2020 Membership

[Wily Ole Dog]

Clubs want to make money? What a novel concept


As far as I know a lot of clubs actually do vary the membership inclusions depending on what level of membership you have. Often season seat holders do get more than an interstate or non-ticketed member.

I said “They treat it as a cash cow”

the problem with that is it is not what it COULD & SHOULD be

 

[Timmah]

Yep, a sticker

You can argue in good faith or you can be dismissive.

Usually the season seat value item is something like a scarf or hat that isn't available to lower levels. The premium tiers at most clubs get something else again, depending on the club and the value of the membership.

It sounds like you're complaining about wanting something that already exists.

 

[Timmah]

What can’t see on Fox or Channel 9? You can rush home from work. Fight peak hour traffic, Get overpriced cold food in the cold.. or you come home. In the comfort of your home eat dinner with the family and can watch the footy.

So again clubs need to offer more then you can get from at home

Fully on board with clubs doing more on match days where possible, however I also don't think the vast majority of attendees are there for any other reason than the first grade game.

You're better off taking aim at some of the at-match experience stuff like food, shelter etc which you gloss over in the above post.

Multiple grades, entertainment etc etc will only cater to a very small segment of the audience and IMO aren't the key to driving attendance.

 

[franklin2323]

Fully on board with clubs doing more on match days where possible, however I also don't think the vast majority of attendees are there for any other reason than the first grade game.

You're better off taking aim at some of the at-match experience stuff like food, shelter etc which you gloss over in the above post.

Multiple grades, entertainment etc etc will only cater to a very small segment of the audience and IMO aren't the key to driving attendance.

A perfect example. 13th August middle of winter Penrith play NQ on a Thursday night. Lower grades both play on Sunday.

What incentive is there to bring the kids along to this when a few weeks later I can go to Bankwest on a Sunday and make a day of it?

 

[Frailty]

A perfect example. 13th August middle of winter Penrith play NQ on a Thursday night. Lower grades both play on Sunday.

What incentive is there to bring the kids along to this when a few weeks later I can go to Bankwest on a Sunday and make a day of it?

To be fair, I don't think having lower grades play beforehand actually would increase crowds. Most professional sports across the world do not have lower grades play beforehand. The NRL and clubs definitely need to increase the in-stadium experience though.

 

[franklin2323]

To be fair, I don't think having lower grades play beforehand actually would increase crowds. Most professional sports across the world do not have lower grades play beforehand. The NRL and clubs definitely need to increase the in-stadium experience though.

It is an easy fix for the clubs more then anything but instead of the gates opening an hour before kickoff. But bands work or something outside of watching FG warm up

Can be 2 or 3 hours plus FG. Suddenly paying $100+ to take a family isn’t as bad

 

[Frailty]

It is an easy fix for the clubs more then anything but instead of the gates opening an hour before kickoff. But bands work or something outside of watching FG warm up

Can be 2 or 3 hours plus FG. Suddenly paying $100+ to take a family isn’t as bad

So you think having a band play outside the stadium on a Thursday night will suddenly make a family willing to go to the game more than they usually do? Personally, I don't think that would pull anyone into the game more than it currently is.

Ultimately, they need to make it a more attractive option than watching it on TV. So the game needs to be asking "what makes it special to see the game live?". At the moment, very little to be honest. But what would make it a better experience than watching on TV? A band and lower grade footy isn't really a drawcard.

From other sports around the world we can see the following trends:

• Improved digital integration for those in attendance. Lots of arenas are now offering apps for those in attendance to improve experience through exclusive content, offering live discounts on food or merch, or simply being able to minimise wait times for food and drink. I used to love watching the game with the Refs Ears unit - how that hasn't been developed to be app based on site is really confusing.
• Special events/giveaways - The cheesy version of this is bobble head nights. But NBA/NHL/MLB do other giveaways like shirseys, or rally towels. These make allow fans to make memories about the particular nights.
• Player accessibility - we see players walk around the field after games these days, but aside from that there is little engagement between the players and fans.

