Another easy thing to do would be to allow members to bring a friend for free to low drawing games. If the club could get the MCC on board with this it would surely influence numbers. As an MCC/MFC member I only ever sit in the MCC stand. If I could bring a friend for free 2-3 times a year it’s a great way to introduce new people to the joy, pain, heartbreak and happiness that being a Demon involves.

On 16/03/2025 at 15:06, Oxdee said:

Start of the season, first game after 6 months and the players run out to empty stands… we are a pathetic fan base. 

what a pathetic comment - it is simply a game (relatively entertaining but not important in the greater scheme of things) - maybe supporters thought it more important to spend quality time with their family or to care for a family member who was not well; maybe they had mor important matters to focus their time or money on.

23 hours ago, Ugottobekidding said:

I have to work Sunday nights so you won't see me next week either. I like paying my rent more than football

Selfish!

(Relax I'm kidding 🤣)

21 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Another easy thing to do would be to allow members to bring a friend for free to low drawing games. If the club could get the MCC on board with this it would surely influence numbers. As an MCC/MFC member I only ever sit in the MCC stand. If I could bring a friend for free 2-3 times a year it’s a great way to introduce new people to the joy, pain, heartbreak and happiness that being a Demon involves.

The MFC/MCC Premium option has this at a cost

Three game guest pass into MCC Reserve for specific matches outlined below

• GWS
• Suns
• Freo
• Hawks
• Sydney
• North
• Bulldogs

Obviously its a bit of a jump from Exclusive ($89) to Premium ($239), I just consider it a donation
Also get GA Access to all home games and a free junior membership etc. Which you can share with pals or what not.

Doubtless showing my age, but I'd rate consistently winnning games more likely to attract new young members than any amount of social media promotion.  

7 minutes ago, sue said:

Doubtless showing my age, but I'd rate consistently winnning games more likely to attract new young members than any amount of social media promotion.  

Obviously success is the best thing you can have but you also have to capitalise on it. North Melbourne were the most successful team of the 90s and couldn't convert it into memberships.

32 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Obviously success is the best thing you can have but you also have to capitalise on it. North Melbourne were the most successful team of the 90s and couldn't convert it into memberships.

True. I wonder if anyone has ever analysed why North didn't do better.  Perhaps all that  winning did do them good but 'merely' and saved them from obliteration rather than boosting membership.

1 hour ago, sue said:

Doubtless showing my age, but I'd rate consistently winnning games more likely to attract new young members than any amount of social media promotion.  

Old school 

2 hours ago, Little Goffy said:

 

I really don't think there's much to be impressed about getting a couple of friends to come to a game when there are only two teams in the city. Your chances of knowing someone else who is available and supports the same team is 5 times higher than in Melbourne, and all local sports coverage includes your team in every broadcast.

There's also generally just one game a week in the other cities, so literally everyone who just wants to go to a game of football is there. I'd invite everyone on Demonland to mentally add up all the non-Melbourne games they might go to in a season. Is it, say, once, in a whole season? Because even that would work out to 50,000 attendances a week just in little old Adelaide.

The Gabba's official capacity is 42,000. Brisbane did not pass 35,000 in the home and away season and struggled to reach even 30,000 during 'winter' up there.

Most Swans games had crowds around the 35k mark. Their four 40k+ games were against the Blues, Cats, Giants and, indeed, Demons.

Crows got 29,800 against GWS last season, so... that's fun.

Port got 27,500 against Richmond, and except for the showdowns they barely managed to crack 40,000 in the H&A season.

Western Australia is a special world of it's own, but you'll struggle to convince me there's anything amazing about 40-50k a week when you've got an AFL mad population of 3 million split between two teams, and all the advantages noted above.

 

I don't know why people are so obsessed with 'proving' that there's something wrong or weak about Demon supporters, but I do get irritated by entirely disingenuous use of numbers - or 58ers case here, just imagining numbers to suit your feelings.

couldn't agree more

just like the notion of us being toffs and going to the snow in range rovers, i think our boutique crowd sizes are symptomatic that we are the elite

we invented the game; others are just lucky to play it

3 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

couldn't agree more

just like the notion of us being toffs and going to the snow in range rovers, i think our boutique crowd sizes are symptomatic that we are the elite

we invented the game; others are just lucky to play it

Agreed. I drive a Subaru not a rangey 

32 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

Agreed. I drive a Subaru not a rangey 

nissan here

the other retort to when people say "where are the fans? at the snow?" the response is always "oh, please, as IF we'd ski LOCAL; it's aspen in february and japan in october"

having never been to either...

Edited March 21, 20251 yr by whatwhat say what

34 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

Agreed. I drive a Subaru not a rangey 

Agreed too. No Rangey for me. I prefer my rolls.

Watch Carlscum’s crowd drop down now.

Cripps (The thrower) is being run into the ground 

Sam Walsh is being run into the ground 

McGovern gets injured every Quarter 

Kurnow is about 30% fit

Mckay is a very unreliable kick regularly 

They are in a bit bother

 

Winning brings Crowds

We are suffering at the moment because we haven’t backed up a GF win (4 losses in finals since)

Last year is fairly self explanatory. 
 

If we can get on a winning run this year, with our new recruits playing, the crowd will turn up. 
and we simply have to get more primary school age kids on board. 
 

I went right through school 1969-1980 being the only Melbourne Supporter in my classes, every year. 
We were rarely on TV, on Radio it was usually 3UZ or 3DB interrupted every 10 minutes by Horse  Races. 
The 1965-1986 Finals drought hurt our numbers so badly, whilst Richmond took over the MCG and had great success. 
 

DO NOT CALL MELBOURNE SUPPORTERS “PATHETIC”

We are actually very thick skinned, but we are tired of excuses as to why we are not more successful 

40 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

Agreed too. No Rangey for me. I prefer my rolls.

Very good NC. 

Oh joy my car company doesn’t exist anymore. Not sure where that leaves me. 

43 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

Agreed too. No Rangey for me. I prefer my rolls.

You’ve sold the Bentley?

26 minutes ago, old dee said:

Oh joy my car company doesn’t exist anymore.

Is it an Oldsmobile?

19 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Is it an Oldsmobile?

Close a Holden

1 hour ago, whatwhat say what said:

nissan here

the other retort to when people say "where are the fans? at the snow?" the response is always "oh, please, as IF we'd ski LOCAL; it's aspen in february and japan in october"

having never been to either...

Over rated both in my view. Just like the Amalfi Coast very pretty  but pretty damn expensive and Cinque Terre is so much better value and the population will talk to you,