Do we need an AFL Fans Association

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

Was just reading about the Everton Supporters Trust and was wondering if there was a role for a Fan association at club or AFL level.

When the Public Transport Users Association was formed I thought it was light weight but overtime they have become a real lobby group.

As the AFL continues to chase the corporate dollar perhaps there is a need for a balancing voice.... after all "WHO" owns the game??

What do others think?

[Dr. Gonzo 22,384]

We already have one

http://www.aflfans.org.au

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

We already have one

http://www.aflfans.org.au

they must be very quiet !

[Biffen 12,298]

Absolutely needed.

Good idea and will quickly and quietly be able to lobby for fans to cut out annoying concepts the AFL comes up with in their brain dead storm sessions.....

"let's play ads at full volume during the entire break periods"

Fans association-" no let's not " 

"We want the catering contract thrown open and changed"

 

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

14 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Was just reading about the Everton Supporters Trust and was wondering if there was a role for a Fan association at club or AFL level.

When the Public Transport Users Association was formed I thought it was light weight but overtime they have become a real lobby group.

As the AFL continues to chase the corporate dollar perhaps there is a need for a balancing voice.... after all "WHO" owns the game??

What do others think?

Why, toothless tiger rings a bell, voting with your dollar for admission and membership would be only action AFL would care about

[chook fowler 18,162]

Great concept. If it's there it needs to be muscled up. The AFL has ridden rough shod over fans for way too long and there needs to be some counter balance to the increased militancy of the players association. The fans finance the competition but currently have no voice.

Edited March 24, 2017 by chook fowler

[Biffen 12,298]

1 minute ago, Satyriconhome said:

Why, toothless tiger rings a bell, voting with your dollar for admission and membership would be only action AFL would care about

If you set one up that was not endorsed- like a fans union with club representatives it would pressure the AFL into actually listening to consumer complaints.

I take your point re toothlessness but if membership became large enough then a fans union could influence afl decisions and get a few things changed.

There seem to be 4 major players.

The Afl/teams/players

The Media outlets

The sponsors/ advertisers

The Fans

3 of the 4 interested parties have a direct say in the game,fixturing,spending.

The fans currently have talk back radio and supporter sites like this to air their gripes.Nothing official.

A union of fans from all clubs would certainly be a worthwhile venture if run properly.

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

2 minutes ago, Biffen said:

If you set one up that was not endorsed- like a fans union with club representatives it would pressure the AFL into actually listening to consumer complaints.

I take your point re toothlessness but if membership became large enough then a fans union could influence afl decisions and get a few things changed.

There seem to be 4 major players.

The Afl/teams/players

The Media outlets

The sponsors/ advertisers

The Fans

3 of the 4 interested parties have a direct say in the game,fixturing,spending.

The fans currently have talk back radio and supporter sites like this to air their gripes.Nothing official.

A union of fans from all clubs would certainly be a worthwhile venture if run properly.

The last sentence of your post is the one that would be the most difficult, and the main reason I think it would fail

Most supporters can't even be arsed filling out the surveys the clubs send out, so if it came into existence it would probably consist of fans/supporters from, putting it politely, the more extreme end of the supporter base, and hence why I think it would fail

[nutbean 8,837]

20 minutes ago, Biffen said:

If you set one up that was not endorsed- like a fans union with club representatives it would pressure the AFL into actually listening to consumer complaints.

I take your point re toothlessness but if membership became large enough then a fans union could influence afl decisions and get a few things changed.

There seem to be 4 major players.

The Afl/teams/players

The Media outlets

The sponsors/ advertisers

The Fans

3 of the 4 interested parties have a direct say in the game,fixturing,spending.

The fans currently have talk back radio and supporter sites like this to air their gripes.Nothing official.

A union of fans from all clubs would certainly be a worthwhile venture if run properly.

I can't believe you said the "u" word....

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

17 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

The last sentence of your post is the one that would be the most difficult, and the main reason I think it would fail

Most supporters can't even be arsed filling out the surveys the clubs send out, so if it came into existence it would probably consist of fans/supporters from, putting it politely, the more extreme end of the supporter base, and hence why I think it would fail

You have perfectly described most political parties Saty......

[Biffen 12,298]

24 minutes ago, nutbean said:

I can't believe you said the "u" word....

It's more like a consumers rights group in essence.

I'm not sure it would be cheer squad member based.