 

[franklin2323]

So you think having a band play outside the stadium on a Thursday night will suddenly make a family willing to go to the game more than they usually do? Personally, I don't think that would pull anyone into the game more than it currently is.

Ultimately, they need to make it a more attractive option than watching it on TV. So the game needs to be asking "what makes it special to see the game live?". At the moment, very little to be honest. But what would make it a better experience than watching on TV? A band and lower grade footy isn't really a drawcard.

From other sports around the world we can see the following trends:

• Improved digital integration for those in attendance. Lots of arenas are now offering apps for those in attendance to improve experience through exclusive content, offering live discounts on food or merch, or simply being able to minimise wait times for food and drink. I used to love watching the game with the Refs Ears unit - how that hasn't been developed to be app based on site is really confusing.
• Special events/giveaways - The cheesy version of this is bobble head nights. But NBA/NHL/MLB do other giveaways like shirseys, or rally towels. These make allow fans to make memories about the particular nights.
• Player accessibility - we see players walk around the field after games these days, but aside from that there is little engagement between the players and fans.

Those are all good idea. It is strange club officials go overseas to watch these events yet don't bring any of the game day experiences across

Well wouldn't be a band alone. Lets use an 8pm kick off as a guide

For Members

Gates open 6.30
Band/Entertainment
Have your members BBQ at the same time. Can have injured/Suspended players ex players etc doing autographs

Then General Public can come in at say 7pm.

That is stuff you already get as a member anyway. Just making it on a game day instead of the random weekends they do now should entice people out of the loungeroom or get a membership and come to multiple games instead of just the odd game.

 

[Frailty]

Those are all good idea. It is strange club officials go overseas to watch these events yet don't bring any of the game day experiences across

Well wouldn't be a band alone. Lets use an 8pm kick off as a guide

For Members

Gates open 6.30
Band/Entertainment
Have your members BBQ at the same time. Can have injured/Suspended players ex players etc doing autographs

Then General Public can come in at say 7pm.

That is stuff you already get as a member anyway. Just making it on a game day instead of the random weekends they do now should entice people out of the loungeroom or get a membership and come to multiple games instead of just the odd game.

So you idea to increase crowds is to have the members BBQ before the game which would essentially only be accessible to people who are likely already attending a number of games.

How does this bring in the casual fan or encourage new fans to join and come back?

 

[franklin2323]

So you idea to increase crowds is to have the members BBQ before the game which would essentially only be accessible to people who are likely already attending a number of games.

How does this bring in the casual fan or encourage new fans to join and come back?

Getting casuals are a different issue. Looking at Memberships. Take Panthers for example 20k members yet only ave 13k to games. I’d be looking at getting a higher % of them to games.

To answer your question cheaper GA tickets and I’d even do free kids memberships as Adults will have to come with them

 

[Timmah]

A perfect example. 13th August middle of winter Penrith play NQ on a Thursday night. Lower grades both play on Sunday.

What incentive is there to bring the kids along to this when a few weeks later I can go to Bankwest on a Sunday and make a day of it?

It's not even remotely a perfect example. It's a single example.

There are 20-ish (CBF counting) Thursday night games out of 192 matches in a season.

Sadly, for attendances, Thursday night footy isn't going anywhere for the time being. With that in mind, yes, some teams have to cop it. Holding Flegg and/or CCup on Thursday arvo/evening isn't viable most weeks, so those matches move to weekends - and realistically they're not attracting more than a handful of people anyway, so I don't think they're necessarily something the game needs to focus on. Those games are more enticing to rusted-on fans who are already going to the game regardless.

Under the current arrangements, particularly with broadcast, I'm really not sure what can be done to entice crowds in poor timeslots. Clubs do experiment with various promotions and engagement activities but there are also quite a number of factors outside their control.

