Membership Fail

[pitmaster 3,519]

For all the talk about how the poor season in 2019 damaged membership sales - and this message was reinforced by Gary Pert at the AGM - there is no evidence to support that if the records on here are correct.

According to George's numbers 2019 was our best year (at least in the past five) for memberships sold after April 1.

In 2015 we went from 32,001 on April 1 to a final 35,911, an increase of 3,592.

Last year the increase in the corresponding period was 6,909 coming from 45,537 on April 1 to 52,446 at the finish. That's a bigger number than In our finals year 2018.

 In 2016, '17 and '18 the increases in that period were 3,676, 3,548 and 5,419.

If the club is right and we would have made 60,000 last year with a strong on-field performance there must be more to the numbers than is obvious. The club would know for example how many dropped off and how many outright new members there were.

But right now it looks like the club's kidding itself.

[Satyriconhome 10,743]

9 minutes ago, pitmaster said:

For all the talk about how the poor season in 2019 damaged membership sales - and this message was reinforced by Gary Pert at the AGM - there is no evidence to support that if the records on here are correct.

According to George's numbers 2019 was our best year (at least in the past five) for memberships sold after April 1.

In 2015 we went from 32,001 on April 1 to a final 35,911, an increase of 3,592.

Last year the increase in the corresponding period was 6,909 coming from 45,537 on April 1 to 52,446 at the finish. That's a bigger number than In our finals year 2018.

 In 2016, '17 and '18 the increases in that period were 3,676, 3,548 and 5,419.

If the club is right and we would have made 60,000 last year with a strong on-field performance there must be more to the numbers than is obvious. The club would know for example how many dropped off and how many outright new members there were.

But right now it looks like the club's kidding itself.

Que?

Up until Round 5 last year the memberships were flying out the door, they ground to a shuddering halt. Pert is correct, a few wins by Round 5 and the number would have increased, 60000 would have been an easy target by the end of June

[Sir Why You Little 37,010]

Simple Maths

Winning increases Memberships

[Its Time for Another 4,197]

17 minutes ago, pitmaster said:

For all the talk about how the poor season in 2019 damaged membership sales - and this message was reinforced by Gary Pert at the AGM - there is no evidence to support that if the records on here are correct.

According to George's numbers 2019 was our best year (at least in the past five) for memberships sold after April 1.

In 2015 we went from 32,001 on April 1 to a final 35,911, an increase of 3,592.

Last year the increase in the corresponding period was 6,909 coming from 45,537 on April 1 to 52,446 at the finish. That's a bigger number than In our finals year 2018.

 In 2016, '17 and '18 the increases in that period were 3,676, 3,548 and 5,419.

If the club is right and we would have made 60,000 last year with a strong on-field performance there must be more to the numbers than is obvious. The club would know for example how many dropped off and how many outright new members there were.

But right now it looks like the club's kidding itself.

Good pick up. But just shows how stats and figures can be manipulated.

By the start of last season before the true state of the team was known and therefore off the back of the previous year's success memberships were up by 6,000 on the previous year.

They only increased on the previous year by another 2000 from 1 April to end of membership year. That 2000 is probably a tick to the membership dept for getting anyone at all on board. It wouldn't be over stating it to think that the rate of increased memberships would have increased significantly if the team had performed as it was expected to. 

[Demonland 71,778]

Even if we have a good start to 2020 it will be difficult to repair the damage done by 2019 that was gained in 2018. A good finals showing this year will go a long way to restoring the numbers. The only way to reach the numbers Pert is throwing out there is sustained success with at the very least a Premiership (or 2).

[Sir Why You Little 37,010]

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

Even if we have a good start to 2020 it will be difficult to repair the damage done by 2019 that was gained in 2018. A good finals showing this year will go a long way to restoring the numbers. The only way to reach the numbers Pert is throwing out there is sustained success with at the very least a Premiership (or 2).

I think some serious good form in these early games, particularly if we have strong last Quarter’s will get the Membership rolling, but it must be sustained 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

1 hour ago, pitmaster said:

For all the talk about how the poor season in 2019 damaged membership sales - and this message was reinforced by Gary Pert at the AGM - there is no evidence to support that if the records on here are correct.

According to George's numbers 2019 was our best year (at least in the past five) for memberships sold after April 1.

In 2015 we went from 32,001 on April 1 to a final 35,911, an increase of 3,592.

Last year the increase in the corresponding period was 6,909 coming from 45,537 on April 1 to 52,446 at the finish. That's a bigger number than In our finals year 2018.

 In 2016, '17 and '18 the increases in that period were 3,676, 3,548 and 5,419.

If the club is right and we would have made 60,000 last year with a strong on-field performance there must be more to the numbers than is obvious. The club would know for example how many dropped off and how many outright new members there were.

