The value of a forum

Penny Arcade is a juggernaut in web comics. I was at their forum and there are hundreds viewing at any given time. Forums are great for building and gathering a loyal fanbase who is great at spreading the word about your projects. Even though the creators rarely frequent the forum and let the community thrive there is an untold value of having a dedicated forum. Some creators get this. Others don't. Why would you not want a loyal army of fans? Some creators don't. They don't respect or appreciate their forum and view it as a liability and treat them like garbage. I just don't get it.