DEMON SUMMIT 2008

[Redfin 0]

I hope you are not having a go at me, and I am not really proving anything, I am offering an opinion as to why I think the HUGE supporter base difference exists.

It's because of this, that we have such a huge task.

The "silver tail" thing is another issue which should have long run it's race but unfortunatly still exists thanks to media and other wankers that keep dragging it out. We need to shake it. IF NOT..

If we can affiliate with the MCC (as we should be) have MCG as our training and Admin base, and count MCC members that support MFC as full members then the AFL can get [censored].

Shepparton.... very small considering C C and E and probably related to the ones that were in C C and E hence barracked for them also.

p.s. I grew up in the Mid Murray, in a Richmond zone where Geoff Raines came from. When he went to Richmond EVERYONE in district followed Richmond, and I am sure they got memebers from it that are still with them today. That's 30 odd years.

[Tigers Dayz 2]

I hope you are not having a go at me, and I am not really proving anything, I am offering an opinion as to why I think the HUGE supporter base difference exists.

It's because of this, that we have such a huge task.

The "silver tail" thing is another issue which should have long run it's race but unfortunatly still exists thanks to media and other wankers that keep dragging it out. We need to shake it. IF NOT..

If we can affiliate with the MCC (as we should be) have MCG as our training and Admin base, and count MCC members that support MFC as full members then the AFL can get [censored].

Shepparton.... very small considering C C and E and probably related to the ones that were in C C and E hence barracked for them also.

p.s. I grew up in the Mid Murray, in a Richmond zone where Geoff Raines came from. When he went to Richmond EVERYONE in district followed Richmond, and I am sure they got memebers from it that are still with them today. That's 30 odd years.

The MFC supporters in the MCC are becoming a smaller and smaller percentage of the MCC. Many of their children who were placed on the membership waiting list since birth do not take up the membership due to other priorities in their lives, not to mention the annual cost.

This whole thing about re-affiliating with the MCC can only be a temporary arrangement. In fact it will never fly because of MCC internal and opposing supporters opposition to re-affiliation.

Further, this supposed Holy Grail will not ensure MFC's future. If this is pursued at the expense of the wider demographic, then the MFC is finished. If it can be used to get MFC cheap use of the MCG, then that is the best outcome. It will be temporary, however, due to growing and opposing MCC forces.

[Redfin 0]

Your first para is based on what?

The rest is [censored].

[Tigers Dayz 2]

Your first para is based on what?

The rest is [censored].

This was in the MCC News earlier this year (2007)

MCC

Melbourne 22%

Essendon 14%

Collingwood 12%

Carlton 9%

Hawthorn 8%

Richmond 8%

Geelong 8%

Other 20%

[Redfin 0]

If MFC/MCC members that are dropping off are electing to take MFC instead (cost) then I don't see a problem.

If they are MFC affiliate that drop off and don't rejoin as anything then that's a problem for us.

It surprises me that Rich MCC is so low. again, demographic.

p.s. out of how many MCC members?

[45HG 1,559]

Dees, I am trying to understand what you're saying (and I think I'm getting there...)

But I don't see how you're helping the debate? If you feel like you have ideas for the club to use, then put them forward.

How can ideas we have pertaining to the MCC be in neglect of all others?

FWIW, probably many of my ideas will be related to the MCC as that is how I attend the footy, if others don't attend the footy through the MCC I'd assume they would have other ideas on how to help our club, and if they didn't have MCC-related ideas, I wouldn't degrade them for any reason, so I don't really see why would do it.

Are you saying that the club only invited MCC members to the Summit?

Why do you think the club is moving to Casey, and so many on here have been positive about that, if it's not about spreading the "demographic" and attempting to shake off the stigma of the "range-rover driving silvertail."

I'm 21, born and raised in West Footscray, MCC because of a father I didn't often see. I don't see how that has any relevance to how i can help the club moving forward. Are you painting yourself too much into the corner?

[Tigers Dayz 2]

This forum seems to paint the MCC member viewpoint due to those numbers posting here.

