Importance of Memberships vs Other Revenue Sources

[pipers]

To carry on from a discussion that began on this thread...

As regards memberships at the Eagles - it is considered extremely important and an area where we continue to offer the best deals we can to have supporters involved with the club.

That is why over the past 4 years or so I've been on the board we have tried to be visible, out there and accessible plus reduced costs of memberships and added value to the various packages - so that members do feel part of the club.

We must never lose sight of our members being a critical component of our club.

CD - I have no doubt of that and was not insinuating that the Eagles are guilty of losing sight of their signed-up supporter base. However the non-football revenues raised by yourselves, North and Centrals are the envy of most other clubs, and a few of those other clubs ARE guilty of focussing too much on growing that at the expense of their members.

I think Eagles and Centrals have maintained a good balance in giving enough back to their members while at the same time generating money from non-football activities. Westies and Glenelg are heading the right way now after perhaps losing sight of their fans for a period. It has been well explained to the Port members that we do need to grow the non-football revenue streams. We can cop that for a year or two I think, provided money set aside for initiatives like the academy are not drained in acheiving that. Norwood's problems are well known. North are doing well financially, but some posters on here accuse them of a lack of respect towards their fan base. Sturt and South perhaps need to spend more time on their supporters.

[OCT]

What makes you say Sturt and South don't look after their members ? I know in the last 2 years SFC Mmebers have been very happy . With communications , eg regular WEEKLY emails from the club as well as much improved membership packages.

I am a member and have never been more happier with consultations & membership packages.

In that time frame Sturt have relocated their pokies ( Bazaar , Unlery Road BTW very very nice ) as well as secured a lease on Castle PLaza Tavern. So your arguement there is quitte inaccurate.

[spell_check]

Definitely important to have both, to achieve the stable financial state of the club and the connection between club and supporter.

[Sojourner]

I am not unhappy with what was provided in the South membership pack this year, two stickers, a lanyard, members badge and a calendar, as well as SMS updates and the usual newsletters as well as access to the members area of the SAFC website. Not bad value for $45!

[pipers]

What makes you say Sturt and South don't look after their members ? I know in the last 2 years SFC Mmebers have been very happy . With communications , eg regular WEEKLY emails from the club as well as much improved membership packages.

I am a member and have never been more happier with consultations & membership packages.

In that time frame Sturt have relocated their pokies ( Bazaar , Unlery Road BTW very very nice ) as well as secured a lease on Castle PLaza Tavern. So your arguement there is quitte inaccurate.

OK, I have some mates who are Sturt members. They suggested it was poor - but maybe that was more a historical thing from earlier in the decade. I'll tell them to shut up.

[pipers]

I am not unhappy with what was provided in the South membership pack this year, two stickers, a lanyard, members badge and a calendar, as well as SMS updates and the usual newsletters as well as access to the members area of the SAFC website. Not bad value for $45!

Lovely. Bread and circuses.

What price would you be willing to pay for open, timely and transparent communication from the board?

[spell_check]

I am not unhappy with what was provided in the South membership pack this year, two stickers, a lanyard, members badge and a calendar, as well as SMS updates and the usual newsletters as well as access to the members area of the SAFC website. Not bad value for $45!

Lovely. Bread and circuses.

What price would you be willing to pay for open, timely and transparent communication from the board?

In a Mastercard ad I'd imagine that would be the priceless bit.

[pipers]

Lovely. Bread and circuses.

What price would you be willing to pay for open, timely and transparent communication from the board?

In a Mastercard ad I'd imagine that would be the priceless bit.

Two stickers, a lanyard, members badge and a calendar - $45
A 99 year lease on a wind-swept package of land otherwise destined to become mortgage belt real-estate - $1
Open and timely communication from your board about the seemingly never-ending player vs coach sagas that have seen your club under acheive for the past two decades - PRICELESS

[Squawk]

Off the field there are two prerogatives for every club - members and revenue.
Clubs can no longer rely on football revenue alone to survive. These days there is so much competition for time and the dollar that revenue needs to be from diverse sources.

