The Membership Ladder

[titan_uranus 22,899]

We seem to be well towards the bottom for junior members, but we're 11th overall. We're also last in 'concessions', whatever they are. We're above the Bulldogs, Brisbane, Sydney, North Melbourne and Port Adelaide.

Adelaide, Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Richmond all suffered decreases in membership.

We had a 5.88% increase on last year's figure.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/98326/default.aspx

Edited July 16, 2010 by titan_uranus

[DeezMan 4]

Unbelievable that we managed to pip the Doggies after they were 500 or so ahead with weeks remaining until Memberships closed. Not only "pip" them... but get ahead of them by 1,200!! :/

[drdrake 3,057]

How much trouble is North Melbourne in, the fixture has smashed there game attendance figures, the membership is very bad. They just can't seem to create hype about their club. Their list is young and looks good, hats off to the MFC we have grown our club on future potential and off field leadership. Bring on 40K members

[DeezMan 4]

...hats off to the MFC we have grown our club on future potential and off field leadership. Bring on 40K members

Who would have thought we'd be eyeing off 40k as a realistic target 2 years ago... golly gosh almighty!

Go Demons!

Edited July 16, 2010 by DeezMan

[mauriesy 6,877]

The raw figures don't necessarily match the financials of the club. It's really good to have juniors for the future, but in financial terms, they don't pay that much. Stand alone, they pay $60 for 16 games, and you'd be lucky to get half that after you've supplied all their free stuff. As part of a family membership, you only pay $15 more for up to four kids than you do for two adults.

Concessions pay $90 less for a 16-game membership, and $55 less for an 11-game membership, and we've got the AFL's lowest number.

We've got 8000 more adult members than North, nearly 4000 more than the Bulldogs, nearly 2000 more than Richmond, and only 1500 fewer than Carlton. The financial downside is that quite a few will be MCC members ... paying not much.

[1858 258]

I was surprised to see that we were only about 1000 behind St. Kilda and Carlton in the Adult membership stakes.

If we can improve on our Junior memberships over the next few years (which the club is aiming at doing) we can really build our numbers.

[Daz's Dee's 113]

How much trouble is North Melbourne in, the fixture has smashed there game attendance figures, the membership is very bad. They just can't seem to create hype about their club. Their list is young and looks good, hats off to the MFC we have grown our club on future potential and off field leadership. Bring on 40K members

Good call, great call!

[mauriesy 6,877]

Either Hawthorn and Collingwood supporters are great breeders, or they lots of kids named Fido, Moggy and Turtle!

[beelzebub 22,435]

Keep in mind today's / tomorrows kid members wiil one day be adults with adult revenue !!! I feel sorry for north to a degree, they're stuffed. Am truly amazed and pleased to see we are within a bulls roar of the likes of the Toiges Saints and is not unrealistic that in 5-6 years, with success on field we can rival Carlton etc well done to the club and fellow supporters

[13thflag 0]

Well done to every body who dip in and bought a membership this year I feel very proud when i wear my membership of the best club in the world THE MIGHTY DEMONS!

[H_T 2,941]

We've got 8000 more adult members than North, nearly 4000 more than the Bulldogs, nearly 2000 more than Richmond, and only 1500 fewer than Carlton. The financial downside is that quite a few will be MCC members ... paying not much.

I wonder what the % (breakdown) is of MCC Members in the adult tally. Furthermore, the 'downside' you mention ?

[pitmaster 3,131]

I wonder what the % (breakdown) is of MCC Members in the adult tally. Furthermore, the 'downside' you mention ?

Also, how many of the MCC members take out the discount option as opposed to the full $160 membership? Personally I take out (err pay for) one full MFC/MCC membership and two discounts.

Edited July 16, 2010 by pitmaster

[H_T 2,941]

Also, how many of the MCC members take out the discount option as opposed to the full $160 membership? Personally I take out (err pay for) one full MFC/MCC membership and two discounts.

I'm an MCC member, and I pay for a full MFC family membership with some add-ons. (Thanks to gathering all the schrapnel each year ... )

I know of others who get one of each too. Also a couple that purchase the MCC/MFC option.

[hoopla 418]

Keep in mind today's / tomorrows kid members wiil one day be adults with adult revenue !!! I feel sorry for north to a degree, they're stuffed. Am truly amazed and pleased to see we are within a bulls roar of the likes of the Toiges Saints and is not unrealistic that in 5-6 years, with success on field we can rival Carlton etc well done to the club and fellow supporters

North are stuffed. Brayshaw has got a lot to answer for. After knocking back certain long-term success through a move to the Gold Coast , he neutralised efforts to broaden their appeal by changing them back from the "Kangaroos" to unfashionable "North Melb" - and now he's too paranoid to pursue the money on offer in Hobart.

[ucanchoose 1,806]

Richmond's membership talley on their website was compelete bollocks then wasn't it?

t

What was the point of that? Just make your supporters look stupid when they jump on the radio about how many members they have. They aren't much better than us finance wise.

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

Unbelievable that we managed to pip the Doggies after they were 500 or so ahead with weeks remaining until Memberships closed.

And we finished last two years in a row!!!!

