Yeah, it'd have to be a sustained period. And obviously, we the club couldn't survive another 45 years without a premiership. We need one soon and we need to be a top 8 side consistently for the next 10 to 20 years.

Like we have for the last 20 years, like North had throughout the 90's (with two Premierships), like Richmond haven't had for 25 years nor Carlton this decade.

I agree with much of what you say on this topic, but it is nonetheless far more of a complex issue.

I might might reading this incorrectly, but I wouldn't have thought we've been a top 8 team consistently, for the past 20 years. Every second or third year, yes, but certainly not consistently. Consistency has certainly not be a hallmark of the MFC over my life time. Consistency would have been the Bombers under Sheedy for the last 20 years. If we can achieve that sort of consistency, then we'll have a sustained membership base well and truly in the 40,000s.

As of 2006, we had participated in the most amount of finals series of the previous 20 years behind only Essendon and West Coast.

You have a good point, 45.

Demons break membership record

The Melbourne Football Club is delighted to announce that it has broken the Club’s all time membership record, with a total of 31,508 members signing up for the 2009 season.

Membership Totals

2004 - 20,647

2005 - 24,805

2006 - 24,689

2007 - 28,077

2008 - 29,619

2009 - 31,508

Well done dees and fans!

like North had throughout the 90's (with two Premierships)

Indeed, and they also had the star player of the comp in Carey.

Demons break membership record

The Melbourne Football Club is delighted to announce that it has broken the Club’s all time membership record, with a total of 31,508 members signing up for the 2009 season.

Membership Totals

2004 - 20,647

2005 - 24,805

2006 - 24,689

2007 - 28,077

2008 - 29,619

2009 - 31,508

Well done dees and fans!

We smashed it, I still know a couple of supporters that will jump on when we start winning (It's not right, but the more the merrier)

Well, I'm very surprised we got to the 500 mark. Great news. Go Dees!

hmm..31508...damn close to my prediction of 31500...well done Dees !!!!

I reckon we're a chance to get 33,000 next year, if we show a bit more next season. With the likely scenario being, Scully on board and another top pick, that might just be enough to get a few more on board.

great effort, 31,508

Aim for 35,000 next year!

I know it's a big ask

If Jimmy's not on board, there's not much chance of 35,000. He sells the club so fantastically well.

Interesting to note though, that only 8,940 MCC members signed up this year. Now, don't we have over 20,000 MCC, Melbourne supporters? That means there's still heaps of scope for improvement in membership figures.

Don't Collingwood have roughly 700,000 supporters? Don't we have roughly 200,000?

8,940 is just under half of our total MCC supporter base, if just under half of our total supporter base signed up we'd be laughing!

Demons break membership record

The Melbourne Football Club is delighted to announce that it has broken the Club’s all time membership record, with a total of 31,508 members signing up for the 2009 season.

Membership Totals

2004 - 20,647

2005 - 24,805

2006 - 24,689

2007 - 28,077

2008 - 29,619

2009 - 31,508

Well done dees and fans!

31,508. Great effort.

hmm..31508...damn close to my prediction of 31500...well done Dees !!!!

Surpassed my 31,484 prediction with a big late jump of 84 new members in just a few days (after 3 bad losses)..... I didn't see that coming.

Happy that it was surpassed. Well done BB.....you won closest to pin!

If Jimmy's not on board, there's not much chance of 35,000. He sells the club so fantastically well.

Interesting to note though, that only 8,940 MCC members signed up this year. Now, don't we have over 20,000 MCC, Melbourne supporters? That means there's still heaps of scope for improvement in membership figures.

I tend to agree. Jimmy's presence alone is worth a lot to the club. I sincerely hope he beats whatever illness it may be and comes back. The greater club will have to acknowledge and advance without him as President.

Agree with the scope for improvement re: the MCC melbourne supporters. I also think Jimmy's presence would be instrumental in improving this number somewhat with another year or two. I'm sure this is one of the objectives of the club in conjunction with the MCC's assistance, through the improved relationship.

HT, If I remember we had a bet for a Demon Heartland membership. Was that with you?

HT, If I remember we had a bet for a Demon Heartland membership. Was that with you?

I think you're right mate! And what was that bet again.....I will have to check.

