Just released from Peter Jackson:

Dear former members and supporters

I am writing to supporters and former members of the Melbourne Football Club who have not renewed their membership in the last year or so. If you have recently joined, or you intend joining this year, then I thank you for your support. This letter may still be of interest to you however.

You may have picked up some comments I made at the Clubs Annual General Meeting in early February that were reported throughout the media in relation to supporters who have not renewed their membership in recent years. I referred to the Club breaching your trust. If you are interested, the link to my address is link to website.

What I meant by breaching your trust is that the Clubs overall performance, on and off the field, over the last few years has not met members expectations or more importantly, the promises made to members. Members were told the football team would improve. Members would also not expect the Club to have to deal with some of the off-field issues that it did. I expect out of absolute frustration, many members gave up believing in the Club and allowed their membership to lapse.

This may not have been the case for all members who have not renewed in recent years. There may be other personal reasons for members not to continue with their membership. If that was the case for you, I respect that, and if those reasons still exist, I understand you cannot join.

However, I suspect the reason for the vast number who have not renewed, because there were 12,000 members over the 2 years 2012 and 2013 alone who did not renew, is a lack of trust in the performance of Club. It is understandable.

I came into the Club as CEO in May last year with a mandate to make some changes so the performance would improve. We have done that, with wholesale changes across the board, management and coaching panel. The highlight obviously is securing Paul Roos as Senior Coach, however the changes are much deeper than just Paul. We are focusing on the culture of the overall Club that is, the standards and behaviours that drive this football club.

Our Number 1 priority is to get the football team performing. That is our core business and that is what members expect and demand a sustainable competitive football team.

I am not going to try to tell you that all the work is done, and that we are already on the road to success. Youve heard that before. I do know though that in a very short time, the club has changed and is building the sort of culture that is necessary to succeed in an elite professional competition as tough as the AFL. I cannot tell you when that success will come, but it will come.

I am encouraged by the growth in membership this year that has come with the changes we have made. We look like improving our overall membership from the unacceptably low number of about 33,000 last year. We may well get to 37,000 this year. However, that is still way short of the number of members we need if we are to realistically compete on the field with the bigger clubs.

Membership is the lifeblood of all AFL clubs and is the biggest source of funding for the Club to ensure a competitive playing list and a high quality coaching panel.

The saddest part of this that there are sufficient supporters to achieve the number of members we need if we had only met our promises. If just two-thirds of those members who have lapsed in the last 2 years still believed, we could be looking at 45,000+ members right now.

This letter is not a call to arms to lapsed members. I understand youre not going to jump back on board as a member just because another new regime at the Club is promising things again. You need to see proof that things will improve because Im sure you couldnt face more great disappointment.

I am asking you though that you give us a chance to prove ourselves. If you were once a member then clearly you have a passion for the Melbourne Football Club. Please keep watching. At least come to some early games and decide for yourself. And if you then think you can trust us, please jump back on board, because the Melbourne Football Club does need you again.

If I could also ask you to forward this letter to any Melbourne supporter you may know who hasnt joined for 2014, I would appreciate your help.

Thank you in anticipation.

Peter Jackson

Chief Executive Officer

Thanks Song for the info. But my message to PJ is

let's win some games.

Otherwise that epistle is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz z zz z

Edited March 14, 201411 yr by Bitter but optimistic

Peter Jackson is the most important "player" at this football club.
No.
Bloody.
Doubt.
About it.

Edited March 14, 201411 yr by The Song Formerly Known As

Thanks Song for the info. But my message to PJ is

let's win some games.

Otherwise that epistle is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz z zz z

he knows that BBO......

Peter Jackson is the most important "player" at this football club.

No.

Bloody.

Doubt.

About it.

You're underselling yourself Song. As long as you're knocking off that Filth players GF and dudding him for rent - You're a HERO!!!

Less talking more winning...

Less talking more winning...

That's pretty much what his letter says...

Less talking more winning...

you obviously didn't read the letter.

That's pretty much what his letter says...

No! His letter is a sales pitch (and fair enough that is his job)

"Less talk more winning" is reality.

Anyone who has a go at peter Jackson's comments here should be barred from demonland. This bloke is working around the clock to prevent us from being the "next" fitzroy. 12,000 members not resigning is massive. If you include those that have an affiliation with the mcc that don't get around to nominating Melbourne as their club of choice then we could possibly reach 50,000 members. Considering hawthorn who was in a similar position to us many, many years ago are almost cruising to the70,000 mark, it is no coincidence that their success comes on the back of high membership numbers (plus the fact they got their coaches right earlier then us). You can't disagree with anything Jackson has said here. If people are struggling with the idea of membership this year because they want to see how the club goes, ask any past fitzroy fan if they'd like to renew their membership.

