The New York Yankees

[beelzebub 23,380]

Yankees is used as an example.. we're not forming any liaison.

[Axis of Bob 11,836]

I just don't get the Yankees link.

New York attracts 47 million tourists every year, the Yankees have won 27 World Series (more than double the appearances and wins of the next best) and is one of two teams of its sport (1 of 8 top teams in total by my count). They have also won 5 flags in 18 seasons. New York itself also has a population of nearly 9 million and the opportunity to see their team over 80 times per season I'm home games that belongs only to them.

Melbourne attracts 17 million tourists per year, we have won 12 flags (to sit fourth on the list) and is one of ten teams of its sport (1 of 13 top teams by my count). We haven't done anything for half a century. Melbourne has a population of 4 million and we get to see our team play about 9-10 home games a year in a stadium we share with other teams who average bigger crowds there.

It's just words, sweet words that turn to bitter ash in my ears.

Nobody is saying that we have to be as big as the Yankees. That's ridiculous. However there are parts of what makes them successful as an enterprise that we can certainly look to use in our own situation.

A football example would be that Dom Tyson plays like Pendlebury. Then half the people start screaming that he's not as good as Pendlebury, even though that's not being argued. We are not the Yankees, but we want to embrace a similar style.

[Demon SeaMan 108]

Funny how all of this is lost to those that think everything is either , or.

A lot of what has ( in my mind ) gone under bridges in recent times as far as the MFC and footy goes is our relevance to things. Firstly to the competition. We were a basketcase lets not delude ourselves. We languished and were used as a mop by all comers. This has been addressed and we continue to improve. But there's a more , dare I say holistic approach and that looks to our relevance to this city. What I believe Bartlett envisions is that we arent just a bit part player in this town that we are part of its core. Melbourne as a city is truly nuts about footy. When I first came to Oz as a tacker I was asked as a 5 yo in the school ground , first day , what team I followed. who did I barrack for. Little did I realise how grand an effect on the rest of my life as to how I answered. I didnt even know what footy was, seriously. It was Feb 1965. Another kid prompted me with, what FOOTBALL team did I follow. Even as a foreign 5 yo I knew FOOTBALL meant something even if not what code. I now resided in MELBOURNE, so I figured there must be a team called MELBOURNE. I didnt know we we reigning premiers. Sheer arrse that !! lol. So i declared i was a Melbourne follower and have been ever since.

The point here is that even if one doesnt know what this game is etc you can still relate to a team called Melbourne in the city of Melbourne.If I could there ought to be a lot of others who might also. We need to promote this idea. This is what Glen is suggesting I sense..

There used to be that jingle that Oz was Football Meat Pies Kangaroos and Holden cars. This cleverly suggested that the Holden was THE auto of Oz.

If we go to the City of Melbourne we have to be THE football team that first comes to peoples minds, irrespective of any allegiance we must be this game in this town. Go Glen

as to my message earlier, its about ingraining the salts of who the club is,not the material things (like Collins St, Casey), they come later. There are 10 clubs (in Melbourne) lets be honest, 2 in New York with a wildly more larger population. Get the message to your kids, your mates, your colleagues, its building the message . we are as Melbourne as SE China airlines, or Opel which is fine, but touch our song or emblem and may the demons bolt strike the next cowboy president that suggests it!!

[45HG 1,552]

To me it's more like comparing Dom Tyson to Tiger Woods.

Completely different beasts in entirely different environments. I see what you say in that there are areas we can emulate, but it's just an outrageously skewed comparison that I, personally, can't see the logic of - especially as we are still largely irrelevant in our own competition. The Yankees aren't big because their name is New York just as we'd obviously need so much more than a presence in Collins St to become a key player.

Perhaps I'm missing the point, I'm certainly no marketing guru, but I know enough to know that much of the Yankees success comes from being synonymous with 'America's Favourite Pastime' and basically the only team in their area playing in the summer months - a huge coup and one that I'm not necessarily comfortable with being simply compared to our situation.

