Neeld puts 2 H&A games in Darwin on the agenda

[beelzebub 23,380]

.... of Qantas blaming its shareholders for its shareprice.

Just this as a point of view. I dont think the Club as such would ever blame us ( supporters) as it will be well aware of its situation. I do however like the analogy in a fashion. A context it summons is that of performance.

Like it or not for most of us in life there ARE choices. Ive often thought that there may well be far more potential members out there than is often suggested as a supporter base. The issue however is many have become disenfranchised over time , even to the point of it becoming a little institutionalised.

Not all supporters are, nor will they ever be, nor should they have to be , Die-hards. Surely there is more than enough room to accommodate those that would dearly love to enjoy supporting a team they all but secretly, and sometimes begrudgingly support.

I dont know too many that enjoy visits to the Dentist or mechanics or the doctor etc for they all entail a time endured when something is invariably wrong. There are many who would view going to a Melbourne game ( let alone buying a membership )as akin to this form of torture. But they have a choice and its measured by a popular yardstick; bums on seats.

I will confess i dont go to every game. Over the last ten years i think Ive only averaged half a dozen games per season. remarrying and having a growing business have affected this but in all honesty if we were travelling really well I might just be encouraged to reschedule a few things or push the love of my wife a bit and attend a few more. But i dont like going to the dentist and the mechanic is never cheap. Watching Melbourne over the past decade is like watching an amateur theatre group doing groundhog day. Its often not pretty. My days on this mortal coil are numbered. Theres more pleasurable things in life than masochism.

Now I like to think of myself as a pretty full on Demon tragic and yet I make decisions about attending. Now if i can then surely the extrapolation is to those that arent even over the line but umming and ahhing. They too will have more pleasurable options in life.

So whilst I applaud and agree to the notion that winning is the reward for supporting , as a fan, a supporter then I would suggest that supporters and attendance is the reward to the club for winning.

Becomes a bit chicken and egg really. I cant affect how the team performs , I can only pay and attend. The Club however can affect how the team performs and by consequence how it is supported .

The MFC in order to grow its membership needs to re-engage a fractionalised supporter base. At the same time it needs to grow potential support or as some would have it growing the brand.

Its human nature to want to emulate a positive outcome. We might sympathise with the underdog and applaud a valiant loser but very few actually want to be them.

The cost of basic membership is less than a capuchino a week, not much really. Im sure there are thousands of people who have a soft spot for the ol' Dees that drink coffee and wouldnt blink about 2-3 coffees a day but baulk at signing on.

So why. I dont think its money . So it must be what you get for it.Strangely its not really about winning as that simply wont occur all the time ( rarely ) its about being associated with a group thats fair dinkum, that shares similar values and aspirations as yourself.

I , in my work , and other pursuits , give it a fair go. I try. I put in what I have and sometimes go overtime and over board to try to get the result I aim for. Sometimes this is achieved, other times I dont. It must be my crab like nature but I simply dont understand the idea of giving in. This is what I want from my club. To see a team try and not give in. In the 48 years of my support its a pretty empty bucket. I choose membership but cant begrudge anyone for not doing likewise as there are simply other choices in life.

Some call them fair weather suporters, some call them fickle. I just call them decision makers.

I simply refuse to believe its impossible to have a membership of 50 or even 60000. But until the MFC represents what many people would choose to associate with it wont happen.

Like it or not winning is the materialisation of many of the values that people hold dear, especially in sport.

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

Whatever makes the club more members & $$$

Darwin is going to become a BIG CITY.

I do not like the humidity factor, but if the club has a solution to this problem i will back them

No point playing 2 games in Darwin & losing the following 3 because of fatigue.

But if Neeld truly believes we can win under any conditions. Great, have a crack.

The Coaches Balls are on the line here.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Im not a great fan of Melbourne home games not actually in Melbourne. Im not against exploring new markets.

I would be waiting to see how well we fare this year with one game before any commitment to more.

[mjt 640]

Winning is the reward for your support.

Not the other way around.