[titan_uranus 22,899]

he neutralised efforts to broaden their appeal by changing them back from the "Kangaroos" to unfashionable "North Melb"

They're still the Kangaroos. He was just trying to reclaim the supporters who weren't happy with the direction the club was going in. Part of that was staying in Melbourne, part of that was returning to North Melbourne. It's not unfashionable, it's who they are. At the time the club's stance was firmly that they were going to stay as who they are and not sell their soul for stability. Thus as well as staying here, they re-took the North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos stand-alone name didn't work anyway.

Edited July 16, 2010 by titan_uranus

[Deefolt 0]

concessions are generally students or retirees... if they plan to take out that option, i assume they get a discount

[Guest Thomo]

Great to see the Dees have many paid up members, it's important for selling sponsorship. The bigger the list, the better it looks for sponsors to on sell their products into.

Membership revenue is also important.

Most clubs have higher average revenue per member than Melbourne. Last year Melbourne had the lowest membership revenue from all clubs. There were about four clubs with less members then Melbourne, but we received less cash from selling memberships. The reason for this could be a lower cost of membership, more interstate members, more concession memberships, less premium members etc. It is important for Melbourne to encourage members to purchase the premium membership packages to supply direct revenue, but it is also important to increase to total membership number to attract sponsors.

Personally, I am an interstate member, and pay less than most. I have never had Melbourne contact me to suggest upgrading my membership. Next year I will probably increase the amount that I'm contributing, but most of the premium memberships include reserved seating and match day activity, so I have no need to pay any more. I can afford to pay more, but at this stage have not. I would like to see the club more proactive in up selling memberships. McDonalds makes billions out of asking if I want fries or upsize, the Dees should be doing similar.

I believe that at the bottom of the premiership cycle the average membership revenue would be low, as many members just want to support the club. As the cycle matures members will want to upgrade their packages to 22 game memberships, reserved seats, grand final guarantees and groups such as the presidents club, however sponsors may not care about the level of membership, they are normally just interested in the level of the captive audience that they have.

I think that the hardest part for the club is getting supporters to commit to becoming members when we are winning wooden spoons, the next step will be improving the revenue.

Great work by the Dees in getting the membership numbers up, hopefully the revenue follows.

[She Devil 64 21]

Great to see the Dees have many paid up members, it's important for selling sponsorship. The bigger the list, the better it looks for sponsors to on sell their products into.

Membership revenue is also important.

Most clubs have higher average revenue per member than Melbourne. Last year Melbourne had the lowest membership revenue from all clubs. There were about four clubs with less members then Melbourne, but we received less cash from selling memberships. The reason for this could be a lower cost of membership, more interstate members, more concession memberships, less premium members etc. It is important for Melbourne to encourage members to purchase the premium membership packages to supply direct revenue, but it is also important to increase to total membership number to attract sponsors.

Personally, I am an interstate member, and pay less than most. I have never had Melbourne contact me to suggest upgrading my membership. Next year I will probably increase the amount that I'm contributing, but most of the premium memberships include reserved seating and match day activity, so I have no need to pay any more. I can afford to pay more, but at this stage have not. I would like to see the club more proactive in up selling memberships. McDonalds makes billions out of asking if I want fries or upsize, the Dees should be doing similar.

I believe that at the bottom of the premiership cycle the average membership revenue would be low, as many members just want to support the club. As the cycle matures members will want to upgrade their packages to 22 game memberships, reserved seats, grand final guarantees and groups such as the presidents club, however sponsors may not care about the level of membership, they are normally just interested in the level of the captive audience that they have.

I think that the hardest part for the club is getting supporters to commit to becoming members when we are winning wooden spoons, the next step will be improving the revenue.

Great work by the Dees in getting the membership numbers up, hopefully the revenue follows.

I am a Premium member (Tridents) and the club suggested when I renewed that I might like to "upsize" to a Chairman's membership.

[darkhorse72 1,763]

Like Thomo I have an interstate membership and there is not much point in getting a higher membership, until I win lotto and can fly every weekend to Melbourne to watch the footy

But either next year or the year after I'll start paying for the guarantee grand final ticket on top of my membership. WHich is an extra bit of money for the club when we don't make it. But when they do I want to be there.

Personally the low packages are fine was its gets members on the club registrar and encourages sponsors which is where the real money comes from. Given our improving attendance's (which on memory we always have a good avg crowd compared to a lot of clubs) the future looks very bright.

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

Bit envious of Hawthorns juniors of14924. They will eventually become full paying adult members. That is why Casey is very important, combined with some success.

The Casey schools MUST be a target.

[hoopla 418]

They're still the Kangaroos. He was just trying to reclaim the supporters who weren't happy with the direction the club was going in. Part of that was staying in Melbourne, part of that was returning to North Melbourne. It's not unfashionable, it's who they are. At the time the club's stance was firmly that they were going to stay as who they are and not sell their soul for stability. Thus as well as staying here, they re-took the North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos stand-alone name didn't work anyway.

All true .... but will they survive and prosper. They only became the Kangaroos in the first place because North Melbourne wasn't working...............

[titan_uranus 22,899]

All true .... but will they survive and prosper. They only became the Kangaroos in the first place because North Melbourne wasn't working...............

Don't think that's entirely true, they ditched the North Melbourne because they thought rebranding as just Kangaroos would have wider appeal. Arguably did more damage than if they'd just stayed as North Melbourne.

Their existence is still on a knife's edge though. According to The Age they're looking to sell games to Hobart (apparently so are we).