Right here:

Awesome!!! I have been looking for that Picture for Months

Thanks T U :)

Of course it was fact. There is nothing wrong with setting goals or targets. It's nothing to hold them to account I believe, if 30,000 is not reached by Round 1. It could be Round 3 or 4 ?

Last year it took until Round 6. (late april)

Nobody is holding anyone to account- excepting our budget for membership is 31000.

And that's the only number that matters from an internal perspective. Whether they achieve promotional milestones isn't ruffling feathers, frankly, if they'd hit 30,000 by Rnd 1 we'd have been MILES ahead of the 31,000 target so it would've been champagne corks.

If we can get to 27,500 for Rnd 1 that will be quite satisfactory.

HT- Whilst your info is correct- the target set by Jimma & the MFC is 30000 by round 1- that is FACT.Not withstanding we may reach the figure sometime after that,maybe not all or even record the greatest membership being over 31509 by memory by 30th June 2010. I strongly doubt we will reach any of these however I have been wrong before- I hope again with this one

If we don't reach 30,000 members I will deliver you my nutsack by registered post.

And that's the only number that matters from an internal perspective. Whether they achieve promotional milestones isn't ruffling feathers, frankly, if they'd hit 30,000 by Rnd 1 we'd have been MILES ahead of the 31,000 target so it would've been champagne corks.

If we can get to 27,500 for Rnd 1 that will be quite satisfactory.

Common sense.

If we don't reach 30,000 members I will deliver you my nutsack by registered post.

Only way to deal with a crisis! B)

HT- Whilst your info is correct- the target set by Jimma & the MFC is 30000 by round 1- that is FACT.Not withstanding we may reach the figure sometime after that,maybe not all or even record the greatest membership being over 31509 by memory by 30th June 2010. I strongly doubt we will reach any of these however I have been wrong before- I hope again with this one

I think you need to go for a walk JCB. You are becoming sad, we will get 31,000 members+ this year , the season has not even started & you have given up.

Personally i do not like reading posts from those who have given up, Get Positive man....NOW!

I think you need to go for a walk JCB. You are becoming sad, we will get 31,000 members+ this year , the season has not even started & you have given up.

Personally i do not like reading posts from those who have given up, Get Positive man....NOW!

Reckon we will get 32,000

Looking on the positive side, this season will be quite interesting. Feeling we are going to see quite a few players to emerge.

Scully and Trengove have already come a long distance in a short time - can't wait to sit back and reflect on how far they have come by the end of the year.

I reckon Gysbert isn't far behind them. Three really important finds. Just wish Tappscott and Jurrah wasn't injured.

Reckon we will get 32,000

Looking on the positive side, this season will be quite interesting. Feeling we are going to see quite a few players to emerge.

Scully and Trengove have already come a long distance in a short time - can't wait to sit back and reflect on how far they have come by the end of the year.

I reckon Gysbert isn't far behind them. Three really important finds. Just wish Tappscott and Jurrah wasn't injured.

Even with the injuries i still believe we are a good show against the Hawks. It will all depend on how pumped the players are. How much they want to win. Whether they want to win as much or more than Hawthorn.

We must kick consequtive goals against opposition early in the match. Learn how to Dictate a match on our terms.

Bailey now has to become a match day coach-his job has just started.

Edited March 16, 201015 yr by why you little

24,838 members now. I can see the new slogan, '30k members by sometime halfway through the season please'

Most sensible MFC supportrs will have heard and realise the need for PATIENCE with such a young group of talented footballers. Membership numbers have steadily grown as the members have seen the Committee undertaken a number of on and off field initiatives to get MFC back on the right track.

As a number of posters have said numbers will swell when we have the main H&A numbers coming through. A couple of wins will be nice but given the where the list is at with injuries, this may be more of a stretch than getting 30K members by rd 1.

And if we dont have 30k members by rd 1? The end of the world is nigh. Growing membership is important but we are getting steamed up over an ambitious metric.

