Pretty important! More fans mean more sponsorship dollars, which mean better coaches, food, &c, which means better conditioning and training for the match, and thus a higher chance of winning and getting more fans and more sponsorship cycles.

I actually think it’s great. The level playing field can get a bit overrated. Hungary entrepreneurs will intuitively understand the parallels.

Actually audience support during tight matches can be decisive.

That was my first thought, but then again, players with a large fan base are more likely to get a wildcard into an event they don't directly qualify for.