Skuit

I understand this. But if you're talking about numbers arriving from abroad, then there's no chance we'll ever get anywhere even close to near your original projections. The permanent migrant intake is what, around 200,000? How many AFL members are there? Without researching, let's say it's an average of 50,000 x 18 - so somewhere just under/around 1 mil. Or 1/24th of the current Australian population. If we had the same migrant-pop conversation-rate to paid membership,* and assuming they all opted for the MFC - both scenarios which, frankly, are in the absolute realms of fantasy - we would get around 8000 new members per year. That is solid of course, but, realistically, if we chop the conversation rate initially by half - for the those migrating to and assimilating in the Australian Rules states (as a broad and probably generous sum),** and then half again for being non-natives to the game (still wildly unrealistic, and especially without the AFL taking on the marketing burden and then reaping the divided rewards) - and - on top of that, we managed to capture say a crazy 50% of that market through our own aggressive marketing strategy (and investment), then that will see us with a grand membership boost of approx 1000 new members per year?*** Converts in terms of new members are great, because there are generational impacts, but it will be a long long time before we can bank any tangible reward. Again, I agree that we need some seriously creative strategic thinking, and there's no reason not to mobilize across multiple fronts, but it's always investment measured against risk v. reward, and, ultimately, there just isn't a membership get-rich-quick scheme available to us alone and waiting to be cracked. * migrant age demographics are obviously different to a population as a whole and so figures are unadjusted. Although, then, I think the migrant numbers divide somewhere around 65-35% skilled/unskilled, and there are issues with employment opportunities and disposable income for even skilled migrants - so there are many variables of course. ** Also, if assimilation were a driving factor, then the majority would surely just buy a scarf and enjoy the high-fives at work - maybe attend the odd game - rather than committing membership and so much time to a new sport. *** I left school at 14 so my math can be rather shaky at times. Expect errors.

Consistency is of course an obvious issue. But we're performing far better against the better teams. Adelaide, St. Kilda, Geelong (and Richmond) were our best performances. Extenuating circumstances somewhat account for the latter two losses, but we were all over both teams. We just need to get this easy part of our fixture out of the way and we can coast our way home.

This had vaguely crossed my mind. Generalising here of course - although I have lived in Asia for quite some time - but while the aspirational classes are attracted to the establishment, they're also into success - not just sporting, but a sense of the powerful. We may have the background, but not the wealth and power. In fact, it could work against us, as it's quite the ugly reverse of narrative. Catch-22 really. Until we dramatically boost our numbers and bottom-line, we won't be able to attract those big numbers from abroad.

I have an idea. Gil to play off against the mail-room boy for a spot in the executive.

Big? eSports is set to become a medal-event at the 2020 Asian games. One day all sport will be virtual. Saves on overheads and insurance costs while providing a similar emotional experience. Hopefully I'll be dead by then. http://compete.kotaku.com/esports-will-become-a-medal-event-at-the-2022-asian-gam-1794431163

Can't be bothered looking. Does the AA squad generally feature two traditional forward pockets?

I thought Jack Viney grew up in Echuca?

BBO at it again?

Good stuff. And we should start a thread to generate content ideas.

Swab correctly identified the differential points of our brand but it was the incorrect path because they are no longer strengths. Bartlett has identified another branding-point but it doesn't reflect urbanised reality. The problem is that we can't compete with the current strengths of other brands - and this should also be noted when it comes the the experiences of new migrant communities: we are the establishment. We represent the blue-blooded in an era of parochial protest. The ferals are the new bourgeois. The boost to the Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and Hawthorn numbers came on the back of Howard's battlers claiming the centre. Darwin is folly if we think it can attract membership and the reasons are two-fold a) it's a migratory environment and people arrive and settle with their long-held teams b) we're just not the club for the knock-about NT character. Dees2014 is correct in that we have to think well outside the box, but it may require a radical rebranding.

This is something that is worth emailing the club. Not a knock on Dees2014 over in the 'We Could do Better' thread, but this is an area that is very easy to outline in a cost/benefit analysis. Employ someone full-time to strengthen the video-content production team, and the traffic will increase. It's as simple as that. The traffic increases and the sponsorship dollars go up. It's where the world is already at. Particular segments can even have individual sponsors to offset the cost. And if the segments are periodical, and staggered across the week, people who visit the site will click on other links - altogether something which is very easy to measure and tweak. We also now have a few very marketable players whose appeal reaches beyond our club. Max, Jayden, Bernie are the immediately obvious ones, - the general footy public are starved of personality in this day and age - and we can parlay social-media interest back into the club. And rather than send the club a massive, staid document, we can all generate ideas for segments here (with an acknowledgement of open rights) and just quietly invite the club to have a browse through the thread. I'm sure we have a strong marketing team in place, but it may be an area where there isn't as much awareness and push-down from the top. A blend of analytical, human interest, and comedy would be ideal. The first thing we need to do is get Bernie stalking Jayden in an owl costume.