The MCC member viewpoint is skewed to the wealthier supporter demograhic, hence 'silvertail', range rover'.

I've discussed earlier how MFC/MCC affiliation would seem impossible to me due the fact that only 22% of MCC are MFC supporters; not MFC members.

I can only help the debate by saying there is a whole other demographic out there. These are the lifeline of the club, not MCC cum MFC members.

Many of we ordinary MFC members sit in that [censored] forward pocket. It seems to us like Collingwood and Essendon members and supporters have better seating; so there's input #1

The club never replies to any of my emails, for example, clash jumper, whereas I see frequently that MCC/MFC members are acknowledged with bountiful replies. I read them here. I think the club still has a silvertail culture.

Moving to Casey seems to be a chore, rather than an expansion and acceptance of demograhic change. I love the MCG too, but this move, if handled in a long term way and embracing the peninsular culture and people somehow is critically important; input #2.

No 45, I am definitely not painting myself into a corner. Cheers.

[45HG 1,559]

If this forum has a lot of MCC members, and hence ideas etc. are weighted in that favour, then that's just how it is. We're all supporters of the club, and as I've said earlier, being an MCC member does not make you a "toff, silvertail." You started out complaining about negative demorgaphics, and yet it is you who is playing them up.

Of course the club should try and entice more MCC member to become MFC members, what could possibly be a drawback of this? The club knows who they are, contact details etc. It would be negligent not to try and recruit them. But of course, this should be done as part of a larger recruitment drive. No one here, not even rich, rolling-in-money MCC members have said that. We all want to spread the base anyway way we can. Getting more MCC members on board is just one idea to help the club, I don't think it should be attacked because you are not one.

Interesting point you raise about the seating. Ideas like that are positive and I for one could not raise it because i sit in MCC and am not really aware of the seating arrangements. It's a good point to make and should be addressed to the club.

About the club not getting back to, yet offering "bountiful" replies to MCC members is one of the most ridiculous things to say. For instance, I wrote a 3 page email to the club outlining ideas i had for the club, and a few questions i was interested in. I sent it to two email addresses, one of which was the published link designed to takes supporters ideas. I didn't get a reply. If the club has a "silvertail"culture, it doesn't help that supporters such as yourself play it up so much, especially by complaining at a lack of response as being due to perceived economic status. The club needs to get better at responding to members and supporters, that is an issue.

You seem more caught up in demographics than most here, a move to Casey is an attempt to widen the supporter base. I doubt very much the club is saying, let's go out near Cranbourne because people think it's a poor demographic and will then help the club grow in a poor economic setting. It is an attempt to help our club. I agree Casey should be embraced and the club should get right into it, immerse itself into the comunity fabric. I'd love if we could buy a couple of local pubs or something, to build a real connection with the area. Perhaps the club could play a match against teh Scorpions and give all proceeds to a local hospital. If you have other ideas, feel free to post them I'm sure everyone here is happy to listen to suggestions. Though I wouldn't really call the move to Casey a chore, perhaps you could post ways in which the club could make the move sound exciting to those who don't hear of it daily (for instance, its lack of publicity makes you feel the club doesn't really care about it, solution, the club needs to get into the media celebrating casey etc.)

As an afterthought, is there anyway we could become a general sponsor of the local Junior footy club? Good way to get the club's name out, get kids easily involved with the club?

[H_T 3,049]

This forum seems to paint the MCC member viewpoint due to those numbers posting here.

The MCC member viewpoint is skewed to the wealthier supporter demograhic, hence 'silvertail', range rover'.

I've discussed earlier how MFC/MCC affiliation would seem impossible to me due the fact that only 22% of MCC are MFC supporters; not MFC members.

I can only help the debate by saying there is a whole other demographic out there. These are the lifeline of the club, not MCC cum MFC members.

Many of we ordinary MFC members sit in that [censored] forward pocket. It seems to us like Collingwood and Essendon members and supporters have better seating; so there's input #1

The club never replies to any of my emails, for example, clash jumper, whereas I see frequently that MCC/MFC members are acknowledged with bountiful replies. I read them here. I think the club still has a silvertail culture.

