Bought my membership at the family day. I'm a 25 year veteran this year.

Ignoring GWS and GCS we are heading for the lowest membership figures in the comp after North and Brisbane.

Line ball with Saints and Dogs.

Disappointing given the "potential" of this team.

 

18 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Ignoring GWS and GCS we are heading for the lowest membership figures in the comp after North and Brisbane.

Line ball with Saints and Dogs.

Disappointing given the "potential" of this team.

Like getting a foot in the Friday night TV market we're going to have to put runs on the board for people to take us seriously and that includes fans.

Speaking from experience it's hard to get young ones on board to go to the footy when you've had a decade like we've had. I still buy my little ones a membership because I can afford it but I'm sure that there are many who can't or won't buy a membership for a kid that won't go to the footy.

Hopefully some sustained success will rebuild the membership but the results have to happen first.

2 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Like getting a foot in the Friday night TV market we're going to have to put runs on the board for people to take us seriously and that includes fans.

Speaking from experience it's hard to get young ones on board to go to the footy when you've had a decade like we've had. I still buy my little ones a membership because I can afford it but I'm sure that there are many who can't or won't buy a membership for a kid that won't go to the footy.

Hopefully some sustained success will rebuild the membership but the results have to happen first.

My kids got scared of the Max Gawn height chart that came last year, which has now been banished to the wardrobe.

This club has challenges everywhere. A decade of mediocrity and now our most marketable player is Lurch.

18 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Ignoring GWS and GCS we are heading for the lowest membership figures in the comp after North and Brisbane.

Line ball with Saints and Dogs.

Disappointing given the "potential" of this team.

 

You would imagine there are a few members still sitting on the fence at the moment. Round 23 would have broken a few hearts and, like it or not, Jack Watts’s departure would have dismayed the marketing department even if not the football one. Win a few games and you would think all would be forgiven but you can’t expect all supporters to be as rusted on as us lot. 

Driving to work this morning I saw a massive ad for the Tigers who are aiming for 90,000 members this year. I thought to myself "not even with 8 flags in a row will we ever get to these numbers".

If we start the season off well I predict we will push 47,000.

But lose 2 of the first 4 games, and we'll be pushing to get to 42,000 again.

I think the Bulldogs premiership got them an additional 20% or around 8k members.

If we managed that we would move up one rung perhaps and challenge Carlton. Would be interesting to see what flags 2 and 3 do but I would think the improvement is incremental.

Would love to see some age group analysis done of the supporter bases as I fear our demographic may be edging towards the Tobin Brothers end of the field.

The Blues are obviously a problem for the AFL as they are in danger of being the repeat of Melbourne in the '70's and slipping into irrelevancy. It is so obvious that the Friday night games are all about reversing this trend but of course it comes at the cost of the less powerful clubs such as ourselves.

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

I think the Bulldogs premiership got them an additional 20% or around 8k members.

If we managed that we would move up one rung perhaps and challenge Carlton. Would be interesting to see what flags 2 and 3 do but I would think the improvement is incremental.

Would love to see some age group analysis done of the supporter bases as I fear our demographic may be edging towards the Tobin Brothers end of the field.

The Blues are obviously a problem for the AFL as they are in danger of being the repeat of Melbourne in the '70's and slipping into irrelevancy. It is so obvious that the Friday night games are all about reversing this trend but of course it comes at the cost of the less powerful clubs such as ourselves.

The Carlton relationship with the AFL reminds me of the Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover. Each had something on the other which they used for their own protection. I wonder what Carlton has which makes the AFL bend over backwards to help them?

(J Edgar Hoover had an audio recording made by the FBI of Bobby Kennedy being successfully seduced by Marilyn Monroe; the Kennedys had a photo of J Edgar Hoover with Clyde Tolson in a "compromising position". 

Side note: Bobby Kennedy was seduced the day he visited Marilyn to tell her she couldn't see JFK any more. It's all much more interesting than Stormy Daniels and Trump.)

2 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Ignoring GWS and GCS we are heading for the lowest membership figures in the comp after North and Brisbane.

Line ball with Saints and Dogs.

Disappointing given the "potential" of this team.

 

We deserve what we get up till now

This club has delivered nothing for decades, so the should be thankfull to have at least 35,000 at this stage. 

IF we can climb the ladder and stay up there, i have no doubt we can have 100,000 members in 10 years. 

Melbourne population is exploding. 

We must use our name to great advantage, but the players and coaches must drive this. It’s all about on field results

14 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

The Carlton relationship with the AFL reminds me of the Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover. Each had something on the other which they used for their own protection. I wonder what Carlton has which makes the AFL bend over backwards to help them?

(J Edgar Hoover had an audio recording made by the FBI of Bobby Kennedy being successfully seduced by Marilyn Monroe; the Kennedys had a photo of J Edgar Hoover with Clyde Tolson in a "compromising position". 

Side note: Bobby Kennedy was seduced the day he visited Marilyn to tell her she couldn't see JFK any more. It's all much more interesting than Stormy Daniels and Trump.)

Physically more possible, too. Haha

Once we reach a membership of 65k plus and an average of 40 k plus on crowds we should have the financial resources to compete and win a premiership. Until then fixable issues like injury management & prevention won’t go away. We have done very well in recent years to increase recources in our recruting departments & player development elements so that should see us stabilise somewhat baring a run of horrific injuries. 