There are things that we can look at that they do, but we have to become relevant before spouting this kind of stuff (not sure how it came out, myself). If this is our goal then fine, but it should be an in-house goal IMO. If I were a supporter of another team I'd probably have had a little giggle over the idea of Melbourne being like the Yankees.

[olisik 4,060]

I am surprised by the amount of negativity here. What Bartlett is saying basically is that we need to get with the times and promote our club on a larger scale.

Billboards at the airport would help as would some sorta MFC shop/ticket sales in Collins street. Our players taking photos with tourists ect rather then spending time trekking down to Casey all the time would also help.

I like these ideas and its time to think outside the box more rather then trying to cling onto old strategies and culture. We need to turn our presence around. Maybe have details to MFC games on all Sthern China flights into Australia.

Some more stylish MFC attire (caps hoodies singlets ) would also help.

[Axis of Bob 11,836]

To me it's more like comparing Dom Tyson to Tiger Woods.

Completely different beasts in entirely different environments. I see what you say in that there are areas we can emulate, but it's just an outrageously skewed comparison that I, personally, can't see the logic of - especially as we are still largely irrelevant in our own competition. The Yankees aren't big because their name is New York just as we'd obviously need so much more than a presence in Collins St to become a key player.

Perhaps I'm missing the point, I'm certainly no marketing guru, but I know enough to know that much of the Yankees success comes from being synonymous with 'America's Favourite Pastime' and basically the only team in their area playing in the summer months - a huge coup and one that I'm not necessarily comfortable with being simply compared to our situation.

There are things that we can look at that they do, but we have to become relevant before spouting this kind of stuff (not sure how it came out, myself). If this is our goal then fine, but it should be an in-house goal IMO. If I were a supporter of another team I'd probably have had a little giggle over the idea of Melbourne being like the Yankees.

What if (because we're getting hung up on the specific differences with the Yankees) we didn't compare them to the Yankees, but instead the Boston Red Sox, who are the second biggest team in baseball.

When you go to Boston you go to Fenway Park and buy a Red Sox hat. Until 10 years ago they hadn't won a World Series since 1918.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Axis of Bob

[45HG 1,552]

Perhaps that's what grates me.

Hate the Yankees

Though, again, it's not a model similar to Melbourne town. Comparing teams in London would be more relevant?

Edited June 9, 2014 by 45HG

[Axis of Bob 11,836]

Perhaps that's what grates me.

Hate the Yankees

You and me both.

[FC Melbourne 108]

Are we hiring an assistant to the traveling secretary?

[beelzebub 23,380]

A lot of ppl are jumping at shadows. Lets see what actually transpires...no ?

[Choko 493]

I have no real issue with the vision. As said by others, my issue is do we really want the vision of a late to life Melbourne supporting top end lawyer to speak for us? Really, Glen's experience is highly atypical. Who chooses a club for the first time in his 40s and how many base it on the 1800s? His experience is not most people's reality or motivation.

It's great to want the club to be synonymous with the city. But to say you're comfortable talking because we've turned the corner (premature) and to talk about Collins St connection is alarming.

The other thing is, we didn't have 5 ties at the same time. But even if we did, that's not the sort of analogy that inspires confidence that the President is on the level of the type of members we need.

[Adam The God 30,287]

I am surprised by the amount of negativity here. What Bartlett is saying basically is that we need to get with the times and promote our club on a larger scale.

Billboards at the airport would help as would some sorta MFC shop/ticket sales in Collins street. Our players taking photos with tourists ect rather then spending time trekking down to Casey all the time would also help.

I like these ideas and its time to think outside the box more rather then trying to cling onto old strategies and culture. We need to turn our presence around. Maybe have details to MFC games on all Sthern China flights into Australia.

Some more stylish MFC attire (caps hoodies singlets ) would also help.

We've heard it all before, O. That's why many are negative on this thread. We've won three games and now our President comes out and allegedly says this.

