The New York Yankees

[Guest]

Looks like Roos successor is Malthouse aka Billy Martin.

If that happens could we get a hilarious Seinfeld style owner like George Steinbrenner?

[Whispering_Jack 30,140]

A bit confused but still have an open mind. What's in Collins Street that we need to tap into? The Melbourne Club. And Casey is too far away from The Gee I agree but are we making any friends out there? If not I agree let's realign with some VFL team closer to home. I don't believe you necessarily have to have a stand alone VFL side, can't see the difference myself. Hasn't held the Hawks back. But there is a tyranny of distance with the Casey alliance.

Having just spent a few days in NYC I can assure you there's no tyranny of distance in that place. Staying in midtown Manhattan, I caught the subway to Coney Island in the Borough of Brooklyn (50 minutes each way) and I had covered only 5 of New York's boroughs.

To make it big, you have to think big!

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

A bit confused but still have an open mind. What's in Collins Street that we need to tap into? The Melbourne Club. And Casey is too far away from The Gee I agree but are we making any friends out there? If not I agree let's realign with some VFL team closer to home. I don't believe you necessarily have to have a stand alone VFL side, can't see the difference myself. Hasn't held the Hawks back. But there is a tyranny of distance with the Casey alliance.

Who do you suggest? Coburg? Frankston? Williamstown (who seem quite happy going alone). There are no VFL clubs closer to home.

Collingwood, Ess, Rich, Bulldogs, Geelong go it alone. Hawthorn and Carlton seem to have acquired take overs of former VFA clubs and as far as I could tell have a huge say in running those clubs.

It's us, St Kilda and North who are now the odd ones out. Not exactly illustrious company.

If we do go it alone where do we even play? Could we get a cotenant agreement with either Richmond at Punt Road or Collingwood at Olympic park?

Right now I can't see a better answer than sticking with Casey and working on the relationship.

[Adam The God 30,259]

Win footy games.

That is what I would say to anyone from the club who is thinking along the same lines as Bartlett here.

That story just had a mish-mash of different image devices that don't do anything bar scratch the surface of our issues; no region to call our own, a dwindling and aging supporter base, and, up to two months ago, a terrible outlook for the foreseeable future.

The emblem is a distraction. If you are going to change it, do it, don't talk about how it signifies a change in anything other than the letterhead on press releases.

The song featuring the word 'Melbourne' is such an interesting aside but any money and time spent on this in our current predicament is bordering on insane. Let Demonland start a thread and work the word in - save you a few hundred thousand dollars...

The desire for a presence in Collins St brings a word to bear - why? Hardly anyone lives there. I won't discuss this any further as 'presence' could mean anything from where he wants the boardroom to where he wants a billboard...

The statement that Casey 'is not our heartland' is ironic, well it would be if it weren't so sad, we have no heartland - that's the point; we grew out of a stadium. We have shed so many supporters in the last 49 years. We have no 'heartland.' We are trying to build one out east. If we are not going to bother with Casey anymore the players will be happy they don't have to trek out there but they better have a bloody good business case.

Nothing in that impressed me.

Winning footy games will impress me, and it might impress a few others - if you really want to be the New York Yankees - you better win.

Agreed, rpfc.

I'd say it's a worrying article. It's sounding like Schwab all over again. Just focus on the bloody footy. Get the best people in positions of power. I like what he was saying about the ANZAC eve match with Richmond and the Field of Women game with the Bulldogs. These are great crowd drawers. We need to be thinking how to maximise the gate return at our home matches and build rivalries. I'm not against the Casey plan, particularly as we have no 'heartland', but if we were to dissolve it, I simply can't see where else we'd look to tap into.

I'm completely behind the FD and Peter Jackson. I just hope Bartlett knows what he's doing.

As an aside, I'm also acutely aware that the article was written by Wilson, who likes her agendas, so who knows.

the sooner we cut ties with Casey and get our own reserve side the better

I'm not sure we need to cut ties with Casey necessarily, if we want our own reserves side. Just make them the Casey Demons and they play out of Casey. It does feel a little messy and icky though.

