2020 Membership

[BlueandGold]

We plateaued last year and heading the same. I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.

If you add the Broncos and Sharks we will be ahead of last year with 14 teams reporting.

The sky is not falling in....

Eels just ticked over to 23,334.

 

[Perth Red]

If you add the Broncos and Sharks we will be ahead of last year with 14 teams reporting.

The sky is not falling in....

Eels just ticked over to 23,334.

Nobody said it is. We were 4.5k down in 19 from 18 so we need to make that up and then add some to show growth. I don't think its any coincidence we had 15/16k growth each year till NRL pulled funding then we saw a drop? If we reverse that drop this year that will be great, hopefully Eels and NQ new stadiums will play a part in doing so. 5 clubs up and 2 level to last year at moment.

 

[BlueandGold]

Nobody said it is. We were 4.5k down in 19 from 18 so we need to make that up and then add some to show growth. I don't think its any coincidence we had 15/16k growth each year till NRL pulled funding then we saw a drop? If we reverse that drop this year that will be great, hopefully Eels and NQ new stadiums will play a part in doing so. 5 clubs up and 2 level to last year at moment.

''I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.''

How you can still find negatives when the NRL memberships are tracking ahead of last year is beyond me.

 

[Wily Ole Dog]

We plateaued last year and heading the same. I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.

Growing the fan base is not so much the issue.
Converting fans to members or members to season ticket holders should be the priority
They’re failing miserably

 

[Perth Red]

''I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.''

How you can still find negatives when the NRL memberships are tracking ahead of last year is beyond me.

Since the NRL pulled funding (they will argue they now give it directly to clubs as part of the grant agreement) the memberships went down in '19 and we dont know what they are doing yet. That's not negative its just fact!

 

[BlueandGold]

Since the NRL pulled funding (they will argue they now give it directly to clubs as part of the grant agreement) the memberships went down in '19 and we dont know what they are doing yet. That's not negative its just fact!

''We plateaued last year and heading the same''

Wrong again, we are tracking up if you add the Broncos and Sharks.

 

[Wily Ole Dog]

''We plateaued last year and heading the same''

Wrong again, we are tracking up if you add the Broncos and Sharks.

By how much?

 

[Perth Red]

''We plateaued last year and heading the same''

Wrong again, we are tracking up if you add the Broncos and Sharks.

''We plateaued last year and heading the same''

Wrong again, we are tracking up if you add the Broncos and Sharks.

how can you add them when you dont know what they are?

 

[T-Boon]

We plateaued last year and heading the same. I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.

The NRL needs to take over.
The clubs are useless. They are like junkies, if you give them any money they just spend it on short term strategies to get a winning team and just generally give themselves pay rises.
Take Gould when he was in charge at Penrith he made a big issue out of NRL expenditure and argued for bigger club grants because that of course meant HE would make more money.

 

[Zadar]

Growing the fan base is not so much the issue.
Converting fans to members or members to season ticket holders should be the priority
They’re failing miserably

Exactly, and I’m not sure how you do it, I know so many supporters from all different clubs in Canberra, who are not even remotely interested in becoming members of their clubs.

I like how the roosters (other clubs may do the same) always throw in something extra in the members pack for continuous members, and for 5+ 10+ 15+ years members.

 

[Perth Red]

The NRL needs to take over.
The clubs are useless. They are like junkies, if you give them any money they just spend it on short term strategies to get a winning team and just generally give themselves pay rises.
Take Gould when he was in charge at Penrith he made a big issue out of NRL expenditure and argued for bigger club grants because that of course meant HE would make more money.

You mean take it back. Up to last year the NRL was funding staff to drive memberships at clubs and had a game wide strategy. Now its left to the clubs and surprise surprise last year the number fell for the first time in a few years.

 

[Timmah]

You mean take it back. Up to last year the NRL was funding staff to drive memberships at clubs and had a game wide strategy. Now its left to the clubs and surprise surprise last year the number fell for the first time in a few years.

Memberships 2018-2019 are down on raw numbers, which almost always increase upon the completed audited numbers which NRL publishes in the Annual Report (which from memory comes out in Feb).

Until such time, you're making assumptions based on incomplete data.

 

[Canard]

I'd also assume, that given recent events, discretionary spending is going elsewhere at the moment.

I would assume that becoming a NRL member in January isn't the highest of priorities for everyone, at the moment.

 

[Perth Red]

Given most clubs generate less than $3mill a year from ticket and ticketed membership sales would the NRL subsidising tickets either to make attendance free or much much cheaper fill stadiums or devalue the attendance experience? Is there any examples in world sport of them throwing the gates open?

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[Wily Ole Dog]

Exactly, and I’m not sure how you do it, I know so many supporters from all different clubs in Canberra, who are not even remotely interested in becoming members of their clubs.

.

it’s a professional sport now. Pulling on peoples heartstrings won’t work now.

currently there is zero value in memberships and even less in season ticketed memberships.

clubs treat it as a cash cow and the results of such an outdated thought process is there for all to see.
The numbers are shit

 

[Wily Ole Dog]

''I guess the NRL pulling out its direct investment in membership growth and giving the clubs the money instead is one reason, most NRL clubs are notoriously bad at growing fanbases.''

How you can still find negatives when the NRL memberships are tracking ahead of last year is beyond me.

Because the numbers are pathetically low compared to people who follow the game

 

[Perth Red]

There are savings to be made eg GA works out at around $15-17 per game most clubs compared to $25 on the gate. I do wonder if they have ever researched if saving money on gate price or club allegiance is the main motivating factor for buying a membership? It doesnt help when you have Thursday night and 6pm Friday that puts people off attending, or grounds with hardly any seating/shelter so rainy games are no fun. If you miss 2-3 games suddenly the savings on gate prices become less appealing.

 

[Perth Red]

Double

 

[T-Boon]

Given most clubs generate less than $3mill a year from ticket and ticketed membership sales would the NRL subsidising tickets either to make attendance free or much much cheaper fill stadiums or devalue the attendance experience? Is there any examples in world sport of them throwing the gates open?

I am not sure about throwing the gates open. But I have read about college football programs that reduced prices down enough to get massive crowds so they could build the atmosphere and game day experience, get the crowds hooked, and then gradually increase prices. I know that happened at Michigan. Michigan get I would imagine the biggest crowds in world sport.