Where is that storm in a teacup picture when you need it?

Did anyone note Cameron Schwab's comment at his new Wednesday Whiteboard forum (currently posted on this forum) that MFC has the highest ratio of supporters to members. Personally I find this difficult to believe given the number of demon supporters i know who are MCC members but not MFC members.

The club's real challenge though is to develop new markets to expand their base such as Hawthorn did in Tasmania and outer suburban Melbourne around the old Waverley Park where they went from about about 20k to over 50k in about 10 years. We need to find similar niches. Perhaps Darwin might be a good place to start given our fantastic indiginous list, it is an untapped AFL market, but a very knowledgable and fanatical one. I also think new immigrants (particularly Asians) who are currently coming into melbourne in large numbers are a potential market, particularly those who have a knowledge of the MCG's legendary status through cricket eg those from the subcontinent. MFC is THE MCG team, and we all know the quickest way to acceptance in Melbourne is through your football team.

I think there are a number of areas we can considerably build our membership base from, and even out do Hawthorn's success

Did anyone note Cameron Schwab's comment at his new Wednesday Whiteboard forum (currently posted on this forum) that MFC has the highest ratio of supporters to members. Personally I find this difficult to believe given the number of demon supporters i know who are MCC members but not MFC members.

The club's real challenge though is to develop new markets to expand their base such as Hawthorn did in Tasmania and outer suburban Melbourne around the old Waverley Park where they went from about about 20k to over 50k in about 10 years. We need to find similar niches. Perhaps Darwin might be a good place to start given our fantastic indiginous list, it is an untapped AFL market, but a very knowledgable and fanatical one. I also think new immigrants (particularly Asians) who are currently coming into melbourne in large numbers are a potential market, particularly those who have a knowledge of the MCG's legendary status through cricket eg those from the subcontinent. MFC is THE MCG team, and we all know the quickest way to acceptance in Melbourne is through your football team.

I think there are a number of areas we can considerably build our membership base from, and even out do Hawthorn's success

The AFL commissioned an extenisve survey of AFL supporters throughout Australia through one of the major research companies. One of the outcomes was the MFC was one of the least supported brands throughout Australia. Collingwood being one of the highest (Ugh!). MFC's conversion of supporters to members is one of the highest. It would be more if some of the chaps in the leather patched jackets also sign up.

The AFL commissioned an extenisve survey of AFL supporters throughout Australia through one of the major research companies. One of the outcomes was the MFC was one of the least supported brands throughout Australia. Collingwood being one of the highest (Ugh!). MFC's conversion of supporters to members is one of the highest. It would be more if some of the chaps in the leather patched jackets also sign up.

I'm not doubting that MFC is one of the least supported AFL. My point is why has it come to this and what do we do to get out of it. Being a foundation member of the VFL/AFL, and having one of the biggest supporter bases in the country in the 50's, 60's and 70's, and one of the wealthiest, we have managed to let it slip by neglect and incompetence. But we still have many advantages that others don't have: foundation ties to the MCC/MCG, a relatively wealthy supporter base, a well presented brand if somewhat neglected over the years, a strong administration, an exciting emerging playing list, and a new home right in the middle of the famous melbourne sporting precict. These are things we can build on.

My point is though, we need to do more, just as Hawthorn have done by looking at and building new markets. There ARE things we can do here which exploit our traditional markets, as well as build on our new strengths (see my earlier post on this thread).

24,838 members now. I can see the new slogan, '30k members by sometime halfway through the season please'

Melbourne has just recently signed their 25,000th member. - Demon HQ twitted on Mfc website

I'm not doubting that MFC is one of the least supported AFL. My point is why has it come to this and what do we do to get out of it. Being a foundation member of the VFL/AFL, and having one of the biggest supporter bases in the country in the 50's, 60's and 70's, and one of the wealthiest, we have managed to let it slip by neglect and incompetence. But we still have many advantages that others don't have: foundation ties to the MCC/MCG, a relatively wealthy supporter base, a well presented brand if somewhat neglected over the years, a strong administration, an exciting emerging playing list, and a new home right in the middle of the famous melbourne sporting precict. These are things we can build on.

