Scott Watters must be dreaming

[Dee1987 277]

I know its good for a new coach to think big in terms of membership, but 50,000 members for a team that has only won 1 flag in 150 years of footy is silly. They only managed 39,000 this year after playing off in 3 grand finals since 2009. Plus their list is slowly on the slide so membership is more likely to slide when the team does.

We have a better chance of gaining 40,000 members than their 50,000.

Essendon have 50,000 members and they have won 16 flags.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Premierships and finals appearances are no doubt a crucial piece of the puzzle, but I would think it is equally about a club's marketing strategy and how it relates to certain constituencies and demographics. The Saints have done well to brand themselves as the 'bayside' club covering suburbs from St Kilda to Frankston.

I could see them nudging 50,000 if they can remain a challenging top eight club.

[old dee 23,505]

Premierships and finals appearances are no doubt a crucial piece of the puzzle, but I would think it is equally about a club's marketing strategy and how it relates to certain constituencies and demographics. The Saints have done well to brand themselves as the 'bayside' club covering suburbs from St Kilda to Frankston.

I could see them nudging 50,000 if they can remain a challenging top eight club.

Me too RR.

I reckon they will get to 50k long before the Dees do

1 premiership or not.

Edited December 12, 2011 by old dee

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

I know its good for a new coach to think big in terms of membership, but 50,000 members for a team that has only won 1 flag in 150 years of footy is silly. They only managed 39,000 this year after playing off in 3 grand finals since 2009. Plus their list is slowly on the slide so membership is more likely to slide when the team does.

We have a better chance of gaining 40,000 members than their 50,000.

Essendon have 50,000 members and they have won 16 flags.

There are a lot of idiots out there.....

[old dee 23,505]

There are a lot of idiots out there.....

Can we recruit a few more?

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

Can we recruit a few more?

There are a Hell of a lot of Demon supporters out there OD, once the wins roll you will see them back again...think back to '87 as we rolled towards September....

Have some Faith my friend...The Club is Building slowly and carefully.

[old dee 23,505]

There are a Hell of a lot of Demon supporters out there OD, once the wins roll you will see them back again...think back to '87 as we rolled towards September....

Have some Faith my friend...The Club is Building slowly and carefully.

I was only making the observation that I don't care if they are idoits or not can they just buy a membership!

I am not sure there are as many as you think.

I reckon low 40's is about the top end at present.

Five years of being in the top 4 might improve matters but that is a ways off.

Edited December 12, 2011 by old dee

[Dr. Gonzo 23,726]

There are a Hell of a lot of Demon supporters out there OD, once the wins roll you will see them back again...think back to '87 as we rolled towards September....

Have some Faith my friend...The Club is Building slowly and carefully.

Mate no offense but '87 was a long time ago - a lot of those people who jumped on the bandwagon back then are likely no longer with us. Whether their kids have remained loyal or closet Demons supporters who will crawl out of the woodwork remains to be seen.

EDIT: Thats not to say 50K for us is not achievable just that we will have to work hard to get there and invest heavily in places like Casey where hopefully the dividends can pay off - on a side note you would think the biggest scope for growth would be in areas not already colonised by supporters of other clubs - therefore suburbs with high migrant intake would be key to growing into the future. It's not much use laying the groundwork in an area where the kids already have family allegiance to Hawthorn, St. Kilda, Collingwood, Carlton etc I don't know the demographic of Casey and have probably never even driven through there in my life so if someone is able to fill us in on who lives out that way it would be appreciated.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Dr. Gonzo

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

Mate no offense but '87 was a long time ago - a lot of those people who jumped on the bandwagon back then are likely no longer with us. Whether their kids have remained loyal or closet Demons supporters who will crawl out of the woodwork remains to be seen.

If Neeld can turn this team around. You just wait. Watching the Demons at the MCG will become very popular.

[Range Rover 1,935]

I don't know the demographic of Casey and have probably never even driven through there in my life so if someone is able to fill us in on who lives out that way it would be appreciated.

Lower to middle income first home buyers mostly. Think Gus Mercurio ... "New homes with land ... the big rancher ... $70 grand" etc ...

I personally think one demographic a club like ours could make a serious play for is the burgeoning Indian community. I don't see that many Indian people at the footy but they clearly love their sport. Clubs in the premier league, especially Manchester United and Arsenal , have aggressively courted Indian supporters with great results over recent years.

Our name - Melbourne - becomes important in this context because new (and old) Indian immigrants I'm sure would like to lay claim to supporting the AFL team with the name of the city they have moved to. Some food for thought ...

