Reported in yesterday's HUN that the advent of Jimmy Stynes as Melbourne chairman has had an immediate impact with 300 memberships sold in the day after he took charge. The Demons now need only 335 more to sign up by the June 30 cut off date to surpass last year's record membership of 28,077.

With a few thousand who didn't rejoin after last year's disappointing season I hope they now reconsider and support the club for the future.

Imagine the ammunition that a record membership would give the new chairman and board to stick up Vlad Demetriou and the AFL that despite injury decimating our team, that we post 2 record memberships in a row!

Not to mention the show of strength and support to the players.

C'mon Demonland members - we can achieve this!

Moose

I'll laugh when this happens and Vlad turns around and says "but that's only off the back of generous Collingwood supporters and the change of board" whilst continuing to applaud the Kangaroos membership numbers, which have grow at such a constant rate recently....

i hate to brake it to you all...but the problem is, it is better than nothing...but a lot of people are buying the very cheap mcc/mfc memberships so in terms of the amount of revenue we are getting from the memberships would be similat to what it was before last year

It's funny how we can almost get 30,000 without a pledge drive, yet the Roos get 30,000, half of which probably aren't even Kangaroos supporters. I can't wait to see how many they get next year.

It's funny how we can almost get 30,000 without a pledge drive, yet the Roos get 30,000, half of which probably aren't even Kangaroos supporters. I can't wait to see how many they get next year.

I am actually glad that they did well this year and hope they do just as well next year, if not better.

We should strive to get more members than them BUT I want both clubs to thrive.

I am actually glad that they did well this year and hope they do just as well next year, if not better.

We should strive to get more members than them BUT I want both clubs to thrive.

I've developed a mindset now that no one is our friend, not even the Melbourne clubs. If one club folds/relocates and it's not Melbourne, I'm happy. For every year that a Melbourne club doesn't die, MFC comes a step closer to being that club. I wanted North to head North purely because that would have decreased the chance of the AFL allowing Melbourne to die.

I've developed a mindset now that no one is our friend, not even the Melbourne clubs. If one club folds/relocates and it's not Melbourne, I'm happy. For every year that a Melbourne club doesn't die, MFC comes a step closer to being that club. I wanted North to head North purely because that would have decreased the chance of the AFL allowing Melbourne to die.

I think along the same lines.

As much as I would rather all survive and prosper I doubt it, so I have the mentallity of "better you than me"

I've developed a mindset now that no one is our friend, not even the Melbourne clubs. If one club folds/relocates and it's not Melbourne, I'm happy. For every year that a Melbourne club doesn't die, MFC comes a step closer to being that club. I wanted North to head North purely because that would have decreased the chance of the AFL allowing Melbourne to die.

I don't feel that way at all.

I'd rather watch Melbourne play clubs like North and the Dogs who have history and pride than say some franchise called the West Sydney Wizards dressed in orange and magenta.

I don't feel that way at all.

I'd rather watch Melbourne play clubs like North and the Dogs who have history and pride than say some franchise called the West Sydney Wizards dressed in orange and magenta.

The KEY element being that there IS a Melbourne !! !! If that means another clubs folds/relocated..whatever.. then rather another than us..Any other is fine.

MFC Members email says the post-Jimmy membership boost is now "more than 600" which means we must have busted through 28,000 again.

FANTASTIC RESULT and looks like a new record will be set before the sign off at the end of the month.

That's a great message to send to Mr Olympics.

To wipe out debt, they need to set a higher target next year - must be aimed at 35,000. Big increase I know. But more will sign up if the recruiting promises some hope - look at Carlton.

Don't just aim for 30,000 otherwise 1000 more members than last year will be seen as success. Aim for 35,000 Jimmy

I've developed a mindset now that no one is our friend, not even the Melbourne clubs. If one club folds/relocates and it's not Melbourne, I'm happy. For every year that a Melbourne club doesn't die, MFC comes a step closer to being that club. I wanted North to head North purely because that would have decreased the chance of the AFL allowing Melbourne to die.

It's the ultimate legacy of this AFL administration.

They've given the AFL community a nasty edge.

I manage to direct my hatred to Demetriou, and still hold an affection for the other small clubs.

But it's still a fact, I would sigh with relief if North or the Dogs got moved.

I even get an unhappy satisfaction from the likelihood that the North Membership surge is what stockbrokers call a 'dead cat bounce'.

To wipe out debt, they need to set a higher target next year - must be aimed at 35,000. Big increase I know. But more will sign up if the recruiting promises some hope - look at Carlton.

Don't just aim for 30,000 otherwise 1000 more members than last year will be seen as success. Aim for 35,000 Jimmy

Baby steps, I think 32,000 would be a good target.