Members are important but IMHO todays members are here and need to be attended to, but arguably it is the next generation of members that are more important a focus.

Have a look at the age thread - do an age profile of your clubs membership and see whether your membership will enable your club to be sustainable in 25 years time.

Just as clubs have had to diversify their revenue streams, they also need to diversify their membership base. Future members need more reasons to be members and that is something that unions arguably have been the measuring stick with in many ways as they offer their members cross-membership options, discounts and access to goods and services that come with being a member.

[Sojourner]

Lovely. Bread and circuses.

What price would you be willing to pay for open, timely and transparent communication from the board?

Which SANFL club offers that???

[pipers]

Just as clubs have had to diversify their revenue streams, they also need to diversify their membership base. Future members need more reasons to be members and that is something that unions arguably have been the measuring stick with in many ways as they offer their members cross-membership options, discounts and access to goods and services that come with being a member.

So memberships with vouchers for pre-paid phone cards, oversized sunglasses with coloured plastic frames and half-price emo haircuts are the way forward...?

[pipers]

Lovely. Bread and circuses.

What price would you be willing to pay for open, timely and transparent communication from the board?

Which SANFL club offers that???

Some are better than others...

[OCT]

FA I reckon you are taking cheap shots. I am certain your club would like to be in the off field position of South to be honest. They are in a lot better position financially than you ( and sturt before you start) . Maybe worry about your club and its recent history. BTW , would you like Cahill back ????

[Squawk]

Just as clubs have had to diversify their revenue streams, they also need to diversify their membership base. Future members need more reasons to be members and that is something that unions arguably have been the measuring stick with in many ways as they offer their members cross-membership options, discounts and access to goods and services that come with being a member.

So memberships with vouchers for pre-paid phone cards, oversized sunglasses with coloured plastic frames and half-price emo haircuts are the way forward...?

Maybe at the end of Port Rd

That's a simplistic interpretation fatal - I'm thinking much bigger than that - one example that has often been cited is having SANFL members nominate a SANFL club to which they align themselves. This gives the clubs a chance to add (on average for ease of the argument) roughly 5,000 members each to their databases. In the commercial world, customer databases have a real value on the balance sheet. In this case, it would enable clubs to offer access to a much larger group of members and hence sell advertising in club magazines at higher rates.

You could do a PhD on this but hopefully you see the point a bit better now.

[pipers]

FA I reckon you are taking cheap shots. I am certain your club would like to be in the off field position of South to be honest. They are in a lot better position financially than you ( and sturt before you start) . Maybe worry about your club and its recent history. BTW , would you like Cahill back ????

Not at all.

I'm sure we'd love to have a cosy relationship with the government about the lease of our oval. I'm sure we'd love to have the huge potential for growth of our fan base offered by a distinct geographical location. I'm sure we'd love to have the golden egg revenue of a huge number of poker machines on our own premises. I'm sure we'd love to have our recruting zone at our very doorstep rather than 700+ kmns away.

I'm sure we'd love all of those things.



I'm also sure that our current administration would make better use of them.

That's all.

[Jimmy]

What makes you say Sturt and South don't look after their members ? I know in the last 2 years SFC Mmebers have been very happy . With communications , eg regular WEEKLY emails from the club as well as much improved membership packages.

I am a member and have never been more happier with consultations & membership packages.

In that time frame Sturt have relocated their pokies ( Bazaar , Unlery Road BTW very very nice ) as well as secured a lease on Castle PLaza Tavern. So your arguement there is quitte inaccurate.

agreed OCT, a few years back it wasnt the best and that was documented on db.org, but must say since 04 or so, things have really stepped up and I for one am very happy. THe personal touch has been fantastic from the SFC

VERY APPROPRIATE one would say, or even the NEW ERA of a RENASSIANCE has begun at the SFC.

