http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...2-19742,00.html

"The Demons, headed by departing chief executive Steve Harris, last night announced the AFL's first international student membership............."

well I wont particularly claim this as mine....as Im sure I wasnt the only one to suggest something along these lines..

seems the MFC do read emails after all

"""""""http://demonland.ugbox.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2311&hl=memberships

Jul 10 2006, 06:34 PM Post #16

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the clever avenue has to be outside of this state.. as obviously all the the myriad of efforts to garner more from within...only just hold water...so if not within...then from without.... this leaves interste..and international.. .

again I previously braoched this with the form of special memberships for OS followers.. they probably will never goto a game ona week in week out basis ...even year in year out etc... but lets get teh BRAND working..the Chinese exposure can help........................

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as above teh MCC/MFC conundrum is just that... a problem without any ready answer.. almosy unsolvable.. so look elsewhere """"""

""""""http://demonland.ugbox.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=1530&hl=china

May 20 2006, 03:08 AM Post #9

a recent report names china ( and india ..go figure ) as the most increased sources of tourism.. Chinese nouveau rich are looking for things.. so why not a lil footy in their diet :-)).... we only need to pick up a few stranglers.. ( say a few thousand over afew years )

maybe an enterprising sort can develop special tours to Melbourne..to se footy and other cultural sights...lol.. migh tinclude a special membership etc .. lots of potential for a lateral thinker.. """"""

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Now before any think this is big noting for the hell of it..it isnt.. I simply put it here to qualify some of what I ( and others ) were on about for quite some time.. that is to think outside the box.

That and quite frankly to shove it up a few who had no more to add that to lampoon it and suggest some of us had no idea.

Seems it wasnt so dumb after all !!

Plaudits to the MFC..and indeed to outgoing Harris for a bit of adventurous thinking....or at least reading of forums and emails.

Handled well this could be just the thin edge of the wedge of many many possibilities.

GO DEES !!

40 something dollars ey?lucky....

See this is what frustrates me. I am an interstate supporter, now for me to become an interstate member i have to pay $95, gives me free entry into the game in brisbane and then 5 games at the G. Problem is i dont have enough money to be traveling to Melbourne to use the 5 games at the G. so in reality i am paying $95 for the game in brisbane and a tie or whatever it is.

Doesn't anyone else think thats overpriced?

  mousey said:

40 something dollars ey?lucky....

See this is what frustrates me. I am an interstate supporter, now for me to become an interstate member i have to pay $95, gives me free entry into the game in brisbane and then 5 games at the G. Problem is i dont have enough money to be traveling to Melbourne to use the 5 games at the G. so in reality i am paying $95 for the game in brisbane and a tie or whatever it is.

Doesn't anyone else think thats overpriced?

Mousey...you have a point...I look out onto the light towers of the G and can walk to the ground in 30 minutes, thats OK for me.

My brother - who sadly supports the Cartel Football Club - lives 3 & 1/2 hours drive from the G and yet still the chronic overpricers of cardboard request he pay a small fortune for his membership.

I think what's fairer is a sliding scale for country/interstate members whereby they recieve an increasing sliding scale discount according to the distance they are away from the clubs home ground. At least this way long distance members get a fairer deal, and would be more inclined to continue their membership subscriptions.

  mousey said:

40 something dollars ey?lucky....

See this is what frustrates me. I am an interstate supporter, now for me to become an interstate member i have to pay $95, gives me free entry into the game in brisbane and then 5 games at the G. Problem is i dont have enough money to be traveling to Melbourne to use the 5 games at the G. so in reality i am paying $95 for the game in brisbane and a tie or whatever it is.

Doesn't anyone else think thats overpriced?

If you can't get to the games, think of it as a donation to the club.

  Bring-Back-Powell said:

If you can't get to the games, think of it as a donation to the club.

I relise that its a donation of some sort, which is ok but you know im not too wealthy, im 22 and i dont know, just think it could be cut a bit, maybe im being silly

  mousey said:

40 something dollars ey?lucky....

See this is what frustrates me. I am an interstate supporter, now for me to become an interstate member i have to pay $95, gives me free entry into the game in brisbane and then 5 games at the G. Problem is i dont have enough money to be traveling to Melbourne to use the 5 games at the G. so in reality i am paying $95 for the game in brisbane and a tie or whatever it is.

Doesn't anyone else think thats overpriced?

$95 to support the club you love, sounds like a pretty good deal to me

i know i know.