My point is though, we need to do more, just as Hawthorn have done by looking at and building new markets. There ARE things we can do here which exploit our traditional markets, as well as build on our new strengths (see my earlier post on this thread).

You assume the Club (both current and previous) aren't looking at all avenues. My understanding they have looked at a number of proposals (Some with potential, some that are not viable).

There are a number of issues (in no particular order) for MFC both present and in the past:

1. Lack of success....46 years of drought...Almost 2 generations of supporters can say they have never seen a flag

2. Lack of regional or demographic representation.

3. Mediocre brand and profile.

4. Lack of infrastructure and poor non match facilities.

5. Poor membership and membership support arrangements.

6. Poor sponsorship history.

7. Historical legacy. (Both good and bad)

8. Lack of brand penetration interstate.

9. Divisive and unprofessional Boards / administration (at times)

10. Poor financial management

There are possibly other

The natural advantage MFC had in the 1950s and 1960s has been eroded by the changing face of the game. MFC has traditionally been slow to realise that.

MFC are in a difficult predicament where there are no low lying fruit opportunites to quickly turn it around. Schwab and co have taken some of the good initiatives from the old administration and add a few of their own. This will take time. If you have suggestions then let the Club know

Can't agree with points 5 & 6.

Our membership support structure is identical to Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Bulldogs & North. They literally sit in the same room, use the same systems and the staff are even occasionally interchangeable. Our membership department does a good job.

I also don't see why our 'sponsorship history' is poor. Or, indeed, what that has to do with club support numbers.

Can't agree with points 5 & 6.

Our membership support structure is identical to Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Bulldogs & North. They literally sit in the same room, use the same systems and the staff are even occasionally interchangeable. Our membership department does a good job.

I also don't see why our 'sponsorship history' is poor. Or, indeed, what that has to do with club support numbers.

Our membership support has improved in recent years but for some time and as a legacy of this the level of viable member facilities given we are part user/tenant of the MCG.My comments are not meant to be a criticism of the current membership team who to the best of my knowledge do perform a good job. I have had no issue.

MFC is not a prime (or premier) brand and we have struggled to obtain sizeable and lucrative sponsors. Sponsor both provide profile for the brand, revenue for the Club which in turn can be used to improve financial stability, player support and facilities, membership facilities and alignment etc..........

You assume the Club (both current and previous) aren't looking at all avenues. My understanding they have looked at a number of proposals (Some with potential, some that are not viable).

There are a number of issues (in no particular order) for MFC both present and in the past:

1. Lack of success....46 years of drought...Almost 2 generations of supporters can say they have never seen a flag

2. Lack of regional or demographic representation.

3. Mediocre brand and profile.

4. Lack of infrastructure and poor non match facilities.

5. Poor membership and membership support arrangements.

6. Poor sponsorship history.

7. Historical legacy. (Both good and bad)

8. Lack of brand penetration interstate.

9. Divisive and unprofessional Boards / administration (at times)

10. Poor financial management

There are possibly other

The natural advantage MFC had in the 1950s and 1960s has been eroded by the changing face of the game. MFC has traditionally been slow to realise that.

MFC are in a difficult predicament where there are no low lying fruit opportunites to quickly turn it around. Schwab and co have taken some of the good initiatives from the old administration and add a few of their own. This will take time. If you have suggestions then let the Club know

Rhino,

I think we are furiously agreeing with one another.

The Club may well have looked at some of these things, but the membership numbers are stubbornly hovering around 30k, nothing like the breakout number of the hawks which have gone from 20k to 50k. I have read all that I can lay my hands on on their strategies to build on these numbers (admittedly not very much - i'm sure there is more it is just I can't see it), and no where can i see a breakout strategy which conciously develops new markets as I have suggested here.

