Membership cracks 25k for the first time

[Elwood 3184 1,268]

I received an email from the club advising that the club has passed the 25,000 member mark for the first time in history. I've deleted the email so I'm not sure now whether that figure includes MCC members but it's a terrific achievement for all concerned at the club.

Now if only the players could just hold their part of the bargain ...

[Whispering_Jack 28,089]

I received an email from the club advising that the club has passed the 25,000 member mark for the first time in history. I've deleted the email so I'm not sure now whether that figure includes MCC members but it's a terrific achievement for all concerned at the club.

Now if only the players could just hold their part of the bargain ...

The email states that "over 3,000 MCC members have taken out the Club’s new MFC/MCC membership option for just $40 but there are still over 15,000 MCC members who barrack for MELBOURNEfc but do not help us out financially."

[pringle 42]

25,ooo is ok for us, but not nearly good enough. Still has us way down in the membership ladder. And one feels that a loss like last Friday night's will cost us a thousand or more members. If only 3,000 out of about 20,000 MCC have put their hands in their pocket for the MFC, that is a disgrace. Remember, it's only $40 now, and these people pay a truck-load for membership each year. I don't think they're the same struggling footy fans who get upset about the high price of a pie at the G. C'mon MCC members. Do your bit!!!

[BrownlowBruce 1]

25,ooo is ok for us, but not nearly good enough. Still has us way down in the membership ladder. And one feels that a loss like last Friday night's will cost us a thousand or more members. If only 3,000 out of about 20,000 MCC have put their hands in their pocket for the MFC, that is a disgrace. Remember, it's only $40 now, and these people pay a truck-load for membership each year. I don't think they're the same struggling footy fans who get upset about the high price of a pie at the G. C'mon MCC members. Do your bit!!!

i did my bit ... before the game on friday night luckily :angry:

[Choko 493]

When people say it's a disgrace that MCC members don't buy an additional membership, or in fact when anyone slams someone for not buying a membership, I can't help but think that it's counter-productive and also irrational. How rich someone is only one factor in their decision making. I think the world is a better place if that $40 goes to the anti-cancer council, Lifeline, depression, or Africa... Having said that, I buy 2 memberships each year and donate one to a member that can't afford to buy one, but I understand that that's not for everyone.

[pringle 42]

When people say it's a disgrace that MCC members don't buy an additional membership, or in fact when anyone slams someone for not buying a membership, I can't help but think that it's counter-productive and also irrational. How rich someone is only one factor in their decision making. I think the world is a better place if that $40 goes to the anti-cancer council, Lifeline, depression, or Africa... Having said that, I buy 2 memberships each year and donate one to a member that can't afford to buy one, but I understand that that's not for everyone.

So then when we don't win games or a premiership because we can't afford to spend money improving the performance of our players, I'm sure you'll continue to be glowing in your support of our team, coach, management and football department... I applaud your charitable sentiments, and I think it's fantastic that you buy two memberships. I just don't think it's irrational or counter-productive to try to push others into supporting our club. Especially when the same people will go home from their comfy MCC seats crying when we lose and blaming the coach or players or whoever they can.

[nomed 107]

If only 3,000 out of about 20,000 MCC have put their hands in their pocket for the MFC, that is a disgrace. Remember, it's only $40 now, and these people pay a truck-load for membership each year. I don't think they're the same struggling footy fans who get upset about the high price of a pie at the G. C'mon MCC members. Do your bit!!!

Hey easy on the MCC members, we are not all rolling in money. I pay my MCC subscription, 3 MFC memberships, put in for raffles, attend club functions when I can and buy merchandise.

I am a single dad and all of this takes a huge sacrifice to do. I need to budget to do this, and I do so by choice as the football is my main entertainment during the year.

Sure there may be those better off in the MCC Reserve, but I would bet that they are in the same proportion as society (the old 5% of the people who control 90% of the wealth).

We need to influence the "fence sitters" in a positive way, bagging them won’t do it.

[Gouga 512]

Well said.

I'm an MCC member and a student. I struggle financially but still managed to find $40 for my MCC/MFC membership, however I would not be critical of somebody in my position that decided to not buy an associate membership.

Not all MCC members are 'loaded'.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

.......

Not all MCC members are 'loaded'.

People forget that the MCC is the most egaliterian of clubs. Why? Because in the normal course of events after 20 years you get offered a good value membership offer.It represents a cross section of the community in Melbourne who share an interest in sport

They even let in supporters of the filth!

[melbournefc 18]

MCC members who haven't signed up....I think now's the time. The club needs you.

[Geddy Lee 582]

I'm an MCC member and a student. I struggle financially but still managed to find $40 for my MCC/MFC membership, however I would not be critical of somebody in my position that decided to not buy an associate membership.

Not all MCC members are 'loaded'.

I've also taken out a $40 membership. It was 2 hours worth of work. Sort of like being there last Friday night.

[nomed 107]

MCC members who haven't signed up....I think now's the time. The club needs you.

Absolutely. Whats that old saying, "the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of cheap price is forgotten"

Its later than you think, now is the time to be counted, if they fold or merge they are gone forever!

[Rogue 585]

Cracking 25,000 looks great on paper.

