Don't get your nose out of joing about this being an elitist thread, its just focusing on one component of the membership structure with the purpose of getting some valuable feedback as to what were the key thing(s) that got you over the line.

As an MCC member you already pay substantial annual fees...so

1/ What has prompted you dip into your pocket again? , and

2/ What measures do you think would enable us to get more MFC/MCC members on board.

I will start the ball rolling, I take out mine our because:

A/ I think that if you claim to be an MFC fan but don't take out a membership then you have no right to feel any ownership of the club because you don't really support them at all...your a pretender [on the proviso that you can afford it...and most MFC / MCC members can].

B/ The junior membership options is persuasive and has been a brilliant way to indoctrinate my godson into the demonfold [and effectively innoculate him against the persuasions of filth fans and other such rapscallions].

1 / The greatest joy I get from my MCC membership is going to the G to watch Melbourne play. It doesn't seem fair for the club not to benefit. That is why I am, and will continue to be both an MCC and MFC member.

2 / The problem is many MCC members don't feel the need to purchase another membership. The club needs to make them want to be involved. The affordable associate membership is a good start but I think the club needs to do a better job of targeting MCC members.

A ) Disagree with how you are a pretender if you don't sign up but go to every game.

B ) Being more mature and seeing the business side of footy.

Naturally I do not need my "premium" membership but everyone needs to help as much as they can. Even if it is only the 40 dollar one, which a few MCC members I know have done.

Of course I would love everyone to fork out for the expensive one like me but I can't buy it for them.

All we can do as MCC members is try to look at it from a business perspective.

But it's not just MCC members that are the problem, we need all members, I for one have convinced my oldest brother (doesn't love footy but respects his club) to sign up, he is going to his first game in years this weekend. I also bought my niece a junior membership seperate to the one we get with the MCC deal.

The toughest one was getting my other footy loving brother to buy his MCC/MFC membership. He is saving for a move and truely can't afford the membership. So what he has done is catch the train to work for a week instead of driving so he bought the 40 dollar membership, his first, he is planning on next pay day to also get the MFC/MCC premium membership.

So my pushing turned my single membership into 5 plus the free junior membership with the premium thats 6..

If everyone can do this, not just MCC supporters, just try to sign one more, or MCC supporters, just buy 3 40 dollar versions and donate to the club, then we can get right back on track.

It takes everyone, MCC members, MFC members and non members on the fence, deciding whether to join. Spread the word, make a sacrifice for your club. Get to the games and enjoy knowing that you support the team we love, the team of the red and the blue.

As an interstate MCC / MFC member I

1)pay the MCC to guarantee the best seat in the house incase I ever get back to the 'G'.

2)pay a family interstate because as a 4th generation supporter the football club is part of me. If we went under cause I never did my bit I could not live with myself.

As an MCC/MFC member, I can see the challenge without seeing a ready solution.

The MCC has 90,000 members. Approximately 28% profess to support Melbourne. About 4000 can be expected to take out a MFC membership this year. The next highest level of Club support is low teens (from memory) - Essendon. There are many more on the waiting list which could be an untapped gold mine for both MCC and MFC.

Over the years the cost of an MCC membership has grown significantly. Its approx. $500 to get broad access to football and cricket at the MCG. Its not cheap and in particular for some it is difficult to fork out that amount each year then an additional amount which does not provide them with any extra benefit.

On the flip side, i cant see any easy way for the Club to offer any meaningful extras for a low membership amount and make a net gain at the end of the day.

On left field note, why doesn't the MCC take control of the MFC football licence?

I'm an MCC member and I buy a full MFC membership each year to support the club.

I continue to rack my brain thinking of cost effective ways the club can entice all those Melbourne MCC members to buy a membership each year, but to be honest, to date I have not been able to come up with a sensible proposition.

Speaking personally, the attraction for me is a sense of belonging, to feel part of the club in some way.

In recent years there have been some good initiatives. The members email for one, and up until this year, the members scarf with the current year on it where real attractions for me. But maybe because of the high turnover in the administration, those constructive innovations have either lost momentum or disappeared.

Sending emails is so cheap, but they are a very effective way to build a more personal connection with members and prospective members. I note last weeks members email was redesigned and a little more comprehensive - this is a step in the right direction.

As for the scarf, I miss it, I had grand visions of building a lasting collection of each years scarves and displaying them at home and passing them down to my grand children. Unfortunately that dream has been given the Kyber by this years tie. I don't want to sound petulant, but I wear a tie every day of the working week, I hate them, I want to go to the footy with a scarf that shows everyone I'm a Melbourne member - and proud of it!

I see a lot of dedicated Melbourne fans each week in the MCC area, but they all seem a little disenfranchised from the core group of Melbourne fans outside the MCC section.

At the end of the day, the secret lies in somehow making them feel wanted, if that can be done I'm sure a greater proportion of them will feel the urge to put their hands in the their pockets in December each year and sign up for the Mighty Dees!

