Speaking from a strictly selfish and foreign perspective, without the advent of the Premier League, I'd never have been exposed to the wonders of English club football. All we got back in 1992 was a 30 minute highlight show at 3AM that showed 2 week old results. But it was enough to hook me for life.
It's a small world now, and has been since satellite/24hr cable TV and the internet. The appeal of English football was so strong, it took over the world. It's something to be proud of. But time marches on, the world is more interconnected than ever, so is it any wonder Man Utd and Real Madrid can sell out a 109,000 seat stadium in Michigan for a friendly? Or that Wembley regularly sells out for NFL games?
It's the way it is, for better or worse, and for what it's worth, I can see both sides of the argument. Success and trendiness can dilute authenticity. Here in Boston, Fenway Park used to be full of old timers with cigars and scorecards, rowdy drunks, and a general atmosphere of grittiness and menace. Now it's full of rich people who don't care about the result, but would rather take selfies and eat sushi in the concourse. And lighting a cigar will get you tossed.
Things have been sanitized (sorry Tony).