Edited December 12, 2011 by Range Rover

[Bonkers 988]

If you would like to have a look at estimated supporter numbers have a look at the url listed below. We are currently the least supported club in Melbourne according to the Morgan research.

http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2011/1424/

[diesel 420]

If you would like to have a look at estimated supporter numbers have a look at the url listed below. We are currently the least supported club in Melbourne according to the Morgan research.

http://www.roymorgan...ases/2011/1424/

This poll has been discussed here before. I think the conclusion I reached from it is that Melbourne supporters are the most likely to tell cold calling pollsters to rack off and MYOFB

[Bonkers 988]

This poll has been discussed here before. I think the conclusion I reached from it is that Melbourne supporters are the most likely to tell cold calling pollsters to rack off and MYOFB

More likely than collingwood supporters??

[diesel 420]

More likely than collingwood supporters??

My reasoning is a little simplistic but I back it by the fact that the Collingwood supporters will talk ad nauseum about CFC as long as you blow smoke up their posteriors (which pollsters are proficient at). I on the other hand never get polled after I explain my charge out rate and I know some fellow MFC supporters adopt similar routines.

Edited December 12, 2011 by diesel

[Bonkers 988]

My reasoning is a little simplistic but I back it by the fact that the Collingwood supporters will talk ad nauseum about CFC as long as you blow smoke up their posteriors (which pollsters are proficient at). I on the other hand never get polled after I explain my charge out rate and I know some fellow MFC supporters adopt similar routines.

Was just joking bud.

I find putting the phone down works. Alternatively I've been told blowing a whistle into the phone for repeat offenders is another solution.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Was just joking bud.

I find putting the phone down works. Alternatively I've been told blowing a whistle into the phone for repeat offenders is another solution.

The underlined method is not advisable as it can cause permanent ear damage.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Range Rover

[Striker475 696]

I know one who is waiting for them to start winning to crawl out and start watching football again...even if I have to buy him a damn membership when it starts to come good.

[old dee 23,505]

I have no idea why MFC members want to deny the findings of the Morgan research.

It rings very true to me.

here is my simple test.

How many MFC supporters do you know that are not current MCC or MFC members?

I know 1 person.

However I know dozens of Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton supporters who are not members and have not been for decades.

The MFC probably has a very high ratio of member to supporter ratio but we simply do not have a high number of supporters.

We have had 46 years of sustained mediocre how could we possibly have a large supporter base?

[BAMF 4,119]

Have a look at who is number 1 in the research. Sydney.

You have got to ask yourself what questions where they asking.

Clearly everyone they surveyed in Sydney were asked 'Which AFL team do you support'.

They all answered Sydney.

I bet a lot of the people surveyed still think Barry Hall is playing.

[old dee 23,505]

Have a look at who is number 1 in the research. Sydney.

You have got to ask yourself what questions where they asking.

Clearly everyone they surveyed in Sydney were asked 'Which AFL team do you support'.

They all answered Sydney.

I bet a lot of the people surveyed still think Barry Hall is playing.

It still does not make the research in correct.

I have no trouble believing that after 25+ years in Sydney the swans have more supporters than Melbourne.

They have had 25+ years in a city of 4 million to draw on plus all the old South supporters in Melbourne.

Add to that they have won a GF.

Whats not to believe

Edited December 12, 2011 by old dee

[diesel 420]

I have no idea why MFC members want to deny the findings of the Morgan research.

Because it simply doesn't mean a lot. The fact that some randomly selected person says they support a team doesn't mean that translates into anything if they never watch games, never go to games, buy memberships or engage with that organisation.

The MFC probably has a very high ratio of member to supporter ratio but we simply do not have a high number of supporters.

We have had 46 years of sustained mediocre how could we possibly have a large supporter base?

This is true but it has also been pointed out that the value of the average MFC membership is higher than many other teams and we are now getting financial value out of many MCC members who previously supported but didn't contribute $.

Melbourne might never have the membership of Collingwood or some other teams so we have to be smarter which is the path we are on with Casey, China.

Membership and supporter base size doesn't need to equate with success in a Salary Capped and Draft Controlled comp.

[rpfc 28,052]

I have no idea why MFC members want to deny the findings of the Morgan research.

It rings very true to me.

here is my simple test.

How many MFC supporters do you know that are not current MCC or MFC members?

I know 1 person.

However I know dozens of Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton supporters who are not members and have not been for decades.

The MFC probably has a very high ratio of member to supporter ratio but we simply do not have a high number of supporters.

We have had 46 years of sustained mediocre how could we possibly have a large supporter base?

That's why we are out at Casey.

We need to establish ourselves over a population and we haven't been able to because, as many have said, we are born out of a ground not a suburb.

I have no doubt we only have 200k-300k supporters, but turning the people of Casey into Demons is important for bumping that number up, even if it takes 30 years to get any headway.

[old dee 23,505]

That's why we are out at Casey.

We need to establish ourselves over a population and we haven't been able to because, as many have said, we are born out of a ground not a suburb.

I have no doubt we only have 200k-300k supporters, but turning the people of Casey into Demons is important for bumping that number up, even if it takes 30 years to get any headway.

Spot on rpfc could not agree more.

It seems the Management and board of the MFC understand.

But a lot of MFC members are in denial.