Where are all our members?

[Jack7 528]

I find it absolutely staggering that for a club like ours which is over 150 years old that we only have 14,000 more members than GWS,a club that's been in existence for 1 year!!!

[RalphiusMaximus 6,053]

The problem being we are a club whose home turn is the CBD of Melbourne. Not many families there. The clubs based in teh suburbs have for a very long time had much larger populations in their sphere of influence than us. This is one reason why the Casey deal is so important to the club. If they can be active in a rapidly growing community with a high percentage of young families they have a chance to increase their "catchment" and win the hearts and minds of hoards of youngsters.

[Demon Disciple 12,124]

it could just be that our perpetual under-performing, is starting to catch up with us.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

it could just be that our perpetual under-performing, is starting to catch up with us.

Funnily enough, our membership base has increased by about 50% since we last made the finals (2006).

[BrisbaneDemon 1,572]

I was thinking the exact same thing this morning actually. We're about 14,000 short of last year. Lets hope a win in round one will boost the numbers.

[deanoDA 36]

it must have something to do with us not winning many games, the big increase in membership even in this time has to have a lot to do with the great Jim stynes and the big push he had for it. Now the big push has finished stopped.

With the economy as it is, tanking investigation, loosing 90% of games and generally having a negative view within public. I Believe its very understandable why our membership is poor. If we start to win games and stay out of the press for negative reasons I think we will see a positive increase.

[mauriesy 7,296]

Not much point in comparing membership now with final membership from last year. It's only March, I think we've got until June. Heaps of people join up late.

[Red N Blue Society 165]

Wins.

Plain & simple.

Our Club has not been in a good state for a long time with wins.

People/Ex members/Supporters are tired of losing & will hold off signing up to see if its worth going to the footy to get smashed each week or not.

They want success & are sick of waiting.Its obvious to me.14k is it?..that is a lot. Maybe its the economy & negative press maybe its not..

The MFC must win regularly this year & beat good sides.

If we do that then 40k will happen. I have no doubt..

But we cant just beat poor sides any longer we must beat good sides & give the MFC people something back!

[jnrmac 20,065]

I find it absolutely staggering that for a club like ours which is over 150 years old that we only have 14,000 more members than GWS,a club that's been in existence for 1 year!!!

A GWS membership comes with a petrol discount voucher in western sydney....I wouldn't worry too much. Sydney has a great track record for sticking with losing teams...

[Sdemon53 15]

The answer to this question is that the Melbourne Football Club was part of the Melbourne Cricket Club. If we had not been part of the MCC we would have picked up a much larger supporter base since WWII. The 50s and early 60's would have especially broadened our pool of members. We still have families that go back generations but with our poor performance since the second half of the 60s we have found it hard to attract young members of these families. Also with the membership of the MCC many thought they also had membership of the MFC as it was part of the MCC.

The other big problem has been that the club did not value its members. One CEO told me he could not give a f*** about the members. It has been the current board to care about the members at long last.

[Weedster 174]

it could just be that our perpetual under-performing, is starting to catch up with us.

In a nutshell ! Hard to get people excited with the crap that's been served up over the past 5 years - Melbourne supporters have been incredibly patient and forgiving - TIME TO GIVE US SOMETHING !

[The Chazz 4,077]

The answer to this question is that the Melbourne Football Club was part of the Melbourne Cricket Club. If we had not been part of the MCC we would have picked up a much larger supporter base since WWII. The 50s and early 60's would have especially broadened our pool of members. We still have families that go back generations but with our poor performance since the second half of the 60s we have found it hard to attract young members of these families. Also with the membership of the MCC many thought they also had membership of the MFC as it was part of the MCC.

The other big problem has been that the club did not value its members. One CEO told me he could not give a f*** about the members. It has been the current board to care about the members at long last.

I was hoping that it might have been an ex-president that said that (Gardner). It would've been comforting knowing that the feeling was mutual.

[Hero1 74]

Many MCC members don't join because they get into the MCG games with the MCC membership. It's not cheap! We always lose at Docklands and you can buy a ticket on the day for less than the price of a membership. I'm sick and tired of the media referring to NFC as a smaller club. We have lots of supporters who aren't members because of the MCC members.

[GawnWithTheWind 604]

Many MCC members don't join because they get into the MCG games with the MCC membership. It's not cheap! We always lose at Docklands and you can buy a ticket on the day for less than the price of a membership. I'm sick and tired of the media referring to NFC as a smaller club. We have lots of supporters who aren't members because of the MCC members.

It is true, but at the same time pathetic by those supporters. You can get a low MFC/MCC package for $60!

[The Chazz 4,077]

It is true, but at the same time pathetic by those supporters. You can get a low MFC/MCC package for $60!

DT, I find this a very ordinary post on your behalf. You don't know the circumstances behind some of those MCC members not taking up the MFC option. You don't have to be a millionaire to join the MCC, the main criteria is patience. I'm in no doubt that some of the MCC members would battle to pay for that membership, let alone adding extra to it. Sure, if they can't afford it they could let their membership lapse (which some do), but that would mean if they want to get back in, the waiting game begins - again.

[rpfc 28,429]

DT, I find this a very ordinary post on your behalf. You don't know the circumstances behind some of those MCC members not taking up the MFC option. You don't have to be a millionaire to join the MCC, the main criteria is patience. I'm in no doubt that some of the MCC members would battle to pay for that membership, let alone adding extra to it. Sure, if they can't afford it they could let their membership lapse (which some do), but that would mean if they want to get back in, the waiting game begins - again.

Billy, as an MFC/MCC member I have met a great number of Demons in the Members and I have not met one without the MFC component who couldn't afford it.

