2008 SANFL Membership

[topsywaldron]

Someone has too stir the pot

Trolls not allowed on this site mate.

[Rushby Hinds]

Someone has too stir the pot

Trolls not allowed on this site mate.

I'd better stop posting then.

[Blue Boy]

Someone has too stir the pot

Trolls not allowed on this site mate.

I'd better stop posting then.

Yes

[Blue Boy]

Someone has too stir the pot

Trolls not allowed on this site mate.

Cant credit GJ with that title because I rekon GJ doesnt generally know what that is !!!

[sturtpeter]

Ronnie!

We are living in the real world.

Go Sturt!!!

[PhilH]

Back to the original argument.

Yes a successful season helps increase membership / crowds
BUT
Some proactive planning is also required to make the most of the opportunity
and drive the MAXIMUM possible growth possible.

The Kangaroos (sorry Dutchy) are probably a good example of where a decade of great performance in the 1990's didn't convert into high membership numbers.

In 2006 North made its first prelim final in 15 years but its membership in 2007 dropped by appx 300.

In 2006 South had 1057 members just 50 ahead of last placed West
In 2007 that was 1557, growth of about 48%, by far the largest growth in the SANFL by both number & %
They are now approx 400 members ahead of the Bloods.


Making the finals in 2006 played a part in that
mainly in ensuring we had a very high retention rate (appox 93%)
(having a $5 discount to resign by Christmas probably helped too)
Other strategies were then put in place to drive growth in new areas, particularly in juniors where numbers were disturbingly low.

It was the first year of a 3-4 year strategy I had devised to eventually get Panther Memberships over 2000 by 2009/2010.


It will be interesting to see what happens to those numbers after a poor 2007 and an apparent change in marketing focus.

[Rushby Hinds]

Having said that Phil, some quick calculations show that membership fees only make a very small portion of a footy clubs income.

Much more income is made from other sources, such as corporate sponsors, pokies, etc etc.

But not for one second suggesting that people don't buy memberships!

I don't need to list any reasons why people should buy memberships, if you are passionate enough to waste time on this web site you would also be passionate enough to become part of your club and buy a membership as well.

[sturtpeter]

Well said, Phil.

All the best for 2008.

[CUTTERMAN]

Rushby making unbiased logical sense. Must have been a late night.
I'm continually amazed and flattered just how much Bays supporters spend their time thinking about The Mighty Double Blues, we appreciate your imput and thoughts, I know the whole club is greatful and reads this forum daily just to find out where we're going wrong. I joined up early this year, at the FF Day largely due to the 'personalised newspaper headline' membership drive they sent out, as has been mentioned before.
In all of this banter, not one Glenelg supporter has posted their membership numbers for this year, are they higher this year than last year, if so would that make Glenelg members bandwagoners, if the numbers are down does that make the board incompetent. It's about time you Pussy Watchers applied your own arguments and accusations to the figures of your own club and see what you come up with, there's more spin coming from you dimwits than there is coming out of the whole Bush regime put together.

[am Bays]

Colin Rowston says G'day to all you Sturt fans...

[CUTTERMAN]

murmur, murmur, murmur.

[Rushby Hinds]

:shock: Rushby making unbiased logical sense. Must have been a late night.
I'm continually amazed and flattered just how much Bays supporters spend their time thinking about The Mighty Double Blues, we appreciate your imput and thoughts, I know the whole club is greatful and reads this forum daily just to find out where we're going wrong. I joined up early this year, at the FF Day largely due to the 'personalised newspaper headline' membership drive they sent out, as has been mentioned before.
In all of this banter, not one Glenelg supporter has posted their membership numbers for this year, are they higher this year than last year, if so would that make Glenelg members bandwagoners, if the numbers are down does that make the board incompetent. It's about time you Pussy Watchers applied your own arguments and accusations to the figures of your own club and see what you come up with, there's more spin coming from you dimwits than there is coming out of the whole Bush regime put together.

My original post on this thread included

what else has Sturt done differently this year to last year?

And yes, getting your members to pay early is a good way to help cash flow @ a footy club.

And yes, Sturt had more members then us last year, about 12 months ago I posted something on here wondering why Norwood (as an example) has had similar recent success to the Bays yet had something like twice as many members, but presumably not twice as many "fans".

And yes, I hope our membership number doubles this year, i think bandwaggoners are great!

