Members Only match

[madunit]

SOUTH Sydney and Wests Tigers will meet in the first-ever "members only" rugby league match in February.
The news follows yesterday's unveiling of the redeveloped Redfern Oval, which will host the match.
Souths chief executive Shane Richardson hinted at the promotion but The Daily Telegraph understands the clubs will meet on Saturday night, February 7, and only members of the clubs will be allowed in to Redfern.
"We'll be announcing a trial match here early next year,'' Richardson said. "It will be something that's revolutionary for the game. It's the lifeblood of where this game's going. We can't put enough emphasis on the need for a great membership.
"It's crucial for survival. The reality is that membership can - if we all get 15,000 members - put over $2.4million extra in our pockets. It will be exciting news about opportunities for members.''
Souths have 6600 season ticket holders. The venue will probably only hold that many by February and members of each club will go into a ticket ballot to get in.
Rabbitohs sponsors De'Longhi and Virgin Blue have re-signed for a further season.
Souths will move their training base back to Redfern in 2009 in a move that chairman Nick Pappas said "entrenches this club in Sydney once and for all''.
Richardson claimed the Bunnies now had "the best training facility of any sporting organisation in Sydney'' and "the strongest base of any club in Sydney''. He said the Redfern development ended Souths' period as "a bedouin-style operation''.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24284509-5003409,00.html

I can see this not having the desired effect. Dumb idea.

 

[dallymessenger]

saw that and thought it was a marketing effort by souths to sell more ST.

if they get to 15,000 ST they will be one of the most powerful RL clubs in the world

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Meh! Its a trial match so it doesn't mean much. Perfect opportunity to try this sort of stuff. If it means that both teams get one or two extra members because of it then its worth it imo. Just trying to add some value to the season ticket.

 

[madunit]

it is a marketing ploy.

DO you think it will work.

I think it will alienate some fans from outside the metropolitan areas. Why would I buy a Wests Tigers membership while living in Brisbane, when I may only see 1-2 of their home games a year and only 1-2 of their away games?

It's not a financially wise move by myself is it? And there'd be plenty of others in the same boat.

It's a completely moronic concept.

 

[dallymessenger]

it is a marketing ploy.

DO you think it will work.

I think it will alienate some fans from outside the metropolitan areas. Why would I buy a Wests Tigers membership while living in Brisbane, when I may only see 1-2 of their home games a year and only 1-2 of their away games?

It's not a financially wise move by myself is it? And there'd be plenty of others in the same boat.

It's a completely moronic concept.

so this will make you LESS likely to buy a wests tigers ST eh?
:lol:

if someone gives you something extra for the same price, thats normally a good marketing idea.

and i guess its mainly for souths as its their old home ground they are playing in

 

[The Gambler]

It seems like a Souths initiative. It is only a small step in the right direction for either club though. Alot more than this needs to be done if either club wants to lift membership numbers.

I think it is a step in the right direction. Whilst these things may alientate some people, it also offers incentive to a majority. You always want more value for your money.

But in my opinion, in the Tigers case if they really want to lift membership numbers they need to take more games to the traditional grounds (they also need to start performing).

 

[Loudstrat]

Gotta say that Souths really lead the comp in off season promotion. Wether this is a good idea or not, it gets their brand in the press, and focuses the argument on memberships. Last year, their match in Florida was well covered in the 3 countries involved. Then there was theuir documentary. Great publicity machine - paying off in the bank.

Someone posted the Broncos membership deal - they have one for sydney based fans - great idea.

In comparison, my once mighty club talks about Brad Drew.

 

[dallymessenger]

It seems like a Souths initiative. It is only a small step in the right direction for either club though. Alot more than this needs to be done if either club wants to lift membership numbers.

I think it is a step in the right direction. Whilst these things may alientate some people, it also offers incentive to a majority. You always want more value for your money.

But in my opinion, in the Tigers case if they really want to lift membership numbers they need to take more games to the traditional grounds (they also need to start performing).

souths increased their ST numbers by 3000 last year.

 

[drake]

More off field brilliance from Souffs inc.

Too bad they suck as a football team.

 

[madunit]

so this will make you LESS likely to buy a wests tigers ST eh?
:lol:

if someone gives you something extra for the same price, thats normally a good marketing idea.

and i guess its mainly for souths as its their old home ground they are playing in

Tell me dally, what's the point in buying a ST when I may only see 4 games (2 home and 2 away) a year?