[RickyJ45 407]

What if (because we're getting hung up on the specific differences with the Yankees) we didn't compare them to the Yankees, but instead the Boston Red Sox, who are the second biggest team in baseball.

When you go to Boston you go to Fenway Park and buy a Red Sox hat. Until 10 years ago they hadn't won a World Series since 1918.

While I agree with Bartlett on making the club great again, comparing to NY yankees is a long stretch... particularly before the clash with the Pies who

are arguably the closest thing the AFL has to the yankees love to love or love to hate...yankees have been successful regularly over a long time while the Dees are on a massive drought

Funnily enough, for those who follow the USAFL, the NY pies and the Boston Demons says it all..

I prefer the demons analogy with the Boston red sox and the babino (norm smith) curse... and how they became a great club again and won multiple times after a long drought.

[The Chazz 4,077]

I loved the article. Why?

I have long questioned why our them song is the only one in the league that doesn't have our name or nickname in it. Nb - I acknowledge the "second verse" does, but we don't sing that at games.

I have often questioned the success of the relationship with Casey. I'd love to know how many new members have come from it, and other than offering community programs (ie school programs), what we are actually getting out of it. I've also frequently raised concerns over the VFL alignment we have with the Scorpions, and how much damage this is actually doing to the development of our players.

I have regularly voiced my frustration that we don't have any branding in the CBD. I visit Melbourne a few times a year, and would love to be able to go to a Demon Shop that is in the City (not underneath the MCG), or go and have a beer at a MFC bar.

There is so much potential to grow our brand in the Melbourne CBD. We don't need to be pi$$ing on lamp posts down at Casey, we need to make the most of what we have got in our true heartland.

Finding solutions for the above isn't difficult. Some will be expensive, but some won't be. Great work GB.

[old dee 23,801]

I have no problem with Idea or the ambition.

I just see one problem the boat has sailed.

Collingwood took the mantle ten years ago will Nero fiddled.

[rpfc 28,542]

Great work GB.

What work?

He hasn't done any of it.

The aspect of the club that has been concentrated on is the football side of things. Jackson said we stood for everything but football, and thankfully Jackson and Bartlett and the AFL were able to get Paul Roos and his team to help us concentrate on footy.

We are 10 weeks into that and I think we should keep concentrating on that for the time being...

The mish-mash of various idea isn't the troubling aspect Billy. We all have our thoughts on commercial awareness and the Casey initiative.

The issue is that he throws this out, via Caroline Wilson, as a series of random thought bubbles that resemble the Footy Board here at Demonland.

He puts pressure on himself and the club with a reference to his vision of the MFC being an attraction akin to the Yankees in NY, and if;

• 'Melbourne' is in the song, and
• the Demons VFL team plays out of a revamped Goschs, and
• there is an expensive Merch shop in Collins St, and
• there is a billboard at Swanston St.

...it won't mean it is a strategic plan or even a solid business case for the costs involved.

I don't want to hear vague devices like the above. I want to hear what their long term plan is to realise this vision, how much it is going to cost, how we can afford it, and why Casey is being spurned for this well-conceived and thought through plan.

Keep your mouth shut until you have got something of substance to announce, defend, and put into practice.

[Sir Why You Little 37,052]

What work?

He hasn't done any of it.

The aspect of the club that has been concentrated on is the football side of things. Jackson said we stood for everything but football, and thankfully Jackson and Bartlett and the AFL were able to get Paul Roos and his team to help us concentrate on footy.

We are 10 weeks into that and I think we should keep concentrating on that for the time being...

The mish-mash of various idea isn't the troubling aspect Billy. We all have our thoughts on commercial awareness and the Casey initiative.

The issue is that he throws this out, via Caroline Wilson, as a series of random thought bubbles that resemble the Footy Board here at Demonland.

