Wests Tigers have announced a 1 game membership for Round 1 at Leichhardt.
Full marks to them and any club for raising more members and income, (great for the game as a whole), but to define a one game ticket as a 'membership' is a bit rich isn't it? I think the Broncos are doing the same thing? Now this is not a huge issue and I wouldn't attack any club for getting more names, but I assume such "memberships" will count in a club's "Membership Battle"?
If Wests have sold "hundreds" in one day, as Stephen humphreys has said, then it's safe to assume they will easily win the "Battle of the West". Now $10,000 is chicken feed in the whole scheme of things...the battles are more a bit of friendly rivalry, and a chance for the whole game to grow it's supporter base, but are there any clear rules with these battles or do we just count free memberships given to kids, memberships for cats and dogs, and 1 game memberships?
Your thoughts?
　
Tigers set to shut doors to general public for future Leichhardt fixtures
Brad Walter
February 21, 2012
　
WESTS TIGERS boss Stephen Humphreys believes matches at Leichhardt Oval are set to become member-only affairs as the club's round one match against Cronulla heads for a sell-out without tickets going on sale to the general public.
With huge interest in the March 4 clash, the club yesterday launched a special one-game membership package for the match and Humphreys said the sales had been phenomenal.
''We have had our biggest day of membership sales today,'' he said last night. ''We will see how they go over the next few days and if they are not all gone we will put some tickets on public sale later in the week but at this stage the response has been terrific.''
"At some point I would expect that we would have members-only fixtures at all our Leichhardt and Campbelltown games" ... Wests Tigers boss Stephen Humphreys.
Asked what Sharks supporters wanting to see the anticipated clash between Benji Marshall and Todd Carney could do if Tigers members bought all the tickets, Humphreys said: ''They'll have to watch it on Foxtel or Channel Nine.''
So far, the Tigers have about 10,000 members signed up for 2012, which is triple the amount they had two years ago, and Humphreys said he expected that figure to increase significantly before the season starts.
''I do think we are approaching that day when Leichhardt games are members only, which would be great for Wests Tigers but not so good for opposing fans,'' he said.
"We have sold out Leichhardt a few times over the last two or three years so I am really hopeful that people get that message that to avoid disappointment and guarantee their ticket membership is the way to go"
''At some point I would expect that we would have members-only fixtures at all our Leichhardt and Campbelltown games.
''Whether this one does or not we are still building towards that but I think that day will certainly come as our membership grows. This game will certainly go close, at least.''
As it stands, all reserved seating is already sold out at Leichhardt Oval for the Tigers' three matches there this season.
Unlike other stadiums, such as the SFS or ANZ Stadium, there is only one small grandstand and the majority of fans at the 18,000 capacity venue have to stand.
Humphreys said the $65 membership package was the only way fans could guarantee tickets to the match. ''Regrettably we don't get too many Sunday afternoon games at Leichhardt and here we have one for round one so there is a lot of interest in it,'' he said. ''For a modest $65 they also get a whole range of member benefits and become a paid-up, proud member of the club. We have sold hundreds of them today and the response has been terrific.
''We have sold out Leichhardt a few times over the last two or three years so I am really hopeful that people get that message that to avoid disappointment and guarantee their ticket membership is the way to go.''
　
　
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tigers-set-to-shut-doors-to-general-public-for-future-leichhardt-fixtures-20120220-1tjre.html#ixzz1mytVnTYT