That's my personal view.

Is that your view Sheldon, the guy has a go at supporters for not turning up, FMD they have won about 30 out of the last 130 games, the fans have paid there dues, its time for the club to pay theres, do you take kids to the footy?

[rpfc 28,494]

Is that your view Sheldon, the guy has a go at supporters for not turning up, FMD they have won about 30 out of the last 130 games, the fans have paid there dues, its time for the club to pay theres, do you take kids to the footy?

Sheldon?

Look, you don't have to go games when we are crap, you don't have to pay for memberships when we are crap, you don't have to even say you are an MFC when we are crap.

But don't tell me (finger waving here) that you show the same level of support than those that do wear their support on their sleeve and their wallet, that pay their memberships, and turn up to games.

You can do what you like, but you can't change MY opinion on what it means and what it takes to support this great club.

[mjt 640]

Sheldon?

Look, you don't have to go games when we are crap, you don't have to pay for memberships when we are crap, you don't have to even say you are an MFC when we are crap.

But don't tell me (finger waving here) that you show the same level of support than those that do wear their support on their sleeve and their wallet, that pay their memberships, and turn up to games.

You can do what you like, but you can't change MY opinion on what it means and what it takes to support this great club.

Listen Sheldon, finger waving here, my supports as strong as the rest, now answer my question, do you take KIDS to the footy.

[rpfc 28,494]

Listen Sheldon, finger waving here, my supports as strong as the rest, now answer my question, do you take KIDS to the footy.

If I did, it would be very worrisome.

I don't have kids. I don't really know what point you are making?

Perhaps that having kids watch a terrible team is tough? If that was your point, I would say that kids hate watching their dads turn their trip to the footy into a loud, sweary depressed nightmare more than watching a team lose.

Edited December 12, 2012 by rpfc

[stinga81 210]

Is that your view Sheldon, the guy has a go at supporters for not turning up, FMD they have won about 30 out of the last 130 games, the fans have paid there dues, its time for the club to pay theres, do you take kids to the footy?

Working a bit of big bang theory into you repartee, eh?

[jnrmac 20,100]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="old dee" data-cid="676559" data-time="1355226574"><p>WCE and Freo Travel 7 hours every other weekend.<br />This is one of the great myths<br />When the WCE had  the players they have won flags, when they had average teams they have played poorly.<br />Recover it seems to me  is very manageable and only seems to effect poor teams<br />So it is probably the players not the "recovery"</p></blockquote><br />

West Coasts recoveries are legendary...just ask Ben, Chad FLetcher, Kerr.....<br /><br />Heck look at their recovery in 2010/11!

Edited December 12, 2012 by jnrmac

[mjt 640]

If I did, it would be very worrisome.

I don't have kids. I don't really know what point you are making?

Perhaps that having kids watch a terrible team is tough? If that was your point, I would say that kids hate watching their dads turn their trip to the footy into a loud, sweary depressed nightmare more than watching a team lose.

How would you know that Sheldon, you go on about nightmare and depression, take kids to the footy before you spew your drivel, i took my boy 6 times this year for one win, i buy 2 tickets a season, thats 1 more than you Sheldon, i never said i dont go to the footy, i took offence to Hells Gates blaming supporters for poor attendances, if they want better support win a few games, you need to get off your high horse and think before you post.

[daisycutter 29,616]

Sheldon!!! Ouch! ......lol

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Just this as a point of view. I dont think the Club as such would ever blame us ( supporters) as it will be well aware of its situation. I do however like the analogy in a fashion. A context it summons is that of performance.

Like it or not for most of us in life there ARE choices. Ive often thought that there may well be far more potential members out there than is often suggested as a supporter base. The issue however is many have become disenfranchised over time , even to the point of it becoming a little institutionalised.

Not all supporters are, nor will they ever be, nor should they have to be , Die-hards. Surely there is more than enough room to accommodate those that would dearly love to enjoy supporting a team they all but secretly, and sometimes begrudgingly support.

