This.
That is one of the things that made it so special. To see a WHOLE MATCH, every last detail and to see it LIVE was just incredible. That was an event in itself, even before all the pomp and circumstance. The whole build up was about getting to know these players in more depth, finding out...
That is a very good point. I don't remember anyone belittling it when we were in the SF, only doing so retrospectively to suit the narrative of "Hughton Out".
But to the overall point, it's TV, the clubs themselves and the relative wealth of other competitions that has killed the FA Cup.