MFC Membership Numbers a Worry !

[Cranky Franky 2,204]

The fact that we only have 35,356 members is a real concern for our long term survival. From 2008 to 2011 the numbers grew steadily despite our lack of success. This year it looks like we will end up with less members than last year.

This despite getting high profile players to the Club like Lumumba & Garlett, having the no 2 & 3 Draft picks & the debut of Jesse Hogan.

Maybe supporters are tired of the empty promises and poor efforts in pre season games & beltings in the early rounds just kills the membership drives.

Not sure of the demographics but it doesn't seem that our involvement at Casey & playing games in the NT has resulted in much of a membership increase in those areas.

If we are going to become a great Club again we really have to crack 40,000 members in the next couple of years.

[M C 221]

I don't see why you're worrying?

More wins = More memberships

It's as simple as that

[rpfc 28,913]

If we beat Geelong in Mordor in Rd 3 we would have another 5k members.

We didn't though - so here we are...

[DomTysonsLeftFoot22 20]

The CEO specifically stipulated at the AGM that we as a club had come a long way from a personnel, admin and financial point of view. But we would struggle to go any further without winning games. At the end of the day, we are in the business of winning games.

Over to the coaching staff and the players now.

[Sir Why You Little 37,310]

Wrong.

For us to still have 35,500 Members after the previous decade of absolute putrid football is a revelation

1964 was a very long time ago for any return

[Little Richard 6,265]

There's no doubt there is irreparable damage caused by the last 9 years, as a large chunk of a whole generation of supporters will have turned away from the club.

Winning will rejuvenate the base but these times will haunt the club for a long time in many ways, membership a very important one.

[Demon Disciple 12,452]

I agree that our membership is a huge worry. This is because since 2010/2011 we have gone backwards in membership numbers.

Obviously there are reasons as to why we have, given our poor performances for the greater part of the decade, but relying on increasing memberships when we start to win and come good does no good for us now. More members = more revenue generated by the club, but tomorrow's dollars won't help us today and relying on future potentials doesn't either.

The fact is, since 2011 we have gone backwards in membership and potentially backwards since last year. Extenuating circumstances cannot be brought into it, because our profit margin doesn't care about it.

[Dee Dee 1,135]

More wins = more members, just ask Hawthorn.

But, more wins also means more bums on seats and more bums on seats also= more money.

If we can keep performing above expectations as we did a week ago the crowds will come and the membership will grow.

[rjay 25,307]

More wins = more members, just ask Hawthorn.

But, more wins also means more bums on seats and more bums on seats also= more money.

If we can keep performing above expectations as we did a week ago the crowds will come and the membership will grow.

Premierships = more members, just ask Hawthorn.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

That's the way - we can't have too much positivity around here so someone needs to bring us back to reality. Thanks Franky, we appreciate your efforts at negativity.

Not worried in the slightest. As rpfc said, more wins = more members.

[Moonshadow 17,678]

I'm surprised we have more than 500 members after the last decade.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,477]

Wrong.

For us to still have 35,500 Members after the previous decade of absolute putrid football is a revelation

1964 was a very long time ago for any return

Great point, as we've always hovered around this mark it would be safe to assume 30k of them are long term members. How many did we have before the start of the season as compared to now? How many of the Tigers 70k were signed up before round 1? They have the biggest bandwagon in the history of sport. How many are pet memberships and how many are 3 or 5 game memberships? No doubt every membership helps but our long term goal must be to get long term members not bandwagon jumpers.

[DubDee 26,306]

we've won 4, then 2 then 4 games for ther past 3 seasons and you expect to have more members this year? on the back of draft picks? we've had them every year!

the casual fans/supporters will sign up when its we are better and a chance not to lose 80% of the time

this time next year when we are sitting at 8-4 (Hogan having kicked 40 and Brayshaw the fav for the brownlow), we will have cracked 40K for sure. until then.... eh...we can just dream

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

I'm surprised we have more than 500 members after the last decade.

Absolutely agree. I'm constantly surprised to see anyone aged under 30 wearing a red and blue scarf. What has the club done to deserve their support?

The fact that 35,000 of us sign on each year after a decade of slop, thrashings and farcial ineptitude is testament to our loyalty. We are the most rusted on, most patient and probably the loudest group of supporters in the league.

When success comes we will have deserved it

[Gorgoroth 13,184]

This year has been the first I've been close to not re signing as a member next year.

The two hour each way commute is shite when I also do it mon-fri for work.

They keep improving for the second half of the year and we will get 35k by round 1-2, do well in the first five rounds and we got closer to 40.

[poita 3,908]

Our membership numbers are incredible given how pathetic we have been for a decade.

What is a concern is how few junior supporters we have. Go to any school or Auskick session and you would be lucky to have in 1 in 100 following us.

Hawthorn were dominant in the 1980s but it took another 20 years before the kids of that era started having families and taking their kids to the footy each week, and their membership numbers soared.

It is going to take a sustained period of success, and then a further generation before our numbers start to rise significantly.

Even if that happens, by then we will have lost the large chunk of our membership that jumped on through the 1950s and 1960s through natural attrition.

Edited June 30, 2015 by poita

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

Our average number of members per win is very impressive indeed.

Edited June 30, 2015 by america de cali

[praha 11,253]

We have more members than the Bulldogs and Saints, who played finals, Grannies and Prelims in the 00s.

We are close to North, who has been playing finals football.

Close to Geelong, who needs no introduction.

The numbers are disappointing, yes, but it's a revelation than we have 35k, make no mistake. Kudos to the off-field team for selling a turd.

Closing the year out strong is very important. If we can get 8-10 wins, we'll crack 40k easily next season. Make the finals in 2016 and we'll be on our way to 50k.

No one thought Port had close to 60,000 fans let alone enough fans to buy 60,000 memberships.

Edited June 30, 2015 by praha

[Dee Dee 1,135]

Together with membership numbers the club must be concerned to increase sponsorship dollars.

Figures published in the Age recently showed we are towards the bottom in this regard.

If I remember correctly Hawthorn (for instance) receives more than triple what we do in sponsorship money, amounting to many millions of dollars, dollars that build elite training facilities et al.

[Je Roos Salem 661]

Let's just do a deal with China again and hand out free MFC memberships with immigrations.

Or get some billboards up in the city or something

[markc 975]

when is the cut off date ?

[MFC1982 0]

I Don't thikh it matters. We should donate the MCG to all the new teams that play there now, and play at the Junction Oval.

Think of the revenue!

[highroller 112]

i remember St Kilda in the early 2000's with all the early picks and success they started having had plenty of bandwagoners jump on board to push their membership higher. I think the same thing will happen to us only we have to make sure we keep them onboard once they do start supporting us.

[chookrat 4,268]

Our membership numbers will improve when we start to win games regularly. We've played some reasonably consistent footy this season and our list is improving especially considering some of the injuries we have had to important players.

When PJ and PR arrived the club had used up all of its good will and along with it ~10k supporters. These will come back when they are convinced we are a decent footy team, which we not yet are, but showing some positive signs. We will sign up new members as we become successful and sponsors will want to be associated with our brand.

[Adam The God 30,614]

I've said it before, but at a random home and away game against West Coast (that Ashley Sampi mark game), there were 36,000 at the MCG. Okay, so it's one thing to have supporters, but to actually convert them to members is tougher. However, our supporters are out there. When we're flying, we can easily get 40,000 members, probably evem 45,000. With a switched on bloke in Peter Jackson running the business, we can get to 50,000 members if our onfield form returns.