On left field note, why doesn't the MCC take control of the MFC football licence?

I think the boat has well and truly left port on that one. Not only has there been tension between the two entities for decades but I would imagine they would have no interest in doing so anyway. MCC members will always be MCC members regardless if the Melbourne Football Club exists or not.

But I take your point Rhino. The MFC is the MCC in its orgins but of course our ties are severed beyond repair. I often wonder what our club would be like if the MCC ran the show. We would be a powerhouse club, no doubt about it. Can you imagine $400 per person going straight to the club?

I think the boat has well and truly left port on that one. Not only has there been tension between the two entities for decades but I would imagine they would have no interest in doing so anyway. MCC members will always be MCC members regardless if the Melbourne Football Club exists or not.

But I take your point Rhino. The MFC is the MCC in its orgins but of course our ties are severed beyond repair. I often wonder what our club would be like if the MCC ran the show. We would be a powerhouse club, no doubt about it. Can you imagine $400 per person going straight to the club?

Don't give up hope just yet. Maybe our New C.E.O can have a good chat to the MCC. I would love part of my MCC money to go straight to melbourne.

I would make that priority no. 1 if Macnamee wants to market our brand.

The MCC has 90,000 members. There are many more on the waiting list which could be an untapped gold mine for both MCC and MFC.

I find this point quite intriguing

There would be tens of thousands of people on the waiting list. Many would be Dees supporters, many unaffiliated.

But i don't see it being in the MCC's interest to give us access to that information

I find this point quite intriguing

There would be tens of thousands of people on the waiting list. Many would be Dees supporters, many unaffiliated.

But i don't see it being in the MCC's interest to give us access to that information

I think the boat has well and truly left port on that one. Not only has there been tension between the two entities for decades but I would imagine they would have no interest in doing so anyway. MCC members will always be MCC members regardless if the Melbourne Football Club exists or not.

But I take your point Rhino. The MFC is the MCC in its orgins but of course our ties are severed beyond repair. I often wonder what our club would be like if the MCC ran the show. We would be a powerhouse club, no doubt about it. Can you imagine $400 per person going straight to the club?

the MCC offloaded the MFC (which used to be a department of MCC until mid 70's) because of increasing liabilities including most notable buying Templeton's dodgy knees!! The costs of running an AFL club have exploded since then and so would now dwarf those of MCC itself. Note that MCC is only the trustee which operates the MCG and does not own the ground.

Like those above we buy a premium family MFC membership each year to support the MFC and participate and claim some ownership of the MFC. I am a full MCC member and have use of 2 guest passes as brother lives in perth. We also have reserved seats so sit with other diehard MFC members each year. Past 3 years in same section in Northern stand. Is really the most tangible benefit on our membership!

Hardly justifiable in monetary terms but do because we want MFC to survive!

Note the figures quoted for MCC members who are also MFC associate members ONLY included those who have chosen that option BUT does not include people like us who take out a Redlegs membership or other types. So there are many more people who pay for both although dont need to. Reality is that there are as many MFC supporters who are not MCC members who dont take out a MFC membership as MCCmembers who dont and MFC needs to find ways to get them all to see a benefit in takeing out a MFC membership.

MFC is going to look like having the least amount of supporters in 2008 as It seems that Nth Melb's numbers will be inflated by quite a few non Nth supporters buying a membership this year to help give the club a chance of standing alone. Issue is going to be what level they can sustain in 2009 and 2010. MFC has enough to concern itself and us with though!

On left field note, why doesn't the MCC take control of the MFC football licence?

Would that work if only 28 per cent of members support Melbourne?

I couldn't imagine the other 72 per cent being happy about their membership fees bankrolling a club they don't support.

Another left field idea would be to leave the MCG and play home games at the Telstra Dome. It would take a bloody brave administration!

By the way, what is the latest membership figure?

I'm an MCC member and have been a MFC member for 15 or so years. i buy the MFC simply to support the club. My father put my name down at birth for MCC and i waited 18 years to get membership, and if i had to choose between my MCC and MFC memberships i would toss the MCC in a heartbeat.

I think there is a way to make the MCC membership more attractive. It costs $150 and today is basically a donation.

The MFC sells a wide range of merchandise. It sources this merchandise at wholesale. For instance a footy jumper that retails at $120 probably wholesales at $40-60.

Solution: Give every MCC member who signs up a voucher for $150 worth of MFC merchandise, expiring by say Round 10. The result is $150 into MFC coffers (at the start of the season and therefore investable) less the cost of the wholesale product, say average $50 = net gain to MFC $100.

And added bonus would be those who didn't cash their vouchers before the expirry date = $150 straight to MFC.

I don't want another scarf or some ordinary tie, but would like to give my kid a jumper - ie I want choice.

ps. I am a signed up MCC/MFC member

Great idea.

I think the mark up on merch would be even more than you suggest.

The other advantage is when people go to spend their voucher they are likely to buy more out of their own pocket.