[KLV 1,765]

GB did say the strategy was still some months away from being announced, I think that is why he focused on the peripheral stuff like emblems etc, details of the meaty stuff will come later.

I do acknowledge that the infamous red and blue print did come to mind, when I read it, but I'm excited about the big vision. They are big and expensive ambitions: our own VFL team, Collins st building for starters, no doubt Sth china airlines have deep pockets and maybe a generous nature to struggling footy clubs in Melbourne.

We know, the MFC is the sleeping giant of the AFL, (what Eddie would give for our historical connection to the MCC and MCG and the origins of the game), for the last 50 years we have needed the genius and dedication of someone to make it a reality.

Is this current group the answer? I don't know, but I'd like to think so.

They, Jackson, Roos and Bartlett, are not "Melbourne people", not until now that is, they have come to the club, because they have seen potential, and think they can help realise that potential. (Cynics, refrain from posting the size of the various paypackets etc, yeah, i know- and on that, -did Roos accept Carlton's multimillion dollar offer?)

Not trying to convince anyone, just my thoughts.

Oh, and don't touch the song! Sang it to my children as babies, my daughter could sing it at 2! And we all want to sing it more often.

[Adam The God 30,259]

Yeah the logo can go but I am a huge fan of the grand old flag, I'd like to see our indigenous jumper become our full time clash strip

Totally with you, Mike. Glad I'm not the only one who isn't that attached to our regular jumper. I much prefer the strong MFC logo in red. It's quite similar to the Fitzroy and Carlton jumpers, but I love it.

[Deestroy All 14,266]

Yuck.

We want to grow, but cut ties with Casey and make some sort of forced presence in Collins St?

How about not narrow ourselves down to any one heartland, take all the land, keep some sort of Casey relationship going even if its not with the Scorpions, and have your Collins St poster or whatever. Play good footy, inspire, get out to schools and communities all over Melbourne, make our presence felt everywhere with hard work and old fashioned charm.

It all sounded a bit Schwabbly to me.

But anyway, I'll take a crack at the new song.

It's a grand old flag

It's a high flying flag

Flying in Collins St and the MCG too

It's the Melbourne team that we all love

The team of the red and the blue with the exception of away games

Every heart beats true

For the red and the blue

And we sing this song to you (Melbourne sing!)

Should Casey acquaintance be forgot

Keep your eye on the red and the blue.

[1858 285]

Collins Street? Oh dear. I thought we were attempting to reach out to the average footy fan.

If this is a long term strategy in conjunction with China Southern for mutual benefit to build Melbourne the footy club and Melbourne the destination then I can understand. Having said that how long is that going to take?

Swagger and positivity are fine but we lets not get carried away here. Footy first as others have said.

Is it kosha for a CEO to tell a club president to get a grip?

[Go the Biff 3,423]

The thing I liked most about Bartlett's presidency was that he STFU and let Jackson & Roos get on with the job

It's fine to aim high but he should have maintained the silence for a while yet

Halfway through the season and it's clear that the team has improved. That's all though. We've achieved bugger all. We need a few more runs on the board before GB reveals his plans for world domination

[Adam The God 30,259]

Agree with many points, dream big imagine everything and plan to win.

I am astounded at the quality of merchandise on offer across all AFL clubs. I love the dees but won't wear more than a traditional scarf. The quality of hoodies , t shirts etc are rubbish.

the quality of the American sports apparel leaves us for dead. If we had a pure simple logo, on a hat, t shirt, hoodie you would instantly recognise it and it would get worn.

Every New Yorker has a Yankee cap, or a Mets cap. It becomes iconic.

There are dollars begging to be generated if they could get this correct.

Go Dees!

That's why I love the indigenous jumper. It's simple and to me it says Melbourne Football Club. That version of the logo with the simple red MFC has the potential to be the easily recognisable symbol, just as the Yankee cap is.