I dont know too many that enjoy visits to the Dentist or mechanics or the doctor etc for they all entail a time endured when something is invariably wrong. There are many who would view going to a Melbourne game ( let alone buying a membership )as akin to this form of torture. But they have a choice and its measured by a popular yardstick; bums on seats.

I will confess i dont go to every game. Over the last ten years i think Ive only averaged half a dozen games per season. remarrying and having a growing business have affected this but in all honesty if we were travelling really well I might just be encouraged to reschedule a few things or push the love of my wife a bit and attend a few more. But i dont like going to the dentist and the mechanic is never cheap. Watching Melbourne over the past decade is like watching an amateur theatre group doing groundhog day. Its often not pretty. My days on this mortal coil are numbered. Theres more pleasurable things in life than masochism.

Now I like to think of myself as a pretty full on Demon tragic and yet I make decisions about attending. Now if i can then surely the extrapolation is to those that arent even over the line but umming and ahhing. They too will have more pleasurable options in life.

So whilst I applaud and agree to the notion that winning is the reward for supporting , as a fan, a supporter then I would suggest that supporters and attendance is the reward to the club for winning.

Becomes a bit chicken and egg really. I cant affect how the team performs , I can only pay and attend. The Club however can affect how the team performs and by consequence how it is supported .

The MFC in order to grow its membership needs to re-engage a fractionalised supporter base. At the same time it needs to grow potential support or as some would have it growing the brand.

Its human nature to want to emulate a positive outcome. We might sympathise with the underdog and applaud a valiant loser but very few actually want to be them.

The cost of basic membership is less than a capuchino a week, not much really. Im sure there are thousands of people who have a soft spot for the ol' Dees that drink coffee and wouldnt blink about 2-3 coffees a day but baulk at signing on.

So why. I dont think its money . So it must be what you get for it.Strangely its not really about winning as that simply wont occur all the time ( rarely ) its about being associated with a group thats fair dinkum, that shares similar values and aspirations as yourself.

I , in my work , and other pursuits , give it a fair go. I try. I put in what I have and sometimes go overtime and over board to try to get the result I aim for. Sometimes this is achieved, other times I dont. It must be my crab like nature but I simply dont understand the idea of giving in. This is what I want from my club. To see a team try and not give in. In the 48 years of my support its a pretty empty bucket. I choose membership but cant begrudge anyone for not doing likewise as there are simply other choices in life.

Some call them fair weather suporters, some call them fickle. I just call them decision makers.

I simply refuse to believe its impossible to have a membership of 50 or even 60000. But until the MFC represents what many people would choose to associate with it wont happen.

Like it or not winning is the materialisation of many of the values that people hold dear, especially in sport.

BB

Love it.

A lot of this sort of stuff went into my company business plan.

Mission Statements

SWOT analysis

but you seem to have forgotten the Marketing.

By and large we have been living the shadows of the VFL for way too long.

We have now been an AFL team for 1/4 century.

Our marketing is still 1/4 century behind most other AFL clubs.

We have to spread our wings and fly like Eagles instead of acting like Turkeys.

The new age supporter will support a truly AFL club hat want's to progress.

Gaining more support from a territory starved of AFL football rather than try and get more support from a state that is saturated is certainly the right way to go about it IMO

[skills32 229]

What appears to be forgotten is that this is now a National competition.

MFC has supporters all over the country and indeed the world.

They want more members. You can do this in one of two ways.

1. Attract the young kids from where we are based.

2. Churn people from areas which have no franchise.

The move to Casey satisfies the first and becoming entrenched in Darwin the second.

The club is being very pro active in looking after supporters and attracting new ones, as well as improving on ground performance and I applaud the push ino Darwin and surrounds.

Any one wanting to whinge about playing two home games away should look at how lucky they are. Interstate team supporters only get to see their teams playing 1/2 a season whereas the MFC play the majority of away games in Melbourne. So you still get to see 16-17 games a year.

The push into Darwin will bring about more members=more money= more spending= better performance. It is a win win situation for every one.