[pipers]

So memberships with vouchers for pre-paid phone cards, oversized sunglasses with coloured plastic frames and half-price emo haircuts are the way forward...?

Maybe at the end of Port Rd

That's a simplistic interpretation fatal - I'm thinking much bigger than that - one example that has often been cited is having SANFL members nominate a SANFL club to which they align themselves. This gives the clubs a chance to add (on average for ease of the argument) roughly 5,000 members each to their databases. In the commercial world, customer databases have a real value on the balance sheet. In this case, it would enable clubs to offer access to a much larger group of members and hence sell advertising in club magazines at higher rates.

You could do a PhD on this but hopefully you see the point a bit better now.

It was tongue in cheek )*(

The example you gave is a fantastic idea, but the individual SANFL clubs can't make that happen. A simple yet potentially profitable idea lying dormant once again due to the SANFL being more focussed on operating the AFL licences than caring for their domestic competition.

Best they can hope for is discount/loyaly schemes with their major sponsors - but seriously I have very little need for Pagel glass.

But I think you are missing my point. It's not about the trinkets and baubles. It's about respect for the supporter base, manifested via regular, open and timely communication, consultation (where appropriate) and active engagement,

That is where I think Port are actually doing very well. The CEO is approachable, visible and accountable. Sure we lack on field sucess in senior grades at the moment, but some of that is the legacy of the 2000-2004 era where we attempted to recruit our way to success. We are taking small steps forward, and things are developing well in the football department - evidenced by the ongong sucess of our U/19s and ongoing drafting of our young talent to the AFL. We are also undetaking a concentrated strategy of debt reduction (eg. repaying the PoW Hotel loan above the minimum required to reduce interest), which does impact the ability to offer big coin to recruits.

And how do I know all this, as a mere Tier-2 member with no "insider" connections at the club?

Through regular, timely and open communication about where Port are trying to go over the next 3-5 years which comes straight from the Board, CEO and Operations areas.

That's what I expect for my $180 membership.

[OCT]

I'm sure we'd love to have a cosy relationship with the government about the lease of our oval. I'm sure we'd love to have the huge potential for growth of our fan base offered by a distinct geographical location. I'm sure we'd love to have the golden egg revenue of a huge number of poker machines on our own premises. I'm sure we'd love to have our recruting zone at our very doorstep rather than 700+ kmns away.

Well their zone has been sliced up big time mate , West & the bays have a lot of what they had.

Dont talk zones , I am certain all clubs would have liked and would still like a slice of the West Coast .

But it is now all OK , cos after you replied once , you then came back with this little escape caluse..

It was tongue in cheek )*(

[pipers]

Well their zone has been sliced up big time mate , West & the bays have a lot of what they had.

Dont talk zones , I am certain all clubs would have liked and would still like a slice of the West Coast .

The west coast is indeed a hotbed of potential talent, but being so far away brings the need to find accomodation, employment/schooling etc for the kids who do come over. When your zone is around the corner, you don't need to worry about those things.

But it is now all OK , cos after you replied once , you then came back with this little escape caluse..

It was tongue in cheek )*(

Good. I think?

[Squawk]

I know where you were heading with this....and clearly current members are important because if they walk out in numbers today, then clubs are in real trouble.

Re databases (just to harp on a bit more on this), the retail arm of the old ETSA was sold for about $165m in 2001 or so. The retail business is the most risky because sale of electricity is capped at a ceiling price, but wholesale costs are determined by the market. Hence, profit and loss can vary year to year based on risk management. A bit like currency traders. Anyway, much of this price was effectively to get the customer database and details of 750,000 customers in SA. No surprises therefore that gas, telco, water and other utilities were keen to buy the monopoly retailer, given the opportunities to cross-sell products and bundle billing.

How much is the database of Telstra or Motor Rego worth? Crows/Power? SACA? think about how much sponsors just love to enclose catalogues with the mail they send out...and pay for that privilege!