However, how much is our club benefitting finanfially from memberships compared to previous years if 3,000+ of those are $40 associate memberships?

I'm guessing an average price for a MFC membership is around three times what the MCC/MFC associate membership costs, so the 25,000 figure may not be as glorious as it first seems.

On the other hand, I'm sure that the more members we have the easier it is for us to sell our club to potential sponsors, which may be the real benefit of a higher membership figure.

[Demon15 0]

People forget that the MCC is the most egaliterian of clubs. Why? Because in the normal course of events after 20 years you get offered a good value membership offer.It represents a cross section of the community in Melbourne who share an interest in sport

They even let in supporters of the filth!

This post gratefully appreciated RR , as an MCC and MFC(Full) member.

As long as your'e a..se points to the ground and your'e prepared to follow some reasonable rules on behaviour and dress you will be admitted. You just need to wait 20 years. BTW the club funds the new stands etc, so in some ways the MCC members are responsible for the fantatsic home ground the MFC plays on.

I along with many others support and follow the team there.

But my daughter is one of the 3000 who joined the MFC under the new scheme, and hopefully many of the remaining 15000 will too.

It does place the demons in a unique position but most match days with Melb at the 'G' theres a pretty good turn-out.

There is a serious latent following in this base, and all things equalised,

I reckon the MFC membership base is more like 35,000 in reality than 25000.

[MikeyJ 60]

Keep in mind that the article said "over 3,000 MCC members have taken out the Club’s new MFC/MCC membership option for just $40". That's 3000 MCC members who have taken up the NEW option.

There are still thousands of MCC members who have retained the full MFC/MCC membership for $150. Judee or mickrocks might be able to clarify further. I believe Judee said that ~90 per cent of MCC/MFC full members were retaining their more expensive MFC joint membership, rather than switching to the cheaper option.

If all this is on the mark, that means that we've increased our numbers of MFC/MCC members by about 2000 people before the start of the season. Not a bad effort from all concerned.

[Brocky For President 0]

hey guys i was just wondering how many members melbourne wants is it 30,000? or more

thanx

[Adzman 2,085]

I paid up last friday night.

Lucky i paid BEFORE the game.

Otherwise that 430 bucks would have been spent down at the bottle shop instead!

Well done to all who have signed up. Let us hope we can snag another 1000 after round 2.

[Rogue 585]

hey guys i was just wondering how many members melbourne wants is it 30,000? or more

thanx

As many as we can get.

[praha 10,329]

I estimate about 26, 500

I seriously think the game last week cost us maybe 500 memberships. If we lose this week, it will be another number. I know that if I wasnt a member and I was going to pay up last friday night, I would have kept it off for another week.

[mikeod 21]

It needs to be remembered that even without the 3000 or so new MCC/MFC $40 members, we are still around 1,000 above what we have been in other years at this very same stage.

The increased numbers in the system means the club is:

a ) able to market to a greater range of people

b ) more attractive to sponsors

c ) the likelihood of larger numbers at games, because people with MFC membership are simply more likely to feel obliged to come to games.

With the $40 option, most of the new members have NEVER been members of the football club before. They aren't necessarily members downgrading. Many of these MFC/MCC members were members many years ago, and are coming back to becoming memberships.

The money received from most of these new members is money the MFC has never had before, and this is fairly exciting for the club.

[pantaloons 2,019]

Apologies for being trite, but it looks like its actually the second time we've cracked the 25,000 mark.

Year Members Finishing position²

1998 17,870 4th

1999 19,713 14th

2000 18,227 2nd

2001 22,940 11th

2002 20,152 6th

2003 20,555 14th

2004 25,252 5th

2005 24,220 7th

2006 24,698 6th

2007

[mikeod 21]

Apologies for being trite, but it looks like its actually the second time we've cracked the 25,000 mark.

Year Members Finishing position²

1998 17,870 4th

1999 19,713 14th

2000 18,227 2nd

2001 22,940 11th

2002 20,152 6th

2003 20,555 14th

2004 25,252 5th

2005 24,220 7th

2006 24,698 6th

2007

pantaloons, that was the official CLUB total. Unfortunately, in that year, the AFL did not accept our armchair memberships or our $55 MCC/MFC option, so in terms of official AFL numbers, this is the first time we've cracked 25k.

[pantaloons 2,019]

pantaloons, that was the official CLUB total. Unfortunately, in that year, the AFL did not accept our armchair memberships or our $55 MCC/MFC option, so in terms of official AFL numbers, this is the first time we've cracked 25k.

Thanks Mick. Is the exact monetary figure raised by memberships released in the end of season annual reports? Given that we've got these new MCC/MFC membership options, and teams like Hawthorn have memberships for animals, plants and minerals, the dollar figure becomes an important one.

[mikeod 21]

Is the exact monetary figure raised by memberships released in the end of season annual reports?

I'm not 100% sure. I might have a search for last years annual report to see if I can find a figure... It came in the year book didn't it?

[mikeod 21]

To answer my own question, a figure in the annual report is the revenue from Membership and Annual Reserved Seating.

This figure in 2006 was 4,059,473, compared to 3,109,043 in 2005.