I think the bit about ragging Sturt supporters on this site about being "Johnny come latelys" goes back about 5 years ago to footysa.com, when we had wave after wave of Sturt fans claiming to have been to everygame when you won the spoon 6 (??) years in a row.

[sturtpeter]

At least good-natured banter is alive and kicking.

[am Bays]

My original post on this thread included

what else has Sturt done differently this year to last year?

And yes, getting your members to pay early is a good way to help cash flow @ a footy club.

And yes, Sturt had more members then us last year, about 12 months ago I posted something on here wondering why Norwood (as an example) has had similar recent success to the Bays yet had something like twice as many members, but presumably not twice as many "fans".

And yes, I hope our membership number doubles this year, i think bandwaggoners are great!

I think the bit about ragging Sturt supporters on this site about being "Johnny come latelys" goes back about 5 years ago to footysa.com, when we had wave after wave of Sturt fans claiming to have been to everygame when you won the spoon 6 (??) years in a row.

Go easy Rushby, Sturt fans are just envious as they are our finals bitches (using Spellys 1st theory of SANFL bitchdom)

1982 1st Semi (Sianora Jack)
1988 elimination final (Sianora Merv)
2007 elimination final (Sianora.....

[Blue Boy]

Colin Rowston says G'day to all you Sturt fans...

Tell him to blow it out of his a*** !!!

[Blue Boy]

My original post on this thread included

what else has Sturt done differently this year to last year?

And yes, getting your members to pay early is a good way to help cash flow @ a footy club.

And yes, Sturt had more members then us last year, about 12 months ago I posted something on here wondering why Norwood (as an example) has had similar recent success to the Bays yet had something like twice as many members, but presumably not twice as many "fans".

And yes, I hope our membership number doubles this year, i think bandwaggoners are great!

I think the bit about ragging Sturt supporters on this site about being "Johnny come latelys" goes back about 5 years ago to footysa.com, when we had wave after wave of Sturt fans claiming to have been to everygame when you won the spoon 6 (??) years in a row.

Go easy Rushby, Sturt fans are just envious as they are our finals bitches (using Spellys 1st theory of SANFL bitchdom)

1982 1st Semi (Sianora Jack)
1988 elimination final (Sianora Merv)
2007 elimination final (Sianora.....

1982 Premiers Norwood
1988 Premiers Port Adelaide
2007 Premiers Centrals

[am Bays]

1982 Premiers Norwood
1988 Premiers Port Adelaide
2007 Premiers Centrals

Still our finals bitches....

[PhilH]

Agreed Rushby the financial return from memberships itself is minimal

According the SAFC Annual Report 2007 - NET Membership Income in 2006 was $8k, that lept to $18K in 2007.

It is more important for clubs like Port Magpies who for many years didnt have the gaming income.

Theoretically - Membership numbers could also distort when they include honorary memberships for senior players, junior players, staff, volunteers, officials & life members especially for clubs with low numbers where these add ins plus a few memberships per sponsor are also thrown in. They could then hide a distubingly low "standard" membership base. Not saying that ever happens of course.

So why bother with driving memberships if there is minmal income ?

Having a larger base allows a club to
- directly promote its activities to more people which in turn should result in
greater attendances at home games / frundraisers which in turn brings in more money.
- makes your club more attactive to sponsors as their product / service can be promoted to a wider audience.
- have a greater pool to recruit volunteers, cotiere group members from.

With junior memberships it is about having some long term vision and ensuring that as the pre-Crows supporters age their are younger fans coming through the ranks to replace them.

There is minimal short term benefit to this but the long term effects are crucial.

Let's say in 2050 your club FINALLY breaks the drought & wins the premiership, what would be the point if only 500 turned up the Grand Final and just 100 or so went back to the club to celebrate it.

Without a continual focus on fan development and growing / maintaining membership that could well be the future once the pre-Crows generation passes on.

[Rushby Hinds]

Good post Phil.

Agreed on all counts.

Rumour is it that one club, about 10 (+/-) years ago at board level discussed not worrying about memberships at all, as it was costing them as much to generate and service then the actual $$ received through the fees. (That club is Glenelg, by the way). And hooray, that was many years and management levels and board members ago.

[bayman]

It's about time you Pussy Watchers

i'm asking what is wrong with that part of your statement ? (or eaters for that matter )