I should mention the AFL is doing a very good job to make the clubs more “business like” in and diversified in their thinking. Some clubs have grasped the concept some have not. We now understand the Draft is not an equalisation tool - more a method to extent the reach of the season. 

Financial success is the tool to equalisation in 2018 - you have to understand the “Clarkson cluster” dominates AFL onfield sucess in this era. The last 5 premierships ie 3 x hawks, 1 x bulldogs and tigers have come from this way of thinking. 

Edited March 14, 20187 yr by DaveyDee

19 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

The Carlton relationship with the AFL reminds me of the Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover. Each had something on the other which they used for their own protection. I wonder what Carlton has which makes the AFL bend over backwards to help them?

(J Edgar Hoover had an audio recording made by the FBI of Bobby Kennedy being successfully seduced by Marilyn Monroe; the Kennedys had a photo of J Edgar Hoover with Clyde Tolson in a "compromising position". 

Side note: Bobby Kennedy was seduced the day he visited Marilyn to tell her she couldn't see JFK any more. It's all much more interesting than Stormy Daniels and Trump.)

That''s the most interesting [censored] bit I have read all day. Thanks La Dee. 

Just now, hemingway said:

That''s the most interesting [censored] bit I have read all day. Thanks La Dee. 

Sorry I meant titbit, meaning a little bit of gossip or scandal. or a small morsel of food. 

I live in an area that is in Melbournes West, both North and Bulldogs have a footprint in our area but today Hawthorn said stuff you we are targeting your area for new members.  They did a mail box drop in our area with an offer of free family tickets to the Hawthorn V Melbourne game.  One think the residents of my community love is anything free

On 3/13/2018 at 3:33 PM, stynewillalwaysbeonthevine said:

Not sure what the best way to contact club is but we all crave content of our team as supporters and part of being a member is getting access/insight into the team. Not sure if Matt Burgan is on a sabbatical but the content is so down on previous years and even then it’s been sub par. 

1m 30 sec videos are not ok from the camp up the coast... who is best to speak to at the club? 

We rely on Saty for summer training reports and  instagram shots. He doesn’t even get paid. 

There are a number of posters on this board who provide insightful, worthwhile and interesting training reports and photos, and it's incredibly disrespectful to say that we rely on 'one poster' to get them.  I, for one, appreciate what the others are able to bring to the table over the summer and we should be thankful we get them.  

So, thanks to the others who go along, give us a huge training report and answer all questions without bias.  It's always appreciated.

On 3/13/2018 at 12:37 AM, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

So, I contacted the club today to find out that some genius decided to merge my details with another person with the same first and last name. The records now show that I have a different middle name, postal address and email but the same phone number. According to the MFC officer I spoke to that "genius" works for the Melbourne Cricket Club. On the plus side, my membership pack has been re-ordered, although how he knows for sure that I've actually paid my membership is beyond my understanding.

 

I'm staggered by this. There are actually two people named La Comedia who support Melbourne? What are the odds?

4 minutes ago, Skuit said:

I'm staggered by this. There are actually two people named La Comedia who support Melbourne? What are the odds?

And we're not even related!

You certainly are a gentleman.

I don’t hate Cassandra, after “Wayne’s World” it became cool to be Cassandra. 

I was also called Sandy sometimes and hated it. Cassie just suits me.

Edited March 14, 20187 yr by Cassiew

Must say I am impressed with the club's marketing. I hadn't payed my renewal yet. Just got a membership card in the mail today with instructions on how to activate it. What a great idea.

Then an hour later I get the membership drive call from Oscar McDonald and I signed up on the spot.

He reckons he is in for a better year than Tom as well

6 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

The Carlton relationship with the AFL reminds me of the Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover. Each had something on the other which they used for their own protection. I wonder what Carlton has which makes the AFL bend over backwards to help them?

Used to be Mike Fitzpatrick. Now?

35 minutes ago, Vandenberger With The Lot said:

Must say I am impressed with the club's marketing. I hadn't payed my renewal yet. Just got a membership card in the mail today with instructions on how to activate it. What a great idea.

Then an hour later I get the membership drive call from Oscar McDonald and I signed up on the spot.

He reckons he is in for a better year than Tom as well

That is a great idea, we should have at least 50k unique members over the last 3 years so going back through the database using this method should add a few thousand more.

1 hour ago, Vandenberger With The Lot said:

Must say I am impressed with the club's marketing. I hadn't payed my renewal yet. Just got a membership card in the mail today with instructions on how to activate it. What a great idea.

Then an hour later I get the membership drive call from Oscar McDonald and I signed up on the spot.

He reckons he is in for a better year than Tom as well

This is an annual event at your footy club great to hear it worked for you. Hope you enjoy the season. 

1 hour ago, Vandenberger With The Lot said:

Must say I am impressed with the club's marketing. I hadn't payed my renewal yet. Just got a membership card in the mail today with instructions on how to activate it. What a great idea.

Then an hour later I get the membership drive call from Oscar McDonald and I signed up on the spot.

He reckons he is in for a better year than Tom as well

Having the card sent out prompted me to sign back up straight away.

I was always going to renew, this just made it easier especially with the JLT game coming up.

33 minutes ago, DaveyDee said:

This is an annual event at your footy club great to hear it worked for you. Hope you enjoy the season. 

Yeah I knew about the drive, but it was the first year I have seen them send cards out

10 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Physically more possible, too. Haha