They are probably out there but they would be a miniscule percentage.

We had approx 12k MCC/MFC members out of the 23k MCC Melbourne supporters in 2011 and that is not good enough. I don't know the numbers for last year or this but it is $60 - and there are thousands that can, and don't, pay it.

*For the record, I am a $160 'Premium MCC/MFC' member with an interstate discount on my MCC membership.

[dees189227 12,394]

Some sign up late. I never renew mine until r1 and yes i am one of those mcc members but I buy the $60 one each year and also a pet membership. They will come on board. But a few wins in the first few rounds would help greatly.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Billy, as an MFC/MCC member I have met a great number of Demons in the Members and I have not met one without the MFC component who couldn't afford it.

They are probably out there but they would be a miniscule percentage.

We had approx 12k MCC/MFC members out of the 23k MCC Melbourne supporters in 2011 and that is not good enough. I don't know the numbers for last year or this but it is $60 - and there are thousands that can, and don't, pay it.

*For the record, I am a $160 'Premium MCC/MFC' member with an interstate discount on my MCC membership.

Good for you RP.

Anyway, back to my point, I think it's unnecissary for someone to call someone else "pathetic" because they aren't spending more money than some think they should. I find it quite Nike vs Aerosport. That's my view, I'm not sorry if you don't agree.

[Jack Jack 415]

Is GWS a fair comparison? We had more members last year than the eventual premiers. As has been previously mentioned, a pretty decent effort considering our last finals appearance was 6 years ago.

[13thFlagIsComing 542]

I'm an MCC member and not on the greatest salary in the world. I also purchase the $60 option to support the club as well. That's around $500 a year. Luckily for me i love my footy (i even go to non Melbourne games, ANZAC Day, blockbusters, finals) and cricket so i justify the renewal every year due to the amount of events i attend . If you look at it that way, a single general admission ticket for say 20-30 games a year, plus finals plus test match, 20/20 and any other events then the MCC membership is value for money. Having waited about 16 years to become a Restricted Member i certainly won't be letting my membership lapse. I still dread the renewal notice every August though!

Edited March 7, 2013 by 13thFlagIsComing

[hardtack 10,537]

DT, I find this a very ordinary post on your behalf. You don't know the circumstances behind some of those MCC members not taking up the MFC option. You don't have to be a millionaire to join the MCC, the main criteria is patience. I'm in no doubt that some of the MCC members would battle to pay for that membership, let alone adding extra to it. Sure, if they can't afford it they could let their membership lapse (which some do), but that would mean if they want to get back in, the waiting game begins - again.

Agree... also, I wonder what percentage of MCC members are MFC supporters?

On the GWS member numbers, you will find that in a couple of years if they are not doing well, memberships will be dropping off at a rapid rate; generally speaking, Sydney people are fair-weather supporters, much more-so than their Melbourne counterparts.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

Billy, as an MFC/MCC member I have met a great number of Demons in the Members and I have not met one without the MFC component who couldn't afford it.

They are probably out there but they would be a miniscule percentage.

We had approx 12k MCC/MFC members out of the 23k MCC Melbourne supporters in 2011 and that is not good enough. I don't know the numbers for last year or this but it is $60 - and there are thousands that can, and don't, pay it.

*For the record, I am a $160 'Premium MCC/MFC' member with an interstate discount on my MCC membership.

That must be some discount.

My grandfather put me on the MCC waiting list when I was born and I finally got it when I was 17. The fees were $600 and I couldn't afford it, so my dad paid for my first year. After that he said I'd have to do it myself but I didn't have that kind of cash.

Had it been $160 I would have scrapped around to afford it.

The stupid thing is that if I had received it when I was 21 I could have paid for it, but now I'll have to put myself on the list again and I'll be in my 40's before I get another shot.

Oh well, still got my MFC membership I suppose.

[rpfc 28,429]

Good for you RP.

Anyway, back to my point, I think it's unnecissary for someone to call someone else "pathetic" because they aren't spending more money than some think they should. I find it quite Nike vs Aerosport. That's my view, I'm not sorry if you don't agree.

Hyperbole perhaps but we all have a stake in getting the MCC Melbourne supporters to be paid up to the Footy club.

Again, I know many MCC Melbourne supporters who don't buy the MFC component for no good reason. They can afford it, but don't buy it.

That isn't good enough.

That was the original point to get back to.

[The Chazz 4,077]

I'm an MCC member and not on the greatest salary in the world. I also purchase the $60 option to support the club as well. That's around $500 a year. Luckily for me i love my footy (i even go to non Melbourne games, ANZAC Day, blockbusters, finals) and cricket so i justify the renewal every year due to the amount of events i attend . If you look at it that way, a single general admission ticket for say 20-30 games a year, plus finals plus test match, 20/20 and any other events then the MCC membership is value for money. Having waited about 16 years to become a Restricted Member i certainly won't be letting my membership lapse. I still dread the renewal notice every August though!

So you could understand why some people don't take that extra financial option up 13th?

[rpfc 28,429]

That must be some discount.

My grandfather put me on the MCC waiting list when I was born and I finally got it when I was 17. The fees were $600 and I couldn't afford it, so my dad paid for my first year. After that he said I'd have to do it myself but I didn't have that kind of cash.

Had it been $160 I would have scrapped around to afford it.

The stupid thing is that if I had received it when I was 21 I could have paid for it, but now I'll have to put myself on the list again and I'll be in my 40's before I get another shot.

Oh well, still got my MFC membership I suppose.

The discount is around $160, not the total.

And I am sorry to hear about that but better to pay the Footy Club than the Cricket Club if you can't do both I always say.