Some people should stop being so selfish and give the rest of Oz a go.

[rpfc 28,494]

How would you know that Sheldon, you go on about nightmare and depression, take kids to the footy before you spew your drivel, i took my boy 6 times this year for one win, i buy 2 tickets a season, thats 1 more than you Sheldon, i never said i dont go to the footy, i took offence to Hells Gates blaming supporters for poor attendances, if they want better support win a few games, you need to get off your high horse and think before you post.

I have no idea why you have taken such a liking to me but, really, do you need to do it such a spiteful and vitriolic way?

If you think I 'spew drivel' then you better just let go off the mouse, turn off your computer and leave the Internet alone otherwise...

[mjt 640]

you need to think before you post, you think you have a high IQ but your a lightweight, if your going to hang crap on people when you post at least get your facts correct Sheldon.

Edited December 12, 2012 by mjt

[ILLDieADemon 804]

I will leave this alone and just laugh. "Darwin is a dump", "no money to be made in Darwin". Hilarious.

As I previously stated with the airport upgrade a connection to China, a $40 billion gas project approval (Ichthys) with construction already started, a booming offshore Oil & Gas industry in which Darwin will be the major port, a connection with America through defence, booming Mine projects waiting in the wings.

The possibilities are endless with sponsorship. This club needed to expand and think outside the square for our future wellbeing & I really applaud them for that.

Theres also no reason why they cant still focus on other areas down south as well as Darwin either. The NT is ours and if we want it to work it will be greatly beneficial. Theres so many kids running around with Dee's jumpers like never before, its my resposibility to get them onboard.

My word there is some negative people on here sometimes, stand up and support your club and support them for having a go. I love this club & the supporters and I will never knock anyone for having a crack.

Theres some quality people at the club who are doing great things.

Get on board. Sign up a friend.

My focus is now to get an early night and go spend my last day off with the Dees tomorrow, just so I can bring you guys another training report!!

If the club has lifted its standards right from top to bottom, then why cant us supporters do it as well.

Well now you but it like tha I take back my previous comment.

Sayonara.

[hardtack 10,547]

you need to think before you post, you think you have a high IQ but your a lightweight, if your going to hang crap on people when you post at least get your facts correct Sheldon.

This whole Sheldon motif is getting very tiresome.

rpfc gave you a very reasonable response that he clearly stated was his own opinion and you lay the boots in?...all this after you gave a curt response to someone else (was it Hells Gate?) for expressing their opinion. Go play under the bridge with the other trolls.

[Hells Gates 505]

How would you know that Sheldon, you go on about nightmare and depression, take kids to the footy before you spew your drivel, i took my boy 6 times this year for one win, i buy 2 tickets a season, thats 1 more than you Sheldon, i never said i dont go to the footy, i took offence to Hells Gates blaming supporters for poor attendances, if they want better support win a few games, you need to get off your high horse and think before you post.

Ahh dear. I bet you've been stewing over my comment all day too. It just goes to show the mentality or even stupidity for that matter that you have. Read my other posts, there is a big picture that the club is trying to paint, alot bigger than you obviously understand.

Do you want the club to sit on its hands forever? You havent answered my question on what you would do, since youre not a fan of Darwin? All you gave me was "tell the players to win games". Geez youre a thinker arent you. Do you even understand why they're experimenting with Darwin? Or are you too stubborn....

The club is trying to get on a level playing field here with the rest of the competition, if that means 1-2 games in Darwin good on them. We may only get a small crowd but the opportunities are endless - and we need money.

Basically I couldnt care less what you do, no show or not, but I'm not going to knock the club for having the balls to try new things.

Also not sure why you would stick the boots into rpfc for having his own opinion, he said nothing wrong and he brings alot of good stuff to this forum, so why dont you stop being so childish & spiteful and think about your own posts before you press send.....

