MFC TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP WITH NEW MCC CATEGORY

[Satan 2,728]

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/af...2338624164.html

[Whispering_Jack 27,962]

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/af...2338624164.html

I think one of the most important aspects of this exercise is not the extra revenue it generates from membership sales but from the message it sends to potential sponsors, business partners and advertisers that this club has a larger following than what past membership numbers have shown.

Of course, we're still going to have to work a lot harder to get our supporter numbers off their backsides and going to games rather than watching it on their tv's (look at Sunday's crowd v Hawthorn compared to the crowd at Carlton v Esendon the night before) but it's a start and will definitely help build the prestige of the club and prevent us from going the way North Melbourne seems to be heading.

[Satan 2,728]

I think one of the most important aspects of this exercise is not the extra revenue it generates from membership sales but from the message it sends to potential sponsors, business partners and advertisers that this club has a larger following than what past membership numbers have shown.

Of course, we're still going to have to work a lot harder to get our supporter numbers off their backsides and going to games rather than watching it on their tv's (look at Sunday's crowd v Hawthorn compared to the crowd at Carlton v Esendon the night before) but it's a start and will definitely help build the prestige of the club and prevent us from going the way North Melbourne seems to be heading.

Good idea by the club but I can see us being called the Claytons, the members you have who are not really fully paid up members.

[Sir Why You Little 34,434]

Good idea by the club but I can see us being called the Claytons, the members you have who are not really fully paid up members.

who cares what other supporters think-last year i paid $550 for MCC Membership and that was all i could afford, i felt bad but it was a reality- but i will buy a club membership at the reduced rate for sure

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Good idea by the club but I can see us being called the Claytons, the members you have who are not really fully paid up members.

How does that affect the sponsors?

Any MCC member that forks the MFC membership in addition to their MCC Membership dues is already a potentially attractive target to sponsors.

I only hope those fine people that pay the existing $150 for MFC/MCC membership continue to dip in each year. Good on em for foing so anyway.

[drdrake 3,037]

This is a good concept, even if we get 10,000 MCC member paying $40.00 thats an additional $400,000 into the bank. The bigger issue is the money the MCC pays the clubs that have the MCG as their home ground. If the MCC has 25,000 MFC supporters, and a total of about 60,000-70,000 total members why then is our ground deal well below Collingwoods deal. You can't base this on gate receipts because that goes to the clubs, maybe the catering deal, the pies pull larger crowds so more money is spent on food and drink.

I remember last year they mentioned the ground agreements and the Pies are getting about 2-3Mil per year more that the Dees. Thats the difference in us post the large profits they do.

[Geddy Lee 582]

who cares what other supporters think-last year i paid $550 for MCC Membership and that was all i could afford, i felt bad but it was a reality- but i will buy a club membership at the reduced rate for sure

+1

I'm 19 and pay for my MCC membership. I can't afford both, but now I can.

[Rampaging Demons 1]

I am both an MCC/MFC member and wil continue to buy the full associate membership but as noted, it gives those people that pay$550 and can't afford the $150, that for $40 the opportunity of being a member of the Demons as well...

It is a potential gold mine and would appear as though there has been dealings going on for some time....

I think that it is an excellent idea and if you note, Sticks FC and Flatulence Hill are possibly going to look into it as well...

This to continue the off-field revival of the Melbourne Football Club.....

[DemonTux 95]

im both as well.

[praha 10,270]

I've had this argument with my one-eyed magpies supporter friend a few times. I notice that whenever Melbourne plays at the G the MCC section is always filled, whereas whenever other tenants play there (bar Collingwood) it's only quarter to half full.

I've always said that if Mfc can somehow get an agreement to include the MCC membership as an MFC membership, or do as they've actually done in providing a discount, we would look more attractive to sponders and also have one of the top 5 membership bases in the country.

Congrats on getting it done, finally! Personally, I don't see every single one of the 25,000 MCC melbourne supporters jumping on board, but I'm confident of around 8,000-10,000 this season doing so. If we can get 23,000-25,000 normal members, that would bring our membership to 30-35k and would only increase each yeah. I've always thought we've had one of the bigger supporter groups in Melbourne. It's unfortuante that a large quanity don't vent their voices and get in on the club.

Also, I'm not critising MCC members who aren't MFC. I can totally understand if you can't afford both, but you better take this offer up. It's a great deal that is made to accomodate you, so make haste!