The idea that you have to " walk then crawl then run " bothers me

Can't put my finger on it ....

I read that as him being a little nervous in the interview with Wilson and her quoting him verbatim. I assumed it was meant to be 'crawl, then walk, then run'. At least, I hope so, otherwise what the heck is he talking about?

Not always, look at North, they've had success aplenty over the last 30 years and have had marquee players but they are the biggest strugglers in the competition because they haven't made themselves attractive to support.

Collingwood have turned their club in to a brand that's easy to support whether you are rich or poor, whereas once they were the working man's club. I can recall Hawthorn being successful but still without much support, but they have turned that around by clever marketing of the club.

We can wallow down the bottom of the supporter base or we can promote the club and achieve sustainable success, we can push for greater membership and a strong financial base or just continue to rely on handouts. We need success, but if we make the club an attractive place, then we will get supporters and players coming on board and we will get it.

Spot on, Robbie.

Some of the clubs you started your post off with have had success and have grown their supporter base but as soon as the success drops off, so do the supporters.

North continually struggle

Saints are in diabolical strife and are supposedly in debt for $10m

Brisbane are struggling with cash and need handouts

Port were nearly relocated 2 years ago

Sydney are the Darling of the AFL so they'll stay solid.

They clubs that are strong are those that can maintain their supporter base even if they are near last, because they have a huge off field presence. We have to get to that level if we want to survive.

Winning a flag isn't going to save the club, it will help, but it's all the work done in the board room that will ensure our future.

Collingwood have won two flags in the last 50 years but they are the biggest club by far, we have won 3 flags in the last 55 years and we are one of the smallest. Success on the field hasn't driven Collingwood's drive to the top.

I'm not sure I agree with this though, Robbie. Collingwood has played in numerous grand finals, just lost them. And they are usually always around about. But, they have marketed the club well.

Logo, Blazers, Ties, Rave, Repeat.

That is the lifecycle of the Melbourne administration. Very disappointed Bartlett slipped down to this level.

The red and blue jumper, the song, the MCG and winning games of footy. That is Melbourne. The other stuff is so periphery.

Now all that is irrelevant to the title of the article and to where he might have a point.

We have to grow the club. I dislike his seeming dismissal of Casey. We know it's not 'the heartland'. But the notion of a heartland is complete BS. This the MFC, we want everyone we can get. It's not an exclusive club. There is no benefit in limiting supporters to the top end of town. Half of us and our memberships would be gone. Casey is the fastest growing area in Melbourne and I welcome everyone fan we get from there. The VFL relationship is part of that yet separate as in they don't have to be discussed together. I think targeting our community activities in a growth area is smarter than spreading them out throughout a 'heartland' that doesn't exist.

At the same time I have no problems embracing our close ties to Collins St and the city of Melbourne and the elite. As long as it's not done in forming a barrier with the rank and file. I also like the idea of MFC tourism Yankee style. Just not sure on the financial benefits.

My main problem is the Bartlett is a product of the coteries. The same people who have largely been running this club. He isn't really as fresh a thinker and independent as we would like. All those who included him in to the fold as a potentially beneficial supporter now have his ear. Hence the trash about having Melbourne in the song. No legitimate sitting in the outer, kids to the footy, pie and beer supporter would entertain that notion in a million years.

Please President Bartlett I implore you to continue push innovative ideas for improving the club and growing the club. I implore you to continue your pursuit to be ruthless and successful. But I'd say right now don't go getting bogged down in the crap that's kept this club back since the 1960's.

Top post, GRRM. Totally agree. Ugh. This is not the sort of article I wanted to read, just as we seemed to be turning things around too.

True, although the job of the board is not just focused on that but also on the longevity of the club as a whole. The board has put a man in place to win those games and now, with things on field looking more stable than they have for a while, they can focus on building the club off the field to secure our future. We've heard some of it before but I don't think Bartlett deserves to be canned for it. He has a clear vision for the club and he is doing the hard yards to put them in place. I can't see anything wrong with that, and the difference this time around is that the club are getting it right on the field rather than getting it horribly wrong.

