2014 memberships

[Lambretta]

Will they actually give us a breakdown of how many of these members are still alive and/or have two legs?

Yes, all of them

 

[cleary89]

Article in the mercury saying saints want 40k within 5 years.

 

[2012....Sharks Year]

Article in the mercury saying saints want 40k within 5 years.

Pretty ambitious considering they'll be under 15 000 for 2014 and the way management don't seem to give a f**k about their supporters wants/needs.

 

[cleary89]

5k within 2 weeks. The auto renews dont kick in till 16th jan. We will get 20k again.

 

[hardbaby]

Pretty ambitious considering they'll be under 15 000 for 2014 and the way management don't seem to give a f**k about their supporters wants/needs.

More a decision to accept reduced members now to gain greater numbers in the future. It sucks if you are a local but it probably is the correct strategy considering the demographics of our supporter base.

40 000 in 5 years is a realistic goal for the Dragons. 40 000 in 5 years is a realistic goal for many/most clubs. Sadly, for the Sharks, it is not (and never will be) a realistic goal.

 

[Swarzey]

40k? In 5 years? Never. We'll see the number of Souths fans that are alive overtaking the dead before Saints hit 40k.

Speaking of the toothless ones, it's only a matter of time until the wheels fall off and their membership numbers drop as most go back into hiding.

 

[Saint Doc]

We've had 100% growth over the past 5 years

Why can't we have 100% growth over the next 5?

 

[Swarzey]

Not saying Saints can't grow their membership numbers to rival the best, I just don't think 40k in 5 years time is possible. For clubs like Brisbane and Souths it's almost a certainty they'll hit it with clubs like ourselves who only need a bit more success on the field (Not necessarily winning a premiership) to encourage more people to sign up.

 

[souths1908]

The NRL has said that a goal of theirs is to double membership numbers by 2017, this is an awesome goal and one that I hope is acheived. But it creates a bit of a problem.
Say a club like Newcastle doubles up to roughly 32000-35000 members, they're getting close to the ground capacity (I know that every member isn't ticketed, this is just a hypothetical).
What will the clubs do for this sort of thing??

Good problem to have I guess.

 

[Swarzey]

Expand. Eventually our hills will be replaced with new two, perhaps even three tier grandstands given modern architecture. If we reach those capacities, well then we would knock down the Eastern grandstand and replicate the north and south. Old Trafford is the perfect example of expanding a stadium to cope with expanding crowds.

Of course for other clubs it's not so easy such as Saints and Tigers who have two separate crowds to keep happy. I see the value in a Western Sydney stadium for teams to move into however, you lose that unique identity.

 

[Billythekid]

If it reaches that point it will be a good problem to have. In terms of getting new/expanded stadiums we will be in a much better position to negotiate for that if we're regularly selling out what we have now. A new stadium in Western Sydney in particular might look a bit more enticing if we start getting some big crowds out that way (especially with WSW as well).

Don't forget that those membership numbers are ticketed and non ticketed. You can have your membership numbers exceed the capacity of your stadium in that way.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Expand. Eventually our hills will be replaced with new two, perhaps even three tier grandstands given modern architecture. If we reach those capacities, well then we would knock down the Eastern grandstand and replicate the north and south. Old Trafford is the perfect example of expanding a stadium to cope with expanding crowds.

Of course for other clubs it's not so easy such as Saints and Tigers who have two separate crowds to keep happy. I see the value in a Western Sydney stadium for teams to move into however, you lose that unique identity.

Individualised grounds for the clubs identity is massively overrated and overstated. I would imagine most people would prefer to go to a stadium like suncorp rather than a stadium like leichhardt oval.

Dont get me wrong, im not suggesting a teams identity is unimportant, but its not mutually dependant on the field that the games are played on.

 

[hardbaby]

Not saying Saints can't grow their membership numbers to rival the best, I just don't think 40k in 5 years time is possible. For clubs like Brisbane and Souths it's almost a certainty they'll hit it with clubs like ourselves who only need a bit more success on the field (Not necessarily winning a premiership) to encourage more people to sign up.

Most clubs should aim for that figure. Sharks can't get there. Eagles would need to promote heavily into the North Shore and that takes time. So they won't get there within that time frame. Raiders would struggle. But that is a good goal for all other clubs.

 

[Lambretta]

Most clubs should aim for that figure. Sharks can't get there. Eagles would need to promote heavily into the North Shore and that takes time. So they won't get there within that time frame. Raiders would struggle. But that is a good goal for all other clubs.

Talking about the North Shore - I live in Pymble which is closer to North Ryde than Belrose / Davison (closest Manly juniors area) - so which team has Ryde? Isn't that the Tigers?

That means my nearest NRL juniors area is Balmain and I live in Pymble?

I'd get to Parramatta, Ashfield or Manly before I got to Balmain. Hell, I'd probably get to Bondi or Redfern before Balmain

 

[Loudstrat]

Then become and Eels fan. You know you want to!

I became a Panthers member on Boxing day. $5 membership to Port Panthers and I saved $8 on the bistro meal for myself and my bride. We also got 10% off each schooner, and I won $5 on the pokies!

Bastards will probably count me as a Penrith supporter though.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I am tempted to buy a couple of memberships to the clubs who reciprocate ANZ games. Hell, am tempted to get a few others to get the jersey/merch discounts those members get too.

 

[Loudstrat]

Checking the Eels membership packages I am a bit dissapointed - from the purists point of view - to see them offering toddler's memberships and pet memberships. I thought about signing up my fish tank, but aren't Eels supposed to eat guppies? It would be like me joining a group that wanted to eat white middle aged Strat players who didnt worship Wally Lewis or SBW!

As for the babies memberships -I would have loved to have signed my lot up as toddlers. One of the first things I taught my then 2yo daughter to say was "Go Pawwa" and "Boo Manwy". Now she's a bloody Tigers supporter, and the brother that came after supports the Knights.

How could anyone disrespect the mighty Eels by signing someone up for a membership if they are only going to go off the rails in their teens and support the Bulldogs?????

 

[cleary89]

Disown your kids imo

 

[Lambretta]

As for the babies memberships -I would have loved to have signed my lot up as toddlers. One of the first things I taught my then 2yo daughter to say was "Go Pawwa" and "Boo Manwy". Now she's a bloody Tigers supporter, and the brother that came after supports the Knights.

How could anyone disrespect the mighty Eels by signing someone up for a membership if they are only going to go off the rails in their teens and support the Bulldogs?????

I worry about exactly this - well almost exactly this

My eldest daughters best friends support Souths, Tigers and err no one
She often tells her friends "tell my dad you support the Dragons, that'll piss him off" - she's 11. I've tried to interest her in the Roosters but she has no interest really in anyone. Better that than the Dragons imo. On the plus side she did enjoy coming to the ground on the occasions we went.

My youngest "goes" for the Roosters because I do, but she hasn't shown a desperate desire to go to a game. She wants me to take her to a football (round ball version) game to watch Sydney FC.

There's still time for both of them to decide to follow someone other than the Roosters in League. I will not be happy if that happens.

 

[Flapper]

My nephew was born to a Souths fanatic for a mother and a Doggies fan (and fanatic Souths hater) for a father. Let's just say dad is not a happy chappy at this point in time