[TonyMelb 7]

This is to be welcomed as MFC is a special case as there is very little MFC can give by way of added value to a full MCC member.

As noted in the media if half the MCC members who are Demon supporters take out the special memberships we would have 35,000 members - a true indications of MFC supporter base.

This finally recognises that a large number of die hard MFC supporters can see all there games from the MCC members without paying the MFC anything. Contrast to Adelaide members who get seats for both Adelaide and Pt Adelaide games ( I admit questionable value except for maybe 2 weeks when the Dees play there) & they have a waiting list like MCCs

Need to note that it was the AFL which killed off the old membership for MCC/MFC members which was at $40 a few years ago. Wouldnt count them in membership numbers. (Perhaps that was because of the large number of family pets who were paid up Hawk members!!).

There are also more MCC members who are paid up MFC members than the stats quoted show because they only seem to look at those who buy an MFC/MCC membership. This ignores those of us who have other MFC memberships like Redlegs etc as well as full MCC membership.

[Dee*ceiving 876]

How does that affect the sponsors?

Any MCC member that forks the MFC membership in addition to their MCC Membership dues is already a potentially attractive target to sponsors.

I only hope those fine people that pay the existing $150 for MFC/MCC membership continue to dip in each year. Good on em for foing so anyway.

Rhino,

Customer Details lists are worth a fortune in a marketing saturated world. Big businesses are willing to pay big $ for specific information that allows them to pick and choose the demographic they can market too. With this announcement potentially doubling our directly mailed audience sponsors will look at us as a much more marketable brand.

An obvious example is the MFC magazine. The sponsor ads contained within the magazine can now potentially reach as many as 45000 directly (god knows how many indirectly) people and further into a key demogrqaphic than before. The 35 - 65 Male profressional/semi-retired audience common within the MCC. The demogrqaphic most likely to puchase BMWs and Rolexs

[yussel_7 0]

$40 is very reasonable, this is a good initiative taken by the club. As a 19 year old paying $150 on top of my MCC membership was a bit too much. I would happily pay $40 though and I think many other people would feel the same way.

[brey9186 102]

i have paid the 150 in the past, but this $40 membership can be a good alternative if i have to make a decision between mcc or mfc

[Deestroy 0]

In my opinion the club needs to create a membership like this that gives the MCC members entry to all Telstra Dome & Skilled Stadium matches during the year.

If the cost was about the same as paying to go to each of these games individually I think the take up rate would be greatly improved.

I know that I as a student can’t justify $40 on top of the $500+ MCC and however much it is costing me to go to the Dome games, but if these games were included I would get one for sure.

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

Great idea. Bragging rights when it comes to membership numbers is always a good thing. It will not only attract interest from sponsors & advertisers, but potential new members that want to join the largest membership based club in Victoria.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Rhino,

Customer Details lists are worth a fortune in a marketing saturated world. Big businesses are willing to pay big $ for specific information that allows them to pick and choose the demographic they can market too. With this announcement potentially doubling our directly mailed audience sponsors will look at us as a much more marketable brand.

An obvious example is the MFC magazine. The sponsor ads contained within the magazine can now potentially reach as many as 45000 directly (god knows how many indirectly) people and further into a key demogrqaphic than before. The 35 - 65 Male profressional/semi-retired audience common within the MCC. The demogrqaphic most likely to puchase BMWs and Rolexs

TBG,

My response was to answer Satan's labelling us a Clayton's Club for doing it. You are arguing my point.

i have paid the 150 in the past, but this $40 membership can be a good alternative if i have to make a decision between mcc or mfc

Without my any direct reference to your financial decision, brey, the downside is that some or most of 3000 MCC members that currently coughed up $150 (God bless the lot of you!) pay only $40 next year. In simple maths, a loss of up to $330,000 of membership revenue.

[dees_rule_4eva 22]

It's a super initiative by the club, yet another forward step in bringing this club back to the top of the AFL. Kudos to the MFC administration once again, its a heart-warming thing to see this club getting bigger and better.

[Pepe Dee Pew 0]

About time. Three in my family though have both at the moment.

Will be great to get an extra few thousand members.

Great forward thinking MFC management.

[DemonDave 1,078]

In my opinion the club needs to create a membership like this that gives the MCC members entry to all Telstra Dome & Skilled Stadium matches during the year.

