselves the governing
body at this time, or extra assertions of their religious authority over
jws? Of late, they have definitely de-emphasized this role--again, a time when their tax exempt status is not at risk.