Anyone who has a go at peter Jackson's comments here should be barred from demonland. This bloke is working around the clock to prevent us from being the "next" fitzroy. 12,000 members not resigning is massive. If you include those that have an affiliation with the mcc that don't get around to nominating Melbourne as their club of choice then we could possibly reach 50,000 members. Considering hawthorn who was in a similar position to us many, many years ago are almost cruising to the70,000 mark, it is no coincidence that their success comes on the back of high membership numbers (plus the fact they got their coaches right earlier then us). You can't disagree with anything Jackson has said here. If people are struggling with the idea of membership this year because they want to see how the club goes, ask any past fitzroy fan if they'd like to renew their membership.

Eff off Darb. I'll state my view whenever I want to. Learn something about being an independant thinker.

No! His letter is a sales pitch (and fair enough that is his job)

"Less talk more winning" is reality.

Pretty sh!tty sales pitch...

And the reality is that winning isn't possible for 8 days.

How about 'back up the talk', that way we won't have a season launch with the mute button on.

That's pretty much what the letter says...

It's all just spin! Spin about previous spin and accusing other people of spin. I dont care what anyone says anymore it's all just words. Results are the only thing that will see lost members sign up, not an open letter from the CEO. I'm not blind I can see all the good work PJ is doing but in reality we just want results.

Edited March 14, 201411 yr by Matt Demon

It's all just spin! Spin about previous spin and accusing other people of spin. I dont care what anyone says anymore it's all just words. Results are the only thing that will see lost members sign up, not an open letter from the CEO. I'm not blind I can see all the good work PJ is doing but in reality we just want results.

Results can only happen from good hard work.

Results can only happen from good hard work.

Can't argue with that.

Can't argue with that.

PJ signing the new sponsor this week shows me he is deadly serious.

Edited March 14, 201411 yr by why you little

I think one thing that I thought was sensible was him saying 'Come to the first few games and see if you can trust us.' It wasn't the usual 'SIGN UP AND SIGN UP NOW!!!'
He also stated that the job wasn't complete.
That being said some of it was the standard sales pitch but those two caveats did make the message easier to swallow for me.
BTW, I am a member

Edited March 14, 201411 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

Just released ...

song, tell PJ... No more Spin, we want the honesty that Roosy is famous for, & Jimma had.

No more spin doctors from the advertising, or media backgrounds.

Just Honest, Straight talk.... no filler, no fluff, straight down the line honesty, like a Matty Whelan Bump!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

this isn't about the Open Letters contents, but about the past rubbish dished up to long suffering Melbourne folk.

its about NOT letting the Rubbish Spin, creep back into our correspondence from the club.

Edited March 15, 201411 yr by dee-luded

PJ's time at the club would be one of the more significant things in this clubs history, i feel strongly that without his imput this club may well have gone under.

Well I love it!!

Eff off Darb. I'll state my view whenever I want to. Learn something about being an independant thinker.

I'm going to bed. Some advice Darb. If you are going to mouth off about who should " be barred from demonland" stick around and defend your comments. Otherwise STFU!!!

song, tell PJ... No more Spin, we want the honesty that Roosy is famous for, & Jimma had.

No more spin doctors from the advertising, or media backgrounds.

Just Honest, Straight talk.... no filler, no fluff, straight down the line honesty, like a Matty Whelan Bump!

.

umm isn't that what PJ exactly is? Farrrrkk, we've all been praising him for all of these things since he joined us!

Eff off Darb. I'll state my view whenever I want to. Learn something about being an independant thinker.

Enjoy your holiday Bitty.

PJ's letter is much the same as he has stated to 'lost' members over the last few months. Nothing new, but he realises that we need all the income we can get and that 12,000 additional members would provide a lot of income. He's not making any excuses and is pinning his plea on some improvement this season. God I hope he's right.

umm isn't that what PJ exactly is? Farrrrkk, we've all been praising him for all of these things since he joined us!

Jeez,you're looking buffed as ever Song!

Enjoy your holiday Bitty.

PJ's letter is much the same as he has stated to 'lost' members over the last few months. Nothing new, but he realises that we need all the income we can get and that 12,000 additional members would provide a lot of income. He's not making any excuses and is pinning his plea on some improvement this season. God I hope he's right.

Thanks, caught me just before I logged off Moon, Saved me a sleeping tablet. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzzzzzzzz

song, tell PJ... No more Spin, we want the honesty that Roosy is famous for, & Jimma had.

No more spin doctors from the advertising, or media backgrounds.

Just Honest, Straight talk.... no filler, no fluff, straight down the line honesty, like a Matty Whelan Bump!

.

it is honest talk.