Exactly how many games would the average MFC/MCC supporter want to attend down at Skilled Stadium this year? None! My AFL Club-Support membership does not even get me into that dung-hill of a ground, I have to fork out more hard earned for the right to stand amongst the ferals, or

even more exorbitant dollars if I want a seat.

I think this is a great initiative, as it will give a more accurate indication of exactly how many members melbourne could have if MCC Melbourne supporters were included...

[Rampaging Demons 1]

Rhino,

You are correct but this is worst case scneario, does not take into account the new members and also the addition of corporate sponsorship, etc.

I will continue to pay my $150 a year on top of my MCC and am sure that many will do the same.

Go Dees!!

[beelzebub 22,225]

yes I'l lI'll do a me too...that is..its a wonderful development.

Probably one of the benefits , aside from all things financial is that of perception.

Despite we all knowing there was a decent supporter base for the good ol Dees it s been perceived by many for a long time that we were also rans in this dept, cellar dwellars. I think it wil become very healthy for the club to be able to strut the stage as it were and tell the world..look..Melbournes a good team, looka t allits supporters. This can only encourage others to fillow suit, to take up the Demon cause that is. Im very glad that after all this time a reasonable and fair deal has been struck.Well done MFC,MCC,AFL Our true representationwill now be seen.

go Dees

[Deestroy 0]

Exactly how many games would the average MFC/MCC supporter want to attend down at Skilled Stadium this year? None! My AFL Club-Support membership does not even get me into that dung-hill of a ground, I have to fork out more hard earned for the right to stand amongst the ferals, or

even more exorbitant dollars if I want a seat.

I think this is a great initiative, as it will give a more accurate indication of exactly how many members melbourne could have if MCC Melbourne supporters were included...

Sorry, I meant all Melbourne matches at these venues (so obviously this year none at Skilled thankfully).

[John Dee 437]

For all of the reasons mentioned above, this is a great initiative. The main benefit will, I believe, be financial. If there are 3000 MCC/MFC members, then many of them will drop back to the $40 option rather than the $150. How many this will be is open to debate. Many will continue to ante up the full amount (and get our enormous gratitude).

In broad terms -

3000 MCC/MFC members at $150 is $450,000.

If we can get 20,000 MCC members to ante up $40, this equates to $800,000.

The rewards are there, but, how many of the 20,000 can we get? How many of the 3000 can we get to remain as full members? Is the 3000 already included in the 21,000 MCC Melbourne supporters?

These things are never quite as rosy as promised; I can still see at least $200,000 in it for MFC and every little bit helps.

[Key Deefender 143]

Rhino,

You are correct but this is worst case scneario, does not take into account the new members and also the addition of corporate sponsorship, etc.

I will continue to pay my $150 a year on top of my MCC and am sure that many will do the same.

Go Dees!!

I am also an MFC/MCC member who is happy to contribute $150 to the club annually for helping me through each cold Melbourne winter and for giving me so much joy/heartache/frustration. I feel that for about $650 a year (combined cost), it gives me membership of, and access to, the two best clubs going around.

I really considered going with the $40 membership this year but could not bring myself to do it - and no I'm not looking for thanks/gratitude/chest to pin anything on. It's just a statement. There will be others who will go the $40 and I respect that.

My point is, following on from Rhino, and I agree with his comment, is that the club needs to make inroads into the MCC membership to bring them into the MFC fold even as $40 members. Therefore for every one of the 3000 MFC/MCC members who scale down from $150 to $40, three will need to come on board to make up the financial leeway.

To facilitate this, I think it has to be made as simple and as easy as possible, otherwise it will not happen to the extent it needs to.

The obvious one to me, is through the annual MCC renewal in August. If there can be an MFC tick box on the MCC renewal form with $150 or $40 options, or an additional slip available in that mailout, then it is easy. It can be accommodated by one payment for both MCC and MFC - cheque, visa etc and it's done, also giving the MFC a bit of a flyer for the following season's numbers. Maybe the MFC section could even accommodate two 6 monthly $75 payments or a monthly debit of around $15 till the end of June the following year when memberships cease to help relieve financial burden. Not all MCC members are wealthy despite perception, because MCC membership is available to all.

Hopefully this would not become an administrative nightmare and the MFC could even have staff on hand at the MCC at this time to cope with the extra workload.

Historically, my experience in other areas shows that if these types of initiatives are not made as accessible and as easy as possible, most people, despite good intentions, will ultimately either not do it, or will not keep doing it.

This good initiative needs to be sustainable over a very long journey.