The Game 2025 Membership

[The_Wookie]

Manly and Cronulla announcing record figures.
still not much happening for many clubs data wise

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

Sharks 17,212

Membership

Membership

www.sharks.com.au

 

[The_Wookie]

 

[ouwet]

Dogs email saying over 27,000 members so far...

 

[Brick Tamland]

Sharks up to 17,695 per their website

 

[eels4lifee]

Just read an article earlier stating the Perth Bears in their inaugural year will have a estimated 30k plus members. Which makes some Sydney teams look really average

 

[Jamberoo]

Just read an article earlier stating the Perth Bears in their inaugural year will have an estimated 30k plus members. Which makes some Sydney teams look really average

Perth has a sports membership culture, same as Melbourne. Plus with a small stadium, you will need to be a member to get tickets.

 

[Bukowski]

Perth has a sports membership culture, same as Melbourne. Plus with a small stadium, you will need to be a member to get tickets.

Depending on interest, I could see them using Optus for the first year.

 

[Jamberoo]

Depending on interest, I could see them using Optus for the first year.

Nah. First game and finals only. 20k at HBF will be better than 25k @ Optus.

 

[Bukowski]

Nah. First game and finals only. 20k at HBF will be better than 25k @ Optus.

As a fan I'd agree with that, the money men sometimes think differently though

 

[Perth Red]

As a fan I'd agree with that, the money men sometimes think differently though

They’re getting hbf park free, I’d imagine they’d have to pay for optus. Hopefully a double header round one and that’s it for optus.

 

[The_Wookie]

Dogs email saying over 27,000 members so far...

This would be a record for Canterbury if thats the case.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Is there a reason why the NRL doesn't seem to put as much focus on growing club memberships now as it did 5-10 years ago?

We need to keep driving memberships hard to secure alternate revenue and creating the next waves of rusted on supporters, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside. A lot of clubs aren't even bothering to publish their figures anymore. Big event crowds seem to be the flavour of the month, but it's no use having those one-offs if fans aren't being converted.

 

[Perth Red]

Is there a reason why the NRL doesn't seem to put as much focus on growing club memberships now as it did 5-10 years ago?

We need to keep driving memberships hard to secure alternate revenue and creating the next waves of rusted on supporters, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside. A lot of clubs aren't even bothering to publish their figures anymore. Big event crowds seem to be the flavour of the month, but it's no use having those one-offs if fans aren't being converted.

The first commission/CEO's had a big emphasis on it, they brought it all in house and managed the marketing and sales of membership from NRLHQ with a goal of making the game more popular to attend and imrpoving club generated revenue.
This commission/CEO have less priority of it and seem to have decided that they will put the focus on making as much money as possible at NRLHQ and dishing it out to the clubs so they dont need to focus on fanbase generated revenue as much. If thats covid that changed their thinking, if its NRL way of controlling the clubs more, or just a strategic shift from different leaders is hard to say

 

[yakstorm]

The first commission/CEO's had a big emphasis on it, they brought it all in house and managed the marketing and sales of membership from NRLHQ with a goal of making the game more popular to attend and imrpoving club generated revenue.
This commission/CEO have less priority of it and seem to have decided that they will put the focus on making as much money as possible at NRLHQ and dishing it out to the clubs so they dont need to focus on fanbase generated revenue as much. If thats covid that changed their thinking, if its NRL way of controlling the clubs more, or just a strategic shift from different leaders is hard to say

The shift happened pre-COVID. From 2007 - 2016, the NRL had invested significantly in trying to replicate the AFL membership model of having all clubs use the one system and introducing centralised services to help push memberships. Pretty much all clubs signed up for this except for the Rabbitohs, Storm, Panthers and Knights.

The centralised services were far from perfect, but it was working, especially for the clubs who didn't have the budgets to invest in their membership programs (which were the likes of Manly, Sharks, Raiders, Roosters).

Then in late 2016, the clubs pushed for a new funding model for the 2018 season. John Grant agreed to the 130% of the salary cap request from the clubs to save his own skin in a marathon meeting that took place on December 20. To fund giving the clubs more money, the decision was made to dismantle the centralised services over the following seasons, with it all wrapped up by end of 2018. This included the membership and marketing programs, as well as some of the development programs, with the clubs expected to pick up this responsibility.