Moving to Casey seems to be a chore, rather than an expansion and acceptance of demograhic change. I love the MCG too, but this move, if handled in a long term way and embracing the peninsular culture and people somehow is critically important; input #2.

No 45, I am definitely not painting myself into a corner. Cheers.

First of all, the "your" MCC member viewpoint of being a "wealthier supporter demographic" - is absolute 'cods wallop' ol' chum! I wish and certainly I wish for my MCC mates that we were silvertails with Range Rovers. That view we are not.

Secondly, what email addresses of the club have you been using to send your emails to? Fwiw, I am an MCC and MFC member and have received replies to some, and not others. Persistence will get you there I have found. To say the club has a silvertail culture is nonsense. However, improving their communication to members and supporters remains an issue.

'Thirdly', the club is after a new demographic or an additional demographic, hence stepping foot in Casey in an attempt to 'plant a seed there and make it grow.' If the club and community get together and assist each other such as 45hotgods suggestion in raising funds for a local hospital, the move can be embraced and be a real positive for the football club in many aspects such as membership, finance, marketing opportunities and sponsorship.

[e25 5]

First of all, the "your" MCC member viewpoint of being a "wealthier supporter demographic" - is absolute 'cods wallop' ol' chum! I wish and certainly I wish for my MCC mates that we were silvertails with Range Rovers. That view we are not.

Secondly, what email addresses of the club have you been using to send your emails to? Fwiw, I am an MCC and MFC member and have received replies to some, and not others. Persistence will get you there I have found. To say the club has a silvertail culture is nonsense. However, improving their communication to members and supporters remains an issue.

'Thirdly', the club is after a new demographic or an additional demographic, hence stepping foot in Casey in an attempt to 'plant a seed there and make it grow.' If the club and community get together and assist each other such as 45hotgods suggestion in raising funds for a local hospital, the move can be embraced and be a real positive for the football club in many aspects such as membership, finance, marketing opportunities and sponsorship.

I don't agree with the silvertail & range rover theory, but i think the MCC connection segregates our supporters.

I'm not entirely sure, because I'm an MCC & MFC member, but the way the club caters to the MCC I would think non-MCC members would feel like 2nd class citizens? no?

Just a theory.

[45HG 1,559]

interesting point, certainly one the club would have to look at

[H_T 3,049]

I don't agree with the silvertail & range rover theory, but i think the MCC connection segregates our supporters.

I'm not entirely sure, because I'm an MCC & MFC member, but the way the club caters to the MCC I would think non-MCC members would feel like 2nd class citizens? no?

Just a theory.

Prior to me being an MCC member, I never felt like a 2nd class citizen, I could imagine some would for whatever reason - maybe it's just the dress code, who knows? But because its a "club", there will always be an opinion like this from non-members.

[Golgothan 0]

i think the richmond 80 club thing is a great idea and sould be brought up at the summit

but at the end of the day, it's up to a/the supporter(s) to organise and maintain and make it what it is

Very true, but there's no point in someone even trying to get this sort of thing going without the backing of the club. If the club gave it's blessing and said that they'd support it (getting players/ coaches to attend), then maybe people on a site like this could could organise it. We've already had a supporter try organise a pre-game lunch, so there's a potential venue. Or i'm sure there are a few people with kids playing junior footy, all we'd need is a big room with a kitchen so a footy club is perfect. If someone could bring up the idea, i'd be interested to see what the club says. If it goes anywhere i could get some further details from the Richmond supporter about how they run there's to help our cause

Nice to see that everybody in this thread is focussing on the positive ideas being submitted and not going off on a tangent of 'Us vs Them' that has been done to death a million times. Great work guys, i'm sure bickering like 12y.o. girls is the best way we can help the club :angry:

[e25 5]

Pior to me being an MCC member, I never felt like a 2nd class citizen, I could imagine some would for whatever reason - maybe it's just the dress code, who knows? But because its a "club", there will always be an opinion like this from non-members.

Hearing that makes me feel better.

