There is some truth in that. All these people ****ting on about 'the fans' conveniently ignore the fact that virtually every major development in English football since the Taylor Report has had the effect of making match-attending fans a less significant force in shaping how football runs.
All-seater stadia meant smaller, quieter crowds, while the advent of the PL and Sky meant the clubs became less reliant on matchday revenue to the point where it's now a virtual irrelevance in financial terms while also disincentivising physical attendance. Add to that ticket prices that have essentially squeezed out many local, lower-income supporters in favour of older, better-off supporters from further away and the idea of football clubs as local institutions becomes increasingly ridiculous.
Other than as a thing to pay lip service to when it suits them, there is no longer any reason most PL clubs should give a flying fúck about 'the fans'.