If you aren't first you are last every season. Does it matter if you come 8th or 16th?
Well just off the top of my head, from a fan that has seen their share of both places, Yes! Yes, it does matter
It matters for your sanity, for the belief that you aren't the worst team in the comp, for bragging rights with your mates and on forums like this, for what sorts of players your club can attract and how much it will cost to attract those players, for the financial support and sponsorships you can attract in a competitive market, for the way the league hierarchy treat you, for the way referees apply unconscious bias when they decide to blow the whistle or talk to you like they are your best friend out on the field...
I haven't run out of ideas, just run out of time at the moment...but it's a reasonable start