Should create a thread for bets...so we don't lose them. It will be somewhere.

I think mine went something like 31,484 +/- 150. But I will check it out first.

Hey Roost It, I found it!! Back in December 2008. Here is what transpired....I thought I had 31,484 but I predicted 31,565 - oh well 57 off final tally then!! (Final Tally 31,508).

If we get more than 30,000 members, which I think we will, we'll brain the doggies and roos. We might even catch and pass the saints.

edit: If we bookmark this, my guess for the final membership total is 31,565.

38,751

35,000+ without even breaking into a sweat. I might have to up my original prediction of 38,000+ Wouldn't it be great if like Carlton we won the preseason comp.

Roost It, 38,000 ? I doubt that very much. I will stick to my prediction earlier, 31,565.

HT. I'll wager you 1 Demon Heartland membership we get over 35,000 members in 2009. Now there's a bet no good Demon can lose!

haha. Good stuff. Alright, we're on. We'll see June 30, 2009. The Mfc will be the winner! I like it.

edit: - And just to show you how confident my predicted tally of 31,565 is, if I get 'within' 500 either way (500 less or 500 more of 'MY' predicted tally), I'll buy another 2 x Demon Heartland memberships for 2010. (ie. between 31,065>32,065)

Shouldn't I buy them if your that accurate? I'll tell you what I buy 2 more if we get to 38,000 members.One thing everyone needs to remember is that we ned these memberships to be ongoing.

Going by all this, I'm the one who is buying 2 x Demonland heartland Memberships for 2010 anyway - i must have been real confident!!! All for the good of the club anyway. You owe 1 for not getting over 35,000.

Going by all this, I'm the one who is buying 2 x Demonland heartland Memberships for 2010 anyway - i must have been real confident!!! All for the good of the club anyway. You owe 1 for not getting over 35,000.

I'm off to the website to make my purchase.

I'm off to the website to make my purchase.

Done

Receipt no. 181470

Done

Receipt no. 181470

I've purchased one for now. (I'm budgeting ). I'll purchase the other next week. Found it difficult going through the site. So I contacted the club. The lovely girl Jane helped out effortlessly. $50 Demon Heartland. Done. #4418.

Pleasure having a bet with you......it's a win-win for the club. There's 20 kids worth! Jobs done.

ok...schucks !!! 31508 !!! v my 31500 would rather have won lotto actually but hey !!

prediction for 2010 is 33333

This is the final membership ladder for 2009:

Hawthorn 52,496

Adelaide 46,472

Collingwood 45,972

West Coast 43,927

Carlton 42,408

Essendon 40,412

Fremantle 39,206

Geelong 37,160

Richmond 36,981

St Kilda 31,906

Melbourne 31,508

Port Adelaide 30,605

North Melbourne 28,340

Bulldogs 28,215

Sydney 26,269

Brisbane 24,873

Poor Bulldogs. Can't get 30,000 on the back of a prelim last year.

Edited July 21, 200915 yr by titan_uranus

I also heard that Sydney have less than 16,000 members in the NSW.

The West Sydney experiment just keeps sounding worse and worse. Wait for Sydney's membership next year without making finals.

I also heard that Sydney have less than 16,000 members in the NSW.

The West Sydney experiment just keeps sounding worse and worse. Wait for Sydney's membership next year without making finals.

I really think footy in growing markets should concentrate on the spectacle rather than the results.

The Swans play this awful, dour, slow game-plan and have had a decent following in recent years because of the flag they won and the finals they played in.

But they haven't converted people to following AFL, they have converted them to following success. And that's not a winning strategy for hearts and minds. They have to go to the footy because they want to see what kids want to see: fast pace, dare, boldness, high-flying marks, and plenty of goals.

And I really think it comes down to this - the SCG is too small and has cramped the Swans into playing the way they do.

WS18 have to make sure their arena is conducive to those things I previously mentioned - and show those in NSW what footy is really about.

Prediction.. five years after West Sydney come into the frey and having been the whipping boys for all that time along with record LOW attendances and a membership counted in the hundreds not thousands the AFL will come out like they did today and finally announce they got something wrong. They will then be merged/relocated/disbanded as a joke gone on too long !!