I guess what im saying is im basically only a student ( money is hard )

I live interstate and with the $95 membership, i only get to see the team i LOVE once in brisbane, the other 5 games that i possibly can see in melbourne i cant cause of money reasons. Im saying why cant they have a slightly reduced price for someone like me in this position.

Cause they put a $40 price tag on a membership to see 3 games of the team I LOVE for the chinese section of people.

Sorry i know i feel guilty even talking about this because if i was rich or even just earning a normal living i would pay anything for the club i love .

  belzebub59 said:

May 20 2006, 03:08 AM Post #9

a recent report names china ( and india ..go figure ) as the most increased sources of tourism.. Chinese nouveau rich are looking for things.. so why not a lil footy in their diet :-)).... we only need to pick up a few stranglers.. ( say a few thousand over afew years )

Not sure if we need this type of support.

If you were referring to the band The Stranglers, I think they're already aligned with the Hawks through their song Golden Brown. Ok, I'm showing my age.

I cant dig up the old posts, but this was my exact proposal about 3 yrs ago.

Will these count toward our total amount?

no16 I believe they might , but only really basing that upon the comments by the club. Whether they count to the AFL sanctioned numbers ..might have to wait. either way it does brign them on board and thats always the first step. This is only observation but th eAFLseem to be reaching ot to th eworld now; they have possiblky taken a different tact to memberships as well. We wont be the only club doing this. A lot of this is however first in best dressed.

I empathise with ya Mousey, therre surely is a case to differentiate betwen country and interstate members. maybe drop th eclub an email...see where they are heading on this.

This again touches upon the area many of us thougt furtive ground for building a following.. recruiting those people whod love to climb on board officially but arent in any really position to get to games.

  No16 said:

Will these count toward our total amount?

It won't matter either way..the Chinese do not follow AFL and do not easily part with their $..this is a stupid idea..the club would be far better advised to find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons

  Weedster said:

It won't matter either way..the Chinese do not follow AFL and do not easily part with their $..this is a stupid idea..the club would be far better advised to find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons

Such a broad sweeping statement..So NO Chinese have any interest ?? there is a new generation coming through.. they have differing interests and aspirations to many of their older forefathers. It's been my experience of many international students here that quite a number are quite curious and happy to try out some of teh "strange' ways of their new , if temporary homes.

Its not as if this intitaive is the only thing the club is doing... what makes you think the club isnt trying to get 'lost' members?

  Weedster said:

It won't matter either way..the Chinese do not follow AFL and do not easily part with their $..this is a stupid idea..the club would be far better advised to find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons

A stupid and ill-informed comment on so many levels. For starters, the Chinese are huge gamblers, and if we can offer them an inclusive environment at the games, they may attend.

And rather than can up with "find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons", why not offer a proposal?

  mo64 said:

A stupid and ill-informed comment on so many levels. For starters, the Chinese are huge gamblers, and if we can offer them an inclusive environment at the games, they may attend.

And rather than can up with "find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons", why not offer a proposal?

Agree.

Should their membership card be a scratchie ticket?

  mo64 said:

A stupid and ill-informed comment on so many levels. For starters, the Chinese are huge gamblers, and if we can offer them an inclusive environment at the games, they may attend.

And rather than can up with "find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons", why not offer a proposal?

What on earth has gambling got to do with it ? The so-called membership package is targeting Chinese students ...

  Weedster said:

It won't matter either way..the Chinese do not follow AFL and do not easily part with their $..this is a stupid idea..the club would be far better advised to find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons

Just because they don't herald from a AFL background doesn't mean they aren't open to new sports! The irish aren't brought up on it but some of them are even coming here to play the sport.. The chinese are well known for being fanatical supporters so if we were to get some supporters it would most likely bring it extra funds from purchasing merchandise etc... and who knows if the students were to stay in Australia long term then Melbourne would be there adopted club and may upgrade to a full membership...

I do agree with you though in terms of finding imaginitive ways of re-signing lost members from previous seasons... your right on the money there weedster!

mousey, I agree with you regarding the cost of an interstate membership that is essentially a donation by another name, and seems pretty rough when international students can score a m/ship for less than half the price.

  Weedster said:

this is a stupid idea..the club would be far better advised to find imaginative ways to re-sign lost members from previous seasons

It's not like the two are mutually exclusive.

  Rhino Richards said:

Agree.

Should their membership card be a scratchie ticket?

Whilst tongue-in-cheek RR you might actually be on to something there with the scratchies...or something along those lines.

E.g. "members only" pool, first MFC goal kicker each quarter, $10.00 a throw....96% return to punters, 4% for the club.