There also used to be more franchises that consistently put out good teams that weren't contenders at all. They were trying to give their fans a good reliable experience.

One of the related things that frustrates me during my team's rebuilds (and as a Raider fan, I've seen many), is getting rid of fan favorite players who "don't fit the timeline". I think the big issue is that teams have lost site of the fact that they are an entertainment industry and fans want more than just titles from their teams.