If you dont like what I bring to the forum then please feel free, go ahead and use the ignore fuction.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Hells Gates

[mjt 640]

Ahh dear. I bet you've been stewing over my comment all day too. It just goes to show the mentality or even stupidity for that matter that you have. Read my other posts, there is a big picture that the club is trying to paint, alot bigger than you obviously understand.

Do you want the club to sit on its hands forever? You havent answered my question on what you would do, since youre not a fan of Darwin? All you gave me was "tell the players to win games". Geez youre a thinker arent you. Do you even understand why they're experimenting with Darwin? Or are you too stubborn....

The club is trying to get on a level playing field here with the rest of the competition, if that means 1-2 games in Darwin good on them. We may only get a small crowd but the opportunities are endless - and we need money.

Basically I couldnt care less what you do, no show or not, but I'm not going to knock the club for having the balls to try new things.

Also not sure why you would stick the boots into rpfc for having his own opinion, he said nothing wrong and he brings alot of good stuff to this forum, so why dont you stop being so childish & spiteful and think about your own posts before you press send.....

If you dont like what I bring to the forum then please feel free, go ahead and use the ignore fuction.

Were did i mention Darwin in my posts? i couldnt give a stuff were they play as long as they make coin, i just find it insulting when people dump on fans for not showing up, FMD theres about 11 sides in the league we havnt beaten since 2006, and you stick the boots into people for not showing up, basically i couldnt care less what you do or think, like i said if they want people to turn up, try winning, they dont have to do it every week, but twice a month would be nice.

[hardtack 10,547]

We got two for 2013 but for past few years have had just the one.. do feel for the Sydneysiders tho.. you have had a dud deal and then they finally go there and play one of their most crappy games, you must have been pretty cut.. hopefully it will be a much improved performance for you guys next year..

Sorry Deb, I completely missed your response.

Yes, that Sydney game was indeed a dud, and to make matters worse, it was my 10 year old son's first chance to see the Dees live; as a result, I had to drive him down to Canberra so that he had the chance to see us have a win (and am now considering taking him to the MCG to see us take on Port in round 1).

Next year is just one game again and it's in Lilliput (Skoda Stadium), but you are right, it should be a much improved performance and hopefully the Sheedy Shankers will be ground into the astro-turf.

[hardtack 10,547]

Were did i mention Darwin in my posts? i couldnt give a stuff were they play as long as they make coin, i just find it insulting when people dump on fans for not showing up, FMD theres about 11 sides in the league we havnt beaten since 2006, and you stick the boots into people for not showing up, basically i couldnt care less what you do or think, like i said if they want people to turn up, try winning, they dont have to do it every week, but twice a month would be nice.

It's a two way street... if the team doesn't perform, the supporters are loathe to go to games, but if the supporters aren't there to build an atmosphere that has both the intent of lifting the team and intimidating the opposition, then the team is likely to be flat and not perform well.

And here's a nice piece of light reading on the issue:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201112/the-psychology-sports-fans

Edited December 12, 2012 by hardtack

[Weedster 174]

Two games in succession, against ordinary teams, and leading into a bye would be ok by me.

The only way this could work, otherwise it will simply derail our season, just as the "home" Brisbane games did year after year.

We would be better advised to concentrate on winning enough games here to be successful - wins bring crowds, better fixtures, more television, and ultimately more bikkies in the bin

Time to step up ..

[CBDees 3,167]

I cannot help thinking that watching a game in Melbourne Darwin at the local pub with my mates is a far MORE ENJOYABLE way to spend my leisure time than traipsing down to Etihad to watch as play a minor team there in a HOME GAME!

[beelzebub 23,380]

They can substitute Darwin for any two Etihad games. There...Im converted !!

[CBDees 3,167]

If you read the latest comments on the Club website from Nicholson and Davey, they are really lapping it up in Darwin. If we play there I think that we will actually secure a strong home ground advantage (and certainly perform much better than we ever have at Etihad). If we are going to play any (home) games away from the "G" I would rather it be somewhere which puts us at a genuine advatage over the players from other Clubs rather than Etihad where we always seem behind the eight-ball and will never have an advantage!