But right now it looks like the club's kidding itself.

We did win 3 out of 5 games between April 11 and May 11 though....

 

[58er 6,406]

7 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

We did win 3 out of 5 games between April 11 and May 11 though....

 

Hardly the sort of footy that invites a rush after 2018.

But some early wins and good footy will turn around some sitting on the fence waiting to see what's delivered.

[Demonland 71,778]

25 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I think some serious good form in these early games, particularly if we have strong last Quarter’s will get the Membership rolling, but it must be sustained 

I have absolutely no facts to base this on so take with a grain of salt but I believe that many people who took out a new, or very lapsed, membership in 2019 did so on the back of 2018 and not being able to secure someone's membership to have access to tickets for the Elimination and Semi Finals (and potentially go into the lottery for GF tickets). I assume many of these new (or lapsed) members took out a membership in 2019 to avoid missing out on the Demon Train. 2019 derailed that train and as a result many people got off at the next station and that will obviously effect 2020 numbers regardless of the year we have.

Now 2020 could be a repeat of the 2018 success and there will be people without access to finals tickets. This is good news for 2021 but then there's the old adage of Once Bitten Twice Shy and that's where the sustained success (or Premierships) will need to come into play in order to build towards 70,000 plus.

If 2020 is another disaster then ....

[Sir Why You Little 37,010]

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

I have absolutely no facts to base this on so take with a grain of salt but I believe that many people who took out a new, or very lapsed, membership in 2019 did so on the back of 2018 and not being able to secure someone's membership to have access to tickets for the Elimination and Semi Finals (and potentially go into the lottery for GF tickets). I assume many of these new (or lapsed) members took out a membership in 2019 to avoid missing out on the Demon Train. 2019 derailed that train and as a result many people got off at the next station and that will obviously effect 2020 numbers regardless of the year we have.

Now 2020 could be a repeat of the 2018 success and there will be people without access to finals tickets. This is good news for 2021 but then there's the old adage of Once Bitten Twice Shy and that's where the sustained success (or Premierships) will need to come into play in order to build towards 70,000 plus.

Agreed, but if we are playing Top Form football from now to, say Round 5 then i think Memberships will be bought. 
if last Saturday was an aberration then we will struggle, but it didn’t feel that way

[Guest]

Just as an aside, the grammar pedant in me would like to know when the noun 'failure' mutated into 'fail', which I was led to believe was a verb? 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

31 minutes ago, 58er said:

Hardly the sort of footy that invites a rush after 2018.

But some early wins and good footy will turn around some sitting on the fence waiting to see what's delivered.

Sure, but it directly lines up with the timing that is being talked about in the original post.

Wouldn't take much to get the fans excited again after 2018, so a few wins on the trot could see a membership bump.

[poita 3,898]

Membership numbers are almost irrelevant this year. We may come close to matching last years membership numbers, but I expect a massive drop off from the higher categories, especially those relating to grand final guarantees. You can almost guarantee that most of the memberships being sold after round 1 are 3 game memberships which are barely worth worrying about.

[Demonstone 22,376]

1 hour ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Just as an aside, the grammar pedant in me would like to know when the noun 'failure' mutated into 'fail', which I was led to believe was a verb? 

I'm afraid it's just us pedants "versing" the increasingly illiterate majority.

 

[58er 6,406]

19 minutes ago, poita said:

Membership numbers are almost irrelevant this year. We may come close to matching last years membership numbers, but I expect a massive drop off from the higher categories, especially those relating to grand final guarantees. You can almost guarantee that most of the memberships being sold after round 1 are 3 game memberships which are barely worth worrying about.

Hi are not what this post reflects 

At no time did it mention 3 game memberships and the effect of say 4out if 5 wins and say we jag a close win vs Tigers before 70,000 plus fans are believing the 8 with some top4.

If course it can go the other way but U don't know what % of our memberships are 3  gamers.

Also depends on how our marketing Dept package "blockbusters".

[DeeSpencer 25,542]

Pert's banking on converting many of the supposed 10k+ MCC members who don't buy the MFC add one.

An add on that I believe started at about $35 a decade ago, rose to 50, 70 and is now a ridiculous $89.

How many people are part of the MCC, reasonably wealthy and as stupid as I am to pay $89 for a scarf and to say they've done their bit? Even if we are winning premierships I don't think it will be nearly as many as Pert thinks.

[Olgreybeard49 240]

1 hour ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Just as an aside, the grammar pedant in me would like to know when the noun 'failure' mutated into 'fail', which I was led to believe was a verb? 

As one pedant to another, Cambridge, Oxford and Merriam dictionaries were onto it before you. Can't be ...ed doing the eymological research; you're on your own for the date.

