National Coverage

[PhilH]

If West/Eagles play a good style of footy and increase their membership/attendences Im sure there would be just as much attention

Just for the record;

Eagles have had a membership* increase four out of the last five seasons.
(* paid adult)

In addition they now have probably the largest junior members program (paid & affiliate) in the SANFL.

Thirdly the Eagles and West were the only two clubs in the SANFL to have an increase this year in all of the following three categories.
- membership*
- home match crowd average
- home and away crowd average

A good trend to have but with a lot of work still to do to match levels already established at other clubs.

[am Bays]

In addition they now have probably the largest junior members program (paid & affiliate) in the SANFL.

I wouldn't be so sure about that Phil, As I understand it Glenelg has the largest junior league (participants) and each Tiger league participant's fee included an affiliate membership of the Football club.

[PhilH]

Hence the "probably".

As Glenelg do not publish these figures cant do a comparrison, but my hope is that within the next 12 months the Eagles overall junior membership program will be bigger than this.

[am Bays]

Hence "as I understand it" I would like the true figures too. I think we had something like 700 registered primary school members on top of the junior club members. People like Trev Wortmeyer, Mick Gibbee, Justin McConnell and others have doe a power of work building our junior memebrship base. Like the Eagles we realise it is where you future sponsors, supporters and players come from.

[Dutchy]

Phil would know better than me but from the grounds I went to this year, Glenelg easily has more kids running around at home games than other clubs at their home grounds.....thats probably the best way to gauge junior involvement in a club

[Wedgie]

Kids shmids, with the income streams from poker machines and alcohol sales the future of clubs lies with the elderly and drunks. North have this covered!

After the Northern is paid off we're going to invest further in dialysis machines and nursing homes. This will capitilise on the aging community and eventually give us a bigger income stream than the entire AFL!
Other clubs have got to start thinking laterally like us!

If Glenelg and the Eagles want to invest in kids they'll end up like the shareholders for ABC Centres! Fools!