Certainly there is nothing about it in any of their publications nor on their website. Neither are they doing anything remotely innovative around the use of the web, unlike Essendon who have conciously gone their own way as far as a web presence is concerned and claim to make anything up to $1m each year out of it. Being in this game myself, I can understand how this might be done. The website MFC has is little more than an online newspaper and has none of the revenue generating and innovative constructs you would expect from a sophisticated web presence. An imaginative web presence is also an excellent way of building a membership base, but perhaps not the traditional membership base. It does require some innovative thinking.

I've done some research and discovered the innovative work that Hawthorn have done in order to improve the profile, brand and support of their Club.

Please, please, remove that picture!

Rhino,

I think we are furiously agreeing with one another.

The Club may well have looked at some of these things, but the membership numbers are stubbornly hovering around 30k, nothing like the breakout number of the hawks which have gone from 20k to 50k. I have read all that I can lay my hands on on their strategies to build on these numbers (admittedly not very much - i'm sure there is more it is just I can't see it), and no where can i see a breakout strategy which conciously develops new markets as I have suggested here.

Certainly there is nothing about it in any of their publications nor on their website. Neither are they doing anything remotely innovative around the use of the web, unlike Essendon who have conciously gone their own way as far as a web presence is concerned and claim to make anything up to $1m each year out of it. Being in this game myself, I can understand how this might be done. The website MFC has is little more than an online newspaper and has none of the revenue generating and innovative constructs you would expect from a sophisticated web presence. An imaginative web presence is also an excellent way of building a membership base, but perhaps not the traditional membership base. It does require some innovative thinking.

In reflection given the 43 years of drought and the 3 years of hell we have endured our membership has grown steadily. The Hawks even at their darkest moments of the past decade had:

1. A terrific legacy of success from 1971 to 1991 (8 Flags, 11 GFs) where they developed and matured a galaxy of stars. All the supporters they would have pulled then are now affluent 30+/40+ something who are the backbone of their membership today. Even at their worst they have always had at least 30,000 members.

2. They were blessed by the Saints on two occassions.

a) When the Saints pulled out of Waverley to go to Darklands and Moorabbin. Hawks handed toop class training venue on a platter.

b ) When the Saints (again!) pulled out of playing games in Tassie that the Hawks got 100% of a goldmine of sponsorship deal (with no sponosrs contras) which has yielded them Tassie members (5k).

3. List management - Generous PP system that has since changed. Good draft picks in quality years (99,01 and 04). Two excellent trades.

The websites are owned by Telstra(?) and I find the websites about as informative as a Hun front page. Unfortunately the club is tied to that deal.

I think given the difficult parameters that MFC is in, the Club realise there aren't ready breakout opportunities but a number of smaller initiatives that will take time to pay dividends.

Next time try a get to a Club function and see if you can corner a MFC director and enquire of the challenges and the strategies going forward. I hardly think their strategy is something they will blaze in public.

You assume the Club (both current and previous) aren't looking at all avenues. My understanding they have looked at a number of proposals (Some with potential, some that are not viable).

There are a number of issues (in no particular order) for MFC both present and in the past:

1. Lack of success....46 years of drought...Almost 2 generations of supporters can say they have never seen a flag

2. Lack of regional or demographic representation.

3. Mediocre brand and profile.

4. Lack of infrastructure and poor non match facilities.

5. Poor membership and membership support arrangements.

6. Poor sponsorship history.

7. Historical legacy. (Both good and bad)

8. Lack of brand penetration interstate.

9. Divisive and unprofessional Boards / administration (at times)

10. Poor financial management

There are possibly other

The natural advantage MFC had in the 1950s and 1960s has been eroded by the changing face of the game. MFC has traditionally been slow to realise that.