 

[Frailty]

Getting casuals are a different issue. Looking at Memberships. Take Panthers for example 20k members yet only ave 13k to games. I’d be looking at getting a higher % of them to games.

To answer your question cheaper GA tickets and I’d even do free kids memberships as Adults will have to come with them

But even in your example - that's bringing people to one game out of 12 home games.

 

[Perth Red]

A perfect example. 13th August middle of winter Penrith play NQ on a Thursday night. Lower grades both play on Sunday.

What incentive is there to bring the kids along to this when a few weeks later I can go to Bankwest on a Sunday and make a day of it?

HAd a chance to be a bit radical with last TV deal and failed miserably. Sure TV wants Thursday as is willing to pay for it. Well in that case use that money to compensate fans. Instead of giving clubs an extra $3mill no strings attached out of the TV deal they could have subsidised Thursday night games so it was $10 for anyone and free for kids. But no, better to have empty stadiums and sport on Tv that looks like it is has park footy levels of interest.

 

[franklin2323]

But even in your example - that's bringing people to one game out of 12 home games.

Not every game has attendance issues though. Most games round 1 and 2 will be close to selling out. Weather permitting Sunday's mostly are fine it is for the least attractive timeslots. I am sure they can come out with 3-4 different things to make these games like an event

 

[franklin2323]

HAd a chance to be a bit radical with last TV deal and failed miserably. Sure TV wants Thursday as is willing to pay for it. Well in that case use that money to compensate fans. Instead of giving clubs an extra $3mill no strings attached out of the TV deal they could have subsidised Thursday night games so it was $10 for anyone and free for kids. But no, better to have empty stadiums and sport on Tv that looks like it is has park footy levels of interest.

Thursday night is great for sponsors and TV but to get those to the game need to think outside the box. So far it has been found wanting

 

[Perth Red]

Not every game has attendance issues though. Most games round 1 and 2 will be close to selling out. Weather permitting Sunday's mostly are fine it is for the least attractive timeslots. I am sure they can come out with 3-4 different things to make these games like an event

BBL have had a lot of success turning the boring game of cricket into one that has drawn big crowds. Sure the novelty is wearing off and the season extension probably wasnt the best idea but going to a BBL game, and to a lessor degree a NBL game is lots of fun, especially for kids. You just dont get anything like that at any of the NRL games I've attended. Some bloke on the PA yelling at you to cheer isn't 21st century sports entertainment lol.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

$7.50 for a 600ml Coke at the SCG this summer.

Yeah...right...

 

[franklin2323]

BBL have had a lot of success turning the boring game of cricket into one that has drawn big crowds. Sure the novelty is wearing off and the season extension probably wasnt the best idea but going to a BBL game, and to a lessor degree a NBL game is lots of fun, especially for kids. You just dont get anything like that at any of the NRL games I've attended. Some bloke on the PA yelling at you to cheer isn't 21st century sports entertainment lol.

That is the case across the board. Even a few years ago you could say you saw a curtain raiser game that you can't on TV, Not so the case lately.

 

[Perth Red]

$7.50 for a 600ml Coke at the SCG this summer.

Yeah...right...

Whilst thats not unusual at other events or somewhere like the cinema the difference is we want people to go to the footy at least every fortnight where as those other things you might only do a couple of times a year. Making it affordable is definitely one of the key strategies to building crowds. Price point is a difficult thing though, whilst $65 for a seat isnt that expensive compared to other live entertainment options, it is if you are wanting people to do it 12 times a year or more.

 

[Perth Red]

That is the case across the board. Even a few years ago you could say you saw a curtain raiser game that you can't on TV, Not so the case lately.

Maybe If the womens game ever expands to a full league that could be the curtain raiser? I guess with the way reserves are now with 2nd tier club feeder system, and with no U20's national comp, its actually quite hard to guarantee a home reserve grade game that matches the schedule?
It probably only has some value for games in Sat and Sun anyway?