The "have nots" have always seemed quite happy being a "have not" as it made their season cost affordable....
I suppose it all goes back to a lack of tangible big financial rewards for winning...
No point spending excessive money you cannot afford, to come top, and increased costs being your only "reward"...
And, as we know, win most of your home meetings and, regardless of where you are in the league, your crowds won't fluctuate much...