He puts pressure on himself and the club with a reference to his vision of the MFC being an attraction akin to the Yankees in NY, and if;

• 'Melbourne' is in the song, and
• the Demons VFL team plays out of a revamped Goschs, and
• there is an expensive Merch shop in Collins St, and
• there is a billboard at Swanston St.

...it won't mean it is a strategic plan or even a solid business case for the costs involved.

I don't want to hear vague devices like the above. I want to hear what their long term plan is to realise this vision, how much it is going to cost, how we can afford it, and why Casey is being spurned for this well-conceived and thought through plan.

Keep your mouth shut until you have got something of substance to announce, defend, and put into practice.

Fair go rp

This can all be done whilst the team is growing at the same time.

Have you been to Casey?

[Redleg 40,977]

So will the be calling this grand plan "The Red and Blue Print" ?

Here's photo of those deadbeat Yankees 'packing them in' at their expensive concrete monstrosity:

https://twitter.com/EmptySeatsPics/status/474606905563021312/photo/1

Bums.

Isn't the problem of baseball that there are 200 or so games a season. Who the hell wants to go to 100 home games a year? Maybe that explains the empty seats.

[Redleg 40,977]

What work?

He hasn't done any of it.

The aspect of the club that has been concentrated on is the football side of things. Jackson said we stood for everything but football, and thankfully Jackson and Bartlett and the AFL were able to get Paul Roos and his team to help us concentrate on footy.

We are 10 weeks into that and I think we should keep concentrating on that for the time being...

The mish-mash of various idea isn't the troubling aspect Billy. We all have our thoughts on commercial awareness and the Casey initiative.

The issue is that he throws this out, via Caroline Wilson, as a series of random thought bubbles that resemble the Footy Board here at Demonland.

He puts pressure on himself and the club with a reference to his vision of the MFC being an attraction akin to the Yankees in NY, and if;

• 'Melbourne' is in the song, and
• the Demons VFL team plays out of a revamped Goschs, and
• there is an expensive Merch shop in Collins St, and
• there is a billboard at Swanston St.

...it won't mean it is a strategic plan or even a solid business case for the costs involved.

I don't want to hear vague devices like the above. I want to hear what their long term plan is to realise this vision, how much it is going to cost, how we can afford it, and why Casey is being spurned for this well-conceived and thought through plan.

Keep your mouth shut until you have got something of substance to announce, defend, and put into practice.

Pretty hard to argue with you on that. Good post.

It is probably the same as saying we will win premierships.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Gee RP, tell us what you really think.

What work? Well, the fact that he clearly has a vision for the club and has ideas on how to achieve them. That's a great start for me, so I congratulate/thank him for that.

Bartlett has kept his mouth shut, until now. Now he is starting to open it, is flagging changes are (hopefully) coming, so that we the members are prepared. Can you imagine the outcry if all of a sudden they are playing a new version of IAGOF when we run out, with no prior warning given?

He has said something about concentrating on the footy aspect first. Well, that's what he has allowed to happen. He's got the right people in the right places (through the terrific work of PJ and the AFL), our footy is starting to talk (granted we still have a long way to go). I'm glad he's not just sitting back waiting for the ultimate before he looks at the next stage of this growth.

And FWIW, I don't see his ideas as a series of random thought bubbles. It's obvious he has a clear plan, and that's to grow the brand. Is it working in Casey? I don't think any of us have the facts/figures to support our case, but I'm sure GB does. Would he be targeting this area if it's a worthwhile thing?

Finally, I'm quite sure he mentioned about spending the next few months really investigating these ideas. This is where we hope that due diligence is undertaken as I'm quite sure we've failed in this area under previous administrations. I have confidence in the current group, maybe you should too?

The Yankees are New York. The Knicks are New York. the Storm are Melbourne. The Demons need to be Melbourne. We have a special piece of real estate in our name that we aren't making the most of, or getting maximum return from. Our president is working on changing this. Kudos to him.

[rpfc 28,542]

Gee RP, tell us what you really think.