But it appears he can't just at the moment. Seems to be really missing penetration in his kicking. Did he do his left knee or right knee at man-camp?

I thought complaining on the internet was the pharma-free alternative?

Drunk by about 10am.

This will sound like the strangest comment ever uttered in these hallowed digital halls, but I don't think I'm ready yet. This is my life now. Melbourne's inveterate crapness is a core part of my personal identity. The Stockholm Syndrome has full hold of me. Just the thought of a flag and the existential anxiety seizes my brain. How the hell am I possibly going to cope on Grand Final day?!! And around all those bloody neutrals who couldn't possibly understand. What if it all goes horribly wrong? And surely, surely, after waiting so desperately all this time, there isn't the slightest hope that the joy however great could ever live up to the desire. And how much salt would it rub into the wounds - to suddenly do it so easily after a half-century of wasted effort? What happens when life returns to normal? When cricket returns to the G' and ordinary people no longer care? When everyone else has forgotten the pain and the suffering and simply moved on? I'll be that prisoner released into society after serving a life sentence. I'm institutionalised. My only hope is recidivism. To bid farewell to the MFC and jump on the Richmond bandwagon to nowhere . . .

Yes. You just can't pick it up on the television due to the frame-rate.

There once was a man. A man of great renown across this 'land. And for three straight weeks back in ought-fourteen he was a god, a god by hand and by foot among those mere clanger-ridden mortals cowed beneath his golden boot. His name to all who knew him was Alex Georgiou.

I think the Saints are heading back in next year - but to Auckland this time. Maybe we could swoop in and pick up everyone south of the Bombay as a rivalry play - with big Max as our chief marketing device? Our blend of colours may be problematic though.

If the OP was 'Tyson's disposal has been shite this year' everyone would just about agree. But Bobby's poor delivery gifted it straight to the opposition. Clanger.

Sorry Bin - creative expression. And it wasn't aimed solely at your post but more of a general question. If someone plays a blinder in a position we're not seeking to fill does it undermine the selection rationale for a different position? They obviously played him there and so wanted him to work on certain things (or is under consideration for a shift), but I don't think playing a blinder from the middle justifies a defensive spot. Still, I speculated earlier here that they might put Melk back in for Wagner (assuming Hunt was fit to play).

Didn't Melksham play in the middle at Casey? I can understand the point if they wanted him to get his hands on the ball and improve contested/tackles etc. but I don't know much relevance there is in terms of his blinding stats as a criteria for him being selected for the back-half.

Hibberd, Hunt, Neville, and Frost. When was the last time we had a communal love-in for two-thirds of our permanent back six?

I think most of the MFC supporters who once believed in a benevolent god would have renounced the concept long ago.

I think the thing that needs to be defined is the idea and differences in 'assimilation. There's individual assimilation and then larger cultural assimilation. The first is a poor base for attracting large numbers, I don't believe we're attractive for the reasons outlined, and generally migrants will seek to assimilate into their local cultural communities as a first priority. The second doesn't really happen at once en masse - and in a supporting sense, any success in attracting large numbers will derive from a long-term, gradual process as a systemic result of individuals within the community getting on board according to the first instance of assimilation. .

On attracting migrants looking to 'assimilate'. They will select a team in the same manner as any former neutral. Success (or at least a suggestion thereof), marketable super-star players, and social associations (as well as random matters out of our hands such as colours and nicknames). Australians might select a team to be socially antagonistic (such as some supporters of Vic clubs in SA and WA), but I think this is unique to Anglo culture. If a migrant was looking to assimilate, they would take their cues from their work-place, community etc. Melbourne's lack of supporters, and the broader general demographic of those supporters, means that it would be pointless and unattractive to select the club as a tool of assimilation. We're also lacking that 'Australiana' vibe. The only way would be to target one specific migrant community over a very long period of time - for that 'tribal' connection (which leaves me feeling a little uneasy) - as it gradually assimilates and becomes accepted in Australia as a whole, but those newer communities generally have sporting associations elsewhere by which newcomers can readily assimilate into those specific communities. There's no magic bullet for an insta-boost to membership numbers, only long-term success and the strong marketing of our stars will ever allow us to catch-up in a sustainable fashion. Hawthorn's massive recent boost was achievable through past success. Unfortunately, we still have a generation-worth of abject failure as a future penitence awaiting our club.