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, Olgreybeard49 said:

As one pedant to another, Cambridge, Oxford and Merriam dictionaries were onto it before you. Can't be ...ed doing the eymological research; you're on your own for the date.

I'm sure I'm not Robinson Crusoe on that one. However, dictionaries since Samuel Johnson wrote the first one have tended to be records of lexis, not a monitor whose function is to be on top of whatever inane trend is belched into a particular cultural zeigeist. Not being among the cooler kids on the block, I was hoping someone doper (that's what the millenials say don't they?) than I might have an idea.

Edited February 27, 2020 by Colin B. Flaubert
Incorrect sentence

[58er 6,406]

Poita 

Just as a further comment that Club Membership  figures this year are almost irrelevant!!!'

Sorry  but that is one of the most unwise comments to any Board Official or bean counterOr fund raiser and Volunteer and also to fans  in any AFL club.

Membership helps shape our profit and loss each year and as those figures quoted can move around depending upon variables mentioned. 
 

In other words our figures this year are looking skinny from 2019 but are holding up to any previous Years .

As I indicated our form in Marrsh2 and early rounds will form the probable total of   Under or over 50,000. Also I suspect that many Grand Final guarantee members have maintained their status.

Those  members (Like myself) are perennial optimists and rollover each season with the maximum possible form of membership.

Will be interesting to see the washup.

 

[Lucifers Hero 39,672]

It isn't the Reserved Seat with GFG members that haven't renewed.  These memberships have been 'Wait Listed' (I assume means 'sold out') for a month or two. https://am.ticketmaster.com/melbournefc/reserved-seats#/

I've no idea where our membership will end up but with the Family Day sales yet to kick in, Max as Captain and Petracca starting to fire all bode well for the 'undecided' members from 2019 to re-sign. 

And ANZAC Eve and QB are Home games this year which should encourage a few extra 3-game memberships.

A few good early wins and who knows.  Let's wait a few months before making verdicts on 2020 membership level.

Edited February 27, 2020 by Lucifer's Hero

[DeezNuts 624]

5 hours ago, pitmaster said:

For all the talk about how the poor season in 2019 damaged membership sales - and this message was reinforced by Gary Pert at the AGM - there is no evidence to support that if the records on here are correct.

According to George's numbers 2019 was our best year (at least in the past five) for memberships sold after April 1.

In 2015 we went from 32,001 on April 1 to a final 35,911, an increase of 3,592.

Last year the increase in the corresponding period was 6,909 coming from 45,537 on April 1 to 52,446 at the finish. That's a bigger number than In our finals year 2018.

 In 2016, '17 and '18 the increases in that period were 3,676, 3,548 and 5,419.

If the club is right and we would have made 60,000 last year with a strong on-field performance there must be more to the numbers than is obvious. The club would know for example how many dropped off and how many outright new members there were.

But right now it looks like the club's kidding itself.

Don’t forget AFLW team might also have helped

[pitmaster 3,519]

On 2/27/2020 at 3:32 PM, Colin B. Flaubert said:

Just as an aside, the grammar pedant in me would like to know when the noun 'failure' mutated into 'fail', which I was led to believe was a verb? 

As a fellow pedant I assure you 'fail' is both verb and noun depending on usage.

[In Harmes Way 7,741]

21 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

It isn't the Reserved Seat with GFG members that haven't renewed.  These memberships have been 'Wait Listed' (I assume means 'sold out') for a month or two. https://am.ticketmaster.com/melbournefc/reserved-seats#/

I've no idea where our membership will end up but with the Family Day sales yet to kick in, Max as Captain and Petracca starting to fire all bode well for the 'undecided' members from 2019 to re-sign. 

And ANZAC Eve and QB are Home games this year which should encourage a few extra 3-game memberships.

A few good early wins and who knows.  Let's wait a few months before making verdicts on 2020 membership level.

I'd have agreed with you Luci, however when the club rang me on Tuesday to renew my Red and Blue, they offered an upgrade to Level 2 Trident for me and my boy, which I took them up on. There were a couple of options on seats, so not sure when they became Waitlisted exactly but I'd reckon they've got some if you rang and asked.

[ex52k2 238]

I asked the membership tent on the family day what was the 2020 total to date.

They said the total before the family day it was 33000 approx.

[Lucifers Hero 39,672]

42 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

I'd have agreed with you Luci, however when the club rang me on Tuesday to renew my Red and Blue, they offered an upgrade to Level 2 Trident for me and my boy, which I took them up on. There were a couple of options on seats, so not sure when they became Waitlisted exactly but I'd reckon they've got some if you rang and asked.

Interesting.  They have shown 'waitlisted' for a while.  Maybe there are premium members who haven't renewed yet and the club is holding their spot open. 

Thanks for the tip re Trident membership.  I renewed Redleg memberships for myself and my niece last September so will stick with those.