I don't feel that way at all.

I'd rather watch Melbourne play clubs like North and the Dogs who have history and pride than say some franchise called the West Sydney Wizards dressed in orange and magenta.

Agreed I have already lost a club, I was a Roys supporter but became a Demon as my father is.

Do not wish ill on any Melbourne club. As much as I hate coll, ess etc, I love playing them and really couldnt give a rats about playing freo or port.

194 to go

Just spoke with the club...currently the figure is at 27,884 and that's soon to be updated.

Whitito how are those triplets coming along? Can she spit them out before June 30th?

I think setting the membership goal for 35,000 would be a horrible idea.

We set it for 30,000 this year, and therefore budgeted for that, meaning if we (and when) we do fall short of that, we lose money.

Budget for 30 again next year maybe, but budgeting for 2 thousand more than your record seems a little odd to me, let alone budgeting for 7000 more. If we budget low and end up with a lot more, then it's profit and everyone's happy

194 to go

Just spoke with the club...currently the figure is at 27,884 and that's soon to be updated.

Whitito how are those triplets coming along? Can she spit them out before June 30th?

Don't wait. I have a god-daughter due to be born in mid-August but she's been a member for two weeks now.

Don't wait. I have a god-daughter due to be born in mid-August but she's been a member for two weeks now.

Yep - just call them Baby 1, Baby 2, and Baby 3!

Good news !

_______________________________

Jim Stynes brings record Melbourne membership

Rebecca Williams | June 20, 2008 12:00am

Have your say!Add your comments or read what others are sayingEmail article Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Post to NewsVine Post to Facebook What are these? Printer friendly Text size+- MELBOURNE supporters have answered president Jim Stynes' call to arms, with the Demons surging to a record membership. More than 1000 members have joined the club since Stynes became president last Thursday, yesterday taking the club past last year's membership record of 28,077.

The membership boost has given the cash-strapped Demons a much-needed financial injection of about $100,000.

But Stynes warned the membership figure was still not high enough.

He said the club needed to aim for 35,000 members in the next three years to ensure its long-term future and financial viability.

"This is fantastic news," Stynes said last night of the record membership. "To get all these people back on board and people who want to help us out and support us, it's terrific.

"But we need to be aiming for the 35,000 mark.

"I understand that is not going to happen overnight, but I would hope over the next three years we should be able to get up there.

"We've had our 150 year celebration and we need to make sure that we're around for another 150 years."

Facing a $4.5 million debt, Stynes said any extra revenue the club could get was crucial.

"Every little bit helps," he said.

"We are staring down a very big debt and unless we get members turning up to games, our corporate sponsors hoping on board, and everyone really getting on, the debt is going to be frightening.

"We've got to try and reduce that debt down as quick as possible and we've got to do it this season, not next year."

Such has been the response from Demons' supporters, some have even contacted the club to sign up unborn babies.

He urged any un-signed supporters to get on board before the membership cut-off date at the end of the month.

"We want to keep encouraging people to take out memberships right up until the 30th of June," he said.

"Right now we are heading into new territory, we have just broken a record, but it would be great to keep pushing it up towards 29,000, which would give us a tremendous base for next year."

Stynes hoped MCC members who are not signed-up Demons would also play a greater role in helping secure the club's future.

"Obviously the MCC members are a very big part of our supporter base," he said.

"We're very lucky that we have so many people that are MCC members who are Melbourne supporters.

"We will be looking to enrol more of them so that they feel proud enough to not just barrack for us, but be a financial supporter of us.

"So they will continue to see us play at the MCG well into the future."

Great News.

I reckon we could at least sign up another 500-1000 people before the deadline. I doubt we'll reach 30,000 but nevertheless a fantastic effort. Considering the year we've had i'm stunned that we've had nearly 30,000 people sign up.

Yes its quite marvellous all things considered and he's right that we need to aim for 35000. Like you need to be an einstein to figure that one but he's deluding himslef if he thinks the MCC members are the salvation. Anything the MCC members do towards contributing ought ever onl be considered icing on the cake and NEVER part of the cake itself.

Im still curious as to why anyone needed to wait for Jim before signing up..still beggers cant be choosers !!

If we get to 29,000 on the back of 1 win it will be a massive boost for the club and a good thing to take to the table when trying to get new sponsors etc that peopel are willing to back this administration.

"Such has been the response from Demons' supporters, some have even contacted the club to sign up unborn babies. "

Someone's listened to me!

28,302 members.

Thats official from the club as of now.

Fantstic another record now lets not get complacent and keep pushing our unsigned to resign

GO DEE'S