MFC are in a difficult predicament where there are no low lying fruit opportunites to quickly turn it around. Schwab and co have taken some of the good initiatives from the old administration and add a few of their own. This will take time. If you have suggestions then let the Club know

You could probbably add Lack of Consistency to the list. i.e Good Year ,Bad year,Good Year etc. This would also impact on selling memberships IMO.

I've done some research and discovered the innovative work that Hawthorn have done in order to improve the profile, brand and support of their Club.

How do you think they got there? By being innovative, progressive and professionally run. We are very close to being there, but not yet....

In reflection given the 43 years of drought and the 3 years of hell we have endured our membership has grown steadily. The Hawks even at their darkest moments of the past decade had:

1. A terrific legacy of success from 1971 to 1991 (8 Flags, 11 GFs) where they developed and matured a galaxy of stars. All the supporters they would have pulled then are now affluent 30+/40+ something who are the backbone of their membership today. Even at their worst they have always had at least 30,000 members.

2. They were blessed by the Saints on two occassions.

a) When the Saints pulled out of Waverley to go to Darklands and Moorabbin. Hawks handed toop class training venue on a platter.

b ) When the Saints (again!) pulled out of playing games in Tassie that the Hawks got 100% of a goldmine of sponsorship deal (with no sponosrs contras) which has yielded them Tassie members (5k).

3. List management - Generous PP system that has since changed. Good draft picks in quality years (99,01 and 04). Two excellent trades.

The websites are owned by Telstra(?) and I find the websites about as informative as a Hun front page. Unfortunately the club is tied to that deal.

I think given the difficult parameters that MFC is in, the Club realise there aren't ready breakout opportunities but a number of smaller initiatives that will take time to pay dividends.

Next time try a get to a Club function and see if you can corner a MFC director and enquire of the challenges and the strategies going forward. I hardly think their strategy is something they will blaze in public.

Essendon managed to negotiate their way out of the telstra deal. They are the only club that had the gumption to do so, and are now reaping substantial dividends from it. We could do the same

You assume the Club (both current and previous) aren't looking at all avenues. My understanding they have looked at a number of proposals (Some with potential, some that are not viable).

There are a number of issues (in no particular order) for MFC both present and in the past:

1. Lack of success....46 years of drought...Almost 2 generations of supporters can say they have never seen a flag

2. Lack of regional or demographic representation.

3. Mediocre brand and profile.

4. Lack of infrastructure and poor non match facilities.

5. Poor membership and membership support arrangements.

6. Poor sponsorship history.

7. Historical legacy. (Both good and bad)

8. Lack of brand penetration interstate.

9. Divisive and unprofessional Boards / administration (at times)

10. Poor financial management

There are possibly other

The natural advantage MFC had in the 1950s and 1960s has been eroded by the changing face of the game. MFC has traditionally been slow to realise that.

MFC are in a difficult predicament where there are no low lying fruit opportunites to quickly turn it around. Schwab and co have taken some of the good initiatives from the old administration and add a few of their own. This will take time. If you have suggestions then let the Club know

Good points and well thought out- however Volvo was a low lying fruit opportunity..China is the go in October...

Edited March 18, 201015 yr by jayceebee31

Essendon managed to negotiate their way out of the telstra deal. They are the only club that had the gumption to do so, and are now reaping substantial dividends from it. We could do the same

Do you actually know the facts behind it? And the moneys involved? If think MFC can do that, call the Club and give them the wisdom.

You could probbably add Lack of Consistency to the list. i.e Good Year ,Bad year,Good Year etc. This would also impact on selling memberships IMO.

See lack of success.

Good points and well thought out- however Volvo was a low lying fruit opportunity..China is the go in October...

Any sponsorship we can get is good. But the Volvo deal is small beer against the Tassie deal that the Hawks get. Its all bottom line revenue and its significant. Volvo is not in their league $$$ wise and MFC does not have the brand power to demand more. China is pie in the sky...It might hold something for MFC...then again it might not....Dont hold your breath on it.