This talk should be left to the AGMs though. I want Bartlett to keep his mouth shut in the media. Get things done behind closed doors and if you're thinking of dissolving the Casey relationship, you'd better bloody have a gem of a plan B. I wonder what Jackson thinks of this sort of talk. I know he loves it at Melbourne, but I hope he stands up and knocks any rubbish on the head.

[Choko 493]

I tend to agree - I like some of the ideas but others seem like a waste of effort/money. Having a presence in Collins Street? The most expensive location in Melbourne? What benefits will this provide? The worst part was changing the club song! We have the best song in the league, who cares if it says Melbourne in it or not! The second verse references "Demons" thats enough.

If they change the logo I wouldn't mind them sticking to the MFC monogram for official stuff and have a Demons logo for merchandising, marketing to kids etc - the Cats have two logos and it works well for them.

The Casey alignment I'm in two mids about - I hate it because I live in the north/north-west and will never head out to Casey - I also hate it that we don't have a stand alone team. But if we are making headway into the schools down there now is the exact wrong time to pull out when we have laid the ground work and the on-field performances are starting to turn around. I'd stick it out for another few years and reassess it after that.

Totally agree. For some reason, the whole article had the stench of another administration just not getting it.

[Choko 493]

Logo, Blazers, Ties, Rave, Repeat.

That is the lifecycle of the Melbourne administration. Very disappointed Bartlett slipped down to this level.

The red and blue jumper, the song, the MCG and winning games of footy. That is Melbourne. The other stuff is so periphery.

Now all that is irrelevant to the title of the article and to where he might have a point.

We have to grow the club. I dislike his seeming dismissal of Casey. We know it's not 'the heartland'. But the notion of a heartland is complete BS. This the MFC, we want everyone we can get. It's not an exclusive club. There is no benefit in limiting supporters to the top end of town. Half of us and our memberships would be gone. Casey is the fastest growing area in Melbourne and I welcome everyone fan we get from there. The VFL relationship is part of that yet separate as in they don't have to be discussed together. I think targeting our community activities in a growth area is smarter than spreading them out throughout a 'heartland' that doesn't exist.

At the same time I have no problems embracing our close ties to Collins St and the city of Melbourne and the elite. As long as it's not done in forming a barrier with the rank and file. I also like the idea of MFC tourism Yankee style. Just not sure on the financial benefits.

My main problem is the Bartlett is a product of the coteries. The same people who have largely been running this club. He isn't really as fresh a thinker and independent as we would like. All those who included him in to the fold as a potentially beneficial supporter now have his ear. Hence the trash about having Melbourne in the song. No legitimate sitting in the outer, kids to the footy, pie and beer supporter would entertain that notion in a million years.

Please President Bartlett I implore you to continue push innovative ideas for improving the club and growing the club. I implore you to continue your pursuit to be ruthless and successful. But I'd say right now don't go getting bogged down in the crap that's kept this club back since the 1960's.

Amen.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Maybe this Caroline Wilson article hasn't hit the main Fairfax websites yet.

Melbourne president's plan to turn the Demons into the Yankees

Just read it.... thank goodness for that. aaahh. good onya Bartlett. we are on the right path it seems.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Touch the theme song and I'll go ape [censored]!!

Best tune of all time!

tune yes, tunes very good. words have moth balls all thru them. some need fixing up.

[dee-luded 2,959]

with a little dementia it just seems like yesterday

then you can forget it and rediscover it.....not too bad actually

od would understand

[dee-luded 2,959]

Funny... those who have made it large in the world, whether it be in sport , business or just good ol money will all tell you a common idea. You need to imagine yourself in the role, on the dias as a success etc. You have to run the race in your mind and do it winning.

Some paraphrase this in a fashion as Fake it before you Make it. This , to me, is what Bartlett is doing. He's fore-visioning a Melbourne in its new and rightful place as top of the heap in the town it takes its name from.