I'm kind of ashamed because I've been an MCC member for over a decade, but only an MFC member for the past few years. And I never felt compelled to be a member until recently, despite bleeding red & blue ($ was an issue I guess).

But i really feel as an MCC member I get a much better deal, whether i've been an MFC member or not, and it occurs to me that it should not be that way.

Just some food for thought I guess.

[Rogue 585]

Funny thing about this forum is that all of the key posters are MCC members. And an arrogant, know-all bunch, a lot of them are.

Who are the key posters?

How do you know they are MCC members?

Obviously a few are, but many aren't.

Looks like the clique were a 'done deal'.

It's more likely that there's a correlation between posting lots on a Demon supporter forum and showing a reasonable level of interest on the application IMO.

Btw, I agree re: the rubbish comments about country members, but I hardly think that's a reflection of most Demonlanders' views. Didn't a few people pull the poster up re: the comment?

I'm not entirely sure, because I'm an MCC & MFC member, but the way the club caters to the MCC I would think non-MCC members would feel like 2nd class citizens? no?

Just a theory.

It might be with the many MCC-related events.

The club never replies to any of my emails, for example, clash jumper, whereas I see frequently that MCC/MFC members are acknowledged with bountiful replies. I read them here. I think the club still has a silvertail culture.

Do you think that Club staff check a membership database before replying?

The club will probably find that to get the levels of support collingwood, essendon, richmond etc get, you need to appeal to the majority middle class football nuts. I can't believe I am saying that in this country. You are not going to get the levels of support those 3 clubs have pandering to the minority rich. Sponsors know that. The MFC needs to undertand that this part of their history needs some level of rethink

Around the time that Stynes became President he talked up the fact that the MFC had to reach out to people like himself and give them a sense of belonging.

I wouldn't say that a young immigrant was part of the MCC Range-Rover stereotype.

PS. I agree re: the Club reserved seating areas - MCC/AFL is much better.

[beelzebub 23,382]

I'm going...

have had various emails and submissions acknowledged

am but an MFC member..

I dont think the generalisations hold

[Yencks 8]

now i have a suggestion which i just thought of:

-tell me if im wrong, but before the renovations were complete at the G, were we allowed to walk into the members, at the end of the last quarter if we were not mcc members?

-it might be out of melbournes hands, but agaisnt freo (i am an mcc member) i went to sit outside the mcc to sit with some mates behind the goals, however at the end of the game, i wanted to go and celebrate in the mcc and clap the boys off (cos thats where they congregate) and i was able to do so

-that got me thinking...how left out other supporters must feel when we rarely win a game, and the players just go and celebrate at the cheer squad and then come straight to the members

i would have felt left out against freo especially if i couldnt have been in the members to clap the team off with heaps of dees supporters

do u think the club would be able to request that they open the mcc up at the end of the game?

(im pretty sure they dont do it anymore)

what do non mcc members think about this? does it frustrate you that the players go straight to the mcc to celebrate and clap at the crowd?

[beelzebub 23,382]

Its nothing if not interesting to see how everyone views the 'viewing' of a game. I must confess I expected ideas of an entirely different type to surface here but am intrigued as to the manner and detail some go to to watch a game.

As a kid I used to enjoy the kick on the ground.. to wander down rooms for the 'spiel' afterwards. Ive havd friends who are MCC members and have at times enjoyed the Long room ( old one ) but thse days I just go to the footy..I just watch the game..take most of my own fodder.and rarely splurge beyond a couple of ales.. Times have changed for me..persepctive has definitely. But thats only me. I now see ( remember) many watch it in a different way and enjoy other aspects to the day.

I will say I will be going along to the summit without any interest in contributing to the minutae of the day's watching do's and can'ts. Personally Im more interested in bringing to the table any ideas ( mine ) or others by proxy to allow this club to survive, grow and indeed prosper. If any one not going wants to get an idea across PM me.