What work? Well, the fact that he clearly has a vision for the club and has ideas on how to achieve them. That's a great start for me, so I congratulate/thank him for that.

Bartlett has kept his mouth shut, until now. Now he is starting to open it, is flagging changes are (hopefully) coming, so that we the members are prepared. Can you imagine the outcry if all of a sudden they are playing a new version of IAGOF when we run out, with no prior warning given?

He has said something about concentrating on the footy aspect first. Well, that's what he has allowed to happen. He's got the right people in the right places (through the terrific work of PJ and the AFL), our footy is starting to talk (granted we still have a long way to go). I'm glad he's not just sitting back waiting for the ultimate before he looks at the next stage of this growth.

And FWIW, I don't see his ideas as a series of random thought bubbles. It's obvious he has a clear plan, and that's to grow the brand. Is it working in Casey? I don't think any of us have the facts/figures to support our case, but I'm sure GB does. Would he be targeting this area if it's a worthwhile thing?

Finally, I'm quite sure he mentioned about spending the next few months really investigating these ideas. This is where we hope that due diligence is undertaken as I'm quite sure we've failed in this area under previous administrations. I have confidence in the current group, maybe you should too?

The Yankees are New York. The Knicks are New York. the Storm are Melbourne. The Demons need to be Melbourne. We have a special piece of real estate in our name that we aren't making the most of, or getting maximum return from. Our president is working on changing this. Kudos to him.

I don't think he should 'wait for the ultimate', I think he should wait until Roos has been able to completely imprint his imprimatur on the Football Department before bothering with a 'catch all' PR related piece in The Age.

Flag changes on the website, invite discussion there, some of the designs for the future are obvious - I have done a couple of surveys myself related to the emblem and my own personal story of following Melbourne - they are obviously keen to change and focus the messaging.

And that is ironic because suddenly throwing out this Yankees vision and inevitable comparison is a failure of messaging and many fans have misinterpreted it or felt it premature and not thought through - such as myself and quite a number in this thread.

And FWIW, I don't see his ideas as a series of random thought bubbles. It's obvious he has a clear plan, and that's to grow the brand. Is it working in Casey? I don't think any of us have the facts/figures to support our case, but I'm sure GB does. Would he be targeting this area if it's a worthwhile thing?

Finally, I'm quite sure he mentioned about spending the next few months really investigating these ideas.

And that leads me to these particular statements - he has 'a clear plan' that is yet to be 'really investigated'?

I think you agree with me more than you think.

And 'growing the brand' isn't a plan. It's what should eventuate from the plan. My point is that you can't sell me something you aren't entirely on top of yourself, and GB should have held off on the selling until he has a solid idea of what he is selling (The Plan), and people are willing to listen (we are winning).

[beelzebub 23,380]

The Yankees are New York. The Knicks are New York. the Storm are Melbourne. The Demons need to be Melbourne. We have a special piece of real estate in our name that we aren't making the most of, or getting maximum return from. Our president is working on changing this. Kudos to him.

this

[Supermercado 2,797]

I admire his noble aims, and expect that he's probably been stitched up in the article based on one off-handed comment, but the assumption by some people that we're entitled to better just because we've got Melbourne in our name is ridiculous.

As for any potential store on Collins Street I hope we don't end up paying $150k a year in rent for a store that's empty 7.5 hours a day just so people can feel warmth in their heart when they go past on the tram.

[rpfc 28,542]

I admire his noble aims, and expect that he's probably been stitched up in the article based on one off-handed comment, but the assumption by some people that we're entitled to better just because we've got Melbourne in our name is ridiculous.

As for any potential store on Collins Street I hope we don't end up paying $150k a year in rent for a store that's empty 7.5 hours a day just so people can feel warmth in their heart when they go past on the tram.

We need a presence! A money losing presence!

[Mousey 47]

Any news on this? Thought the article (published in June) said a new strategy would be unveiled in 2-3 months??