What benefit do I get from that? If it's anything like every other ST I have had with the Wests Tigers, it means I get a $20 hat, a keyring and a christmas card with all the players photocopied signatures on it.

I wouldn't call that bonusses, I'd call that a massive wank.

This concept doesn't make people buy ST. It will alienate the members who either can't afford to pay that large amount of money up front (Yet probably attend half their teams games every year) as well as alienating the teams fans who don't live near the city which their team plays from.

I would be game enough to guarantee undoubtedly, that this concept would see about a massive downturn in crowd figures, a very marginal increase in ST sales and a massive decrease in the amount of revenue created by the game.

 

[Prodigiousman]

Great idea... but if I was a season ticket holder I'd hope to be seeing near full strength lineups for that trial otherwise i'd feel cheated like the vast amounts of NFL/Gridiron fans do during their pre-season where they have to pay full price to watch their top players play one series (maybe half of the first quarter) and then get the reserves (and in some cases the reserves for the reserves) for the rest of the game.

The novelty of being at the first game of the new Redfern will wear off very quickly if the two biggest names on the field after the first 20 minutes are Jamie Simpson and Corey Payne...

But the idea is a good one. In the long run Souths obviously want to make watching their games feel like a special event - which is the long term view for making your product as valuable as possible at the gate. Might be difficult to make Souths games must sees while they're still at ANZ but as I said - the idea is a good one esp for the pre-season.

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

Mad Unit, what are you talking about?

The capacity of Redfern Oval will be less than the combined ST numbers for both clubs, hence it being members only. It makes sense and only serves to add value to a ST for both clubs and may indeed entice some Souths fans to join.

Far more fans would feel 'alienated' if it was open to the general public. As members we deserve privelages over those that choose not to join. Use your brain.

 

[MattJ]

Exactly, if it was open to everyone, a lot of the die hards and regular club members would miss out because of the amount of people that will want to join in on the nostalga of seeing a souths game played at Redfern.
Its extra incentive to become a member and its only being used for a trial game, if supporters dont want to join, but still want to see some pre season football, they can buy tickets to the charity shield.
If anything its going to help increase membership, plus ensure a good crowd for the trial.

 

[hrundi99]

Tell me dally, what's the point in buying a ST when I may only see 4 games (2 home and 2 away) a year?

What benefit do I get from that? If it's anything like every other ST I have had with the Wests Tigers, it means I get a $20 hat, a keyring and a christmas card with all the players photocopied signatures on it.

I wouldn't call that bonusses, I'd call that a massive wank.

This concept doesn't make people buy ST. It will alienate the members who either can't afford to pay that large amount of money up front (Yet probably attend half their teams games every year) as well as alienating the teams fans who don't live near the city which their team plays from.

I would be game enough to guarantee undoubtedly, that this concept would see about a massive downturn in crowd figures, a very marginal increase in ST sales and a massive decrease in the amount of revenue created by the game.

You're clearly an idiot.

 

[Special K]

I don't see any major negatives in this at all?

I think its a nice ploy and its a trial so who cares? The game will probably now out draw what it would have to begin with. Only concern I have is say a family wanting to go who can only afford one member(say for example dad) surely they will let guests or something in.

 

[***MH***]

I think it's a great idea! Perhaps other clubs may follow suit?

 

[dallymessenger]

Tell me dally, what's the point in buying a ST when I may only see 4 games (2 home and 2 away) a year?

What benefit do I get from that? If it's anything like every other ST I have had with the Wests Tigers, it means I get a $20 hat, a keyring and a christmas card with all the players photocopied signatures on it.

I wouldn't call that bonusses, I'd call that a massive wank.

This concept doesn't make people buy ST. It will alienate the members who either can't afford to pay that large amount of money up front (Yet probably attend half their teams games every year) as well as alienating the teams fans who don't live near the city which their team plays from.

I would be game enough to guarantee undoubtedly, that this concept would see about a massive downturn in crowd figures, a very marginal increase in ST sales and a massive decrease in the amount of revenue created by the game.

so your objection to a WT ST isnt because of this initiative?

thats the point i was making.

the tigers do offer 3 game packages for leichhardt.

i dont see how it alienates