But im sure some of the ideas expressed may help some enjoy the footy 'experience"...its all good

[_becks_ 35]

I was thinking about the Casey Grounds initiative as well as the Casey Scorpions affiliation. Why are we not advertising on our site, and in local rags in the Casey area about our training times down at Casey(They dates have been included on the Casey site however I had to search for them)? Sure, there might not be massive interest but there will be a lot of kids on school holidays in just over a months time. If we start to tell people about it now, then maybe by the time holidays come around parents may just say, hey you want to go watch an AFL club train, maybe get some autographs etc. The kids start to know the players names and who knows may even end up barracking for us!

Also does anyone remember when we advertised the kick after the match? It was an idea of Paul Gardner's and amazingly enough recived quite a bit of attention, maybe Jimma could organise another one next year. It would most likely have to be on a Sunday, but that means that we may get a few more in. You could do it for round one, as a somewhat attraction for the start of the year and maybe another round later in the year to keep interest against an interstate team.

Lastly, if you go to the Frankston Council's website, there is an icon on their home page dedicated to news about St. Kilda moving to Frankston. I think that we should demand something similiar on the Casey government home page, if and when we officially move there.

[casey scorp 2]

Lastly, if you go to the Frankston Council's website, there is an icon on their home page dedicated to news about St. Kilda moving to Frankston. I think that we should demand something similiar on the Casey government home page, if and when we officially move there.

If you read the information on the Frankston Council site most of it is way out of date and relates to the Saints originally planned move to Frankston Park before the poor evaluation, feasibility and due diligence undertaken ended up blowing that project out of the water. A smaller amount of the matters relate to the alternative Belevedere Park location. The most recent posting is mid-September.

At least the Casey Council site already has an up to date page with MFC's training times at Casey Fields to the end of 2008.

I'd be pretty sure that the strength of the community partnership between the Council and MFC would see something similar on the Casey Council website(hopefully considerably better than the Saints have on Frankston Council website).

http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/whatsonatcasey....asp?Item=13899

[Tigers Dayz 2]

....................

Nice to see that everybody in this thread is focussing on the positive ideas being submitted and not going off on a tangent of 'Us vs Them' that has been done to death a million times. Great work guys, i'm sure bickering like 12y.o. girls is the best way we can help the club :angry:

MCC member are you, Golgothan? Don't want to discuss an historical problem? What is your suggestion to make MFC stonger?

Is it get all MCC members to become MFC members also? Sorry dude, too few, too little money, no reason for them to consider. And don't tell me the reason should be 'to save the MFC'. That's lame.

Is it that MFC should re-affiliate with the MCC. Unfortunately 78% of MCC members who barrack for other clubs will veto that.

This isn't about 'us vs them', it has wider financial connotations involving membership/sponsorship/gate.

These precise issues need to be addressed, now.

[45HG 1,559]

What's your answer?

[Rogue 585]

Also does anyone remember when we advertised the kick after the match? It was an idea of Paul Gardner's

Was it Gardner's idea? I seem to remember McNamee spruiking it.

I'm not sure about having it in round one - interest should be relatively high at that point - and making it happen twice in a season might be pushing our luck. The MCC seemed pretty adamant it was a once-off. Having it versus an interstate side is good - they are the games we need to try and boost the crowds with something novel like this.

[Yencks 8]

wow...casey is growing on average 124 population wise every week

[Redfin 0]

I was thinking about the Casey Grounds initiative as well as the Casey Scorpions affiliation. Why are we not advertising on our site, and in local rags in the Casey area about our training times down at Casey(They dates have been included on the Casey site however I had to search for them)? Sure, there might not be massive interest but there will be a lot of kids on school holidays in just over a months time. If we start to tell people about it now, then maybe by the time holidays come around parents may just say, hey you want to go watch an AFL club train, maybe get some autographs etc. The kids start to know the players names and who knows may even end up barracking for us!

I think and hope that we will be pleasantly surprised with the attendance at training.

Casey and surrounding areas are a huge growth area for junior footy, we are involved at Rowville and in 2009 we will be fielding 20 junior teams.

Accesibility is the thing, and if we advertise it out there, we will get people to training, and we will get on going support, as will the Scorpions. There should be nights of combined training to bring the clubs and supporters together.