A building is created from an idea, then a brief, a conceptual impression, drawings , plans etc. It doesnt happen by any number of construction workers banging away at some element of building in the hope that some edifice will grow from their labours its about workign to a vision.

I see nothing wrong with the club daring to create something. From ideas doth creations come, not the other way around.

Noah wants to speak to you beelz. he would like to know when you'll have a couple of weekends spare.

[dee-luded 2,959]

A successful footy team is built by winning games consistently, making finals and becoming premiers. That should be 95% of the conversation about Melbourne's future. Team success brings financial rewards and an increased fan base.

no, its all about the attitude that pervades the whole environment, that all club staff & contractors breath & are infected by. thats the beginning, or The end.

ours died 50 years ago, & It's been like devils dust since.

[dee-luded 2,959]

No, but it comes before club ties, tinkering with the song, Collins St addresses and baseball comparisons.

removing bad teeth can be a pain the the Rrse, but you'll be better off in the end.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

This article and stance by Bartlett concerns me greatly. A very similar sounding pie in the sky stance as one C. Schwab was chasing.

Melbournes best and most achievable long term goal is to be the strongest 'boutique' club in Melbourne.

Of course over generations it is possible to become a big club but we are missing almost a HALF A CENTURY of supporters to draw from.

Do we really believe that one, two or even 3 premierships will turn MFC in to a mover and shaker of the league. Rubbish. Look at Nth. The success through the 90s amounted to nought as soon as they started losing.

He really believes that we win a few games or a premiership and 50,000 members will appear?

Collingwood has a huge following , not because of 1990 and 2010, but because of decade after decade after decade after decade after decade of sustained and reasonable success to varying degrees.

If melbourne had a premiership dynasty similar to geelongs recent years, the real growth in support wouldnt be evident for about 10 years beyond that, when the kids who jumped on the bandwagon were old enough to buy memberships. (Hence Nths spike in support recently on the back of the kids of the late 90s moving through.)

I strongly recommend Bartlett concentrates on the on field success and consolidating a strong but 'boutique ; sized club. From there, lets go and aim for being a powerhouse but we dont get to stuff up for 50 fuckinng years and then be a huge club.

Quite gutted to hear this coming from Bartlett. I was hoping the back of CS was the end of this fluffy bullshiit

[bush demon 2,041]

The vision thing raises its ugly monicker again. The only tinker worth looking at would be adding Melbourne to our American theme song: "it's the emblem of the Melbourne club, the team of the red and the blue" might do the trick.

[Guest]

http://youtu.be/Lp5ekMlQvi4
Well, at least I hope not.
A little perturbed by this article. Roosy said it best when he took over. The best boards are supportive, well informed and silent.

1) Club uniforms, ties and blazers (though I am glad those bloody things are gone) matter not. I thought we were going to get the footballing side of things right first? Same with the logo. Let's become a finals team first. All that kind of image junk is just a case of 'there's nothing left in the fridge to eat so let's go and paint the house'.

2) I can't believe that Bartlett is reconsidering Casey and is looking to turn us into some snooty Collins Street based club. You all know of my opinion of silvertails. I would loathe that. As much as I didn't like a lot of the stuff the previous regime did, they were right at looking for us to move into a growth corridor and trying to engage with a community. If there is one thing we haven't done since I have been a supporter is actually have an interest in every day punters. The club has always been in the hands of, as dee-luded would call them, the people from the Northern stands.

3) Don't mess with the song. How many years of history has that thing got? I don't believe we should live in the past but there is a difference between ignoring our presents by remembering how great our glory years were and just messing with hundreds of years of tradition for the sake of it. CS wanted to live in the 50's forever. GB seems to just want to tinker with our traditions just for the sake of it by the sounds of this.