It could conceivably be run by a chair and club reps meeting monthly over the internet and setting an agenda.

If it grew a seperate fund from it's members it could then presumably grow in power and numbers.

The AFL wouldn't like it but if it had an eloquent spokesman with media contacts I'm sure they would be forced to take it seriously.

Good luck to em

 

 

Edited March 24, 2017 by Biffen

[Little Goffy 12,487]

Yes, we really need more fan influence.

At first, all that can be demanded is transparency. The fans are being kept in the dark precisely so they can't influence decisions.

It also allows this awful situation of 'rule by decree' from the AFL HQ, where they just make whatever decision seems expedient to their goals at the time, then adjust the rule interpretations later, resulting in a mad complex mess of on-field and off-field rules full of contradictions.

Every bad situation the AFL has experienced in the last ten years would have been eased a bit with just a little bit of decent transparency and even standard corporate good governance.

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

Perhaps even a fan rep on the Commission

[chook fowler 18,162]

7 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Perhaps even a fan rep on the Commission

Joffa?

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

10 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Joffa?

Interesting .. a high profile... if I remember Eddie was good at using him until he got a little too powerful

Let's face it neither the clubs or the AFL are interested in fan input unless it leads it to dollars.

This being said they weren't interested in player input until recent times

[ArtificialWisdom 3,844]

2 hours ago, Biffen said:

There seem to be 4 major players.

The Afl/teams/players

The Media outlets

The sponsors/ advertisers

The Fans

3 of the 4 interested parties have a direct say in the game,fixturing,spending.

The 3 you have mentioned who have a say each have strongly alligned agendas. Given fans all have wildly different opinions with how the game should be run, would a fan association not just end up fighting amongst themselves?

 

[daisycutter 28,427]

52 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Joffa?

i'd prefer special robert. plus he has lots of spare time and is very persuasive

[John Crow Batty 8,215]

Don't like the idea and a complete waste of time. Besides, imagine having to interact with Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon supporters as equals and having to agree with them on some issues. Yuk!

Edited March 24, 2017 by america de cali

[Diamond_Jim 11,670]

Here's four big picture agenda items in which fans might have a different interest to players and the AFL

1. Percentage of GF tickets granted to participating and non participating AFL clubs and the method of allocation (ballot , premium members, length of membership etc)

2. Broadcasting rights and splits between pay TV and Free to Air

3. Gambling in Sport

4. AFL management of Etihad

The above items from a fan viewpoint probably mean lower club revenues = lower player payments.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Diamond_Jim

[Dr. Gonzo 22,384]

7 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

Why, toothless tiger rings a bell, voting with your dollar for admission and membership would be only action AFL would care about

Problem for smaller clubs like ours is it hurts the club more than the AFL

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Problem for smaller clubs like ours is it hurts the club more than the AFL

It's just footy, occupies one day a weekend during the season and a couple of training sessions mixed in with my scooter rides and a couple of functions, it's really not that important

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

46 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

It's just footy, occupies one day a weekend during the season and a couple of training sessions mixed in with my scooter rides and a couple of functions, it's really not that important

First comment on this thread that's actually made sense.

its just sport people. No ones dying. Why do people think they are entitled to anything?

besides, we already have our say. If people aren't happy stop going to games, paying for Foxtel, buying merchandise, betting on matches, commenting on forums....

to the clubs and the AFL and all other invested parties it is a business. Nothing more. The revenue stream is the only thing that matters. If that dries up then changes get made.

as long as the everyday punter keeps handing over there hard earned, its business as usual.

[Biffen 12,298]

8 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

It's just footy, occupies one day a weekend during the season and a couple of training sessions mixed in with my scooter rides and a couple of functions, it's really not that important

So only half a week, every week.

Not much.

[Moonshadow 16,099]

MFC deligate...

3 votes: ENYAW

2 votes: Special Robert 

1 vote: Stuie*

* ineligible. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by Moonshadow

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

3 hours ago, Biffen said:

So only half a week, every week.

Not much.

Biff, I work weird shift work, sitting all the time, so time off, out on the scoot, training fits in nicely

As for Game Day, day out for myself and my partner, having breakfast as I type

If I have an issue with footy, and I can fix it, I do,  thought you knew my opinion of AFL, supporters vote with their feet, we look like we are on the up and membership looking healthy again, the rest we have no influence over and never will