I hope PJ has a quiet word to GB over this article. It seems pretty different to what has been coming out of his and Roosy's mouths. The club needs to be reading from the same play book.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Colin B. Flaubert

[Moonshadow 17,676]

The thing I liked most about Bartlett's presidency was that he STFU and let Jackson & Roos get on with the job

It's fine to aim high but he should have maintained the silence for a while yet

Halfway through the season and it's clear that the team has improved. That's all though. We've achieved bugger all. We need a few more runs on the board before GB reveals his plans for world domination

^^^ this.

Sounds like GB sees us having a VFL team based in Collins St. Would be a very narrow ground.

[Lucifers Hero 39,811]

The really good stuff:

-Changing the lackadaisical approach off-field (even if trivial things like ties and uniforms)

-PJ to sign on till end of 2015

-The ANZAC Eve Richmond game (An idea: maybe they could play for a ‘Checker Hughes’ trophy? )

-The development academy

-Watching the Melbourne Demons play Aussie Rules at the MCG a ‘must do’ for tourists visiting Melbourne ala us going to NY and watching the Yankees at Yankee stadium.

The seemingly not so good stuff:

-Ties, uniforms, blazers – see lackadaisical comment above.

-Changing the song…me thinks it means include the name ‘Melbourne’ not change the whole thing

-Casey alliance – A shame it has come up as there is no reason to risk getting them off- side now.

-Collins st presence – he does say this is a personal thought. Maybe he has been chatting with the City of Melbourne to do something together.

He is quoted as saying: "It's all very well to come in and say we need to model ourselves on the New York Yankees etc…” so maybe the ideas are from a consultant’s report? I wouldn’t be surprised if CW somehow got it (from the consultants??), then quizzed GB. Otherwise, would he really choose this method and timing to releasing such info?

Let’s cut him/the club some slack until we hear it from the horse’s mouth!

[Pates 9,660]

It's an interesting article and some very ambitious hopes from the president but I do question him even telling the world some of them. As someone said above if you're looking at changing or making changes to the emblem just do it. Consult the fans and make a decision, but I don't see the need to read about it first.

The name 'Melbourne' in the song is interesting, personally I see no need for it. Arguably the most recognisable "football" song is You'll Never Walk Alone from Liverpool. Yes it was an actual song but it's the club song and it has no mention of Liverpool, it doesn't need to.

Moving away from Casey is another interesting point. Again I don't see the worth of putting these opinions out into the world. At the time when the decision was made to expand to Casey it was identified that because we grew from the stadium rather a suburban location our fan base hasn't had the same growth, throw in the fact that we were tripe during the time that the AFL/VFL experience it's transition from local footy to professional sport it has meant we have no heartland where we draw our fans from. That hasn't changed.

I totally agree that our presence in Melbourne city needs to be increased, I personally think that the location of the demons shop (while convenient for the footy) offers no presence and promotion. We need to get a deal or association with the city of Melbourne and get our merchandise being sold at information locations or at least displayed in areas that get exposure from tourists and walk ins.

As for Casey, I see no reason to ditch them altogether. You can't argue with the fact that it's a growth corridor and the first step to capturing/converting the locals is to start winning. Imagine if Tyson, Salem, JKH, and Hogan become the equivalent of Hodge, Mitchell, Cyril, and Buddy with the team being successful. If they keep going out to school clinics in the area, presenting demons gear to kids and getting involved at their Auskick it won't take long to get those kids thinking we're a club they can support.

I see no reason not to persist with it in some capacity, and I think to openly discuss it in the public could burn some bridges with the Casey connection.

Still happy to see him thinking grand and long term. Let's just focus on winning games of footy, it's still the best marketing in the world.

[EDIT] Wanted to add that although it's a relatively pointless aside, I'm pretty glad they got rid of the blazers. Made us look like toffs and IMO detracts from the brand.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Pates

[Maybe next year 170]

Perhaps instead of "team we love", we sing "Melbourne we love". An extra syllable but it works. Then again, maybe we just stick with the current song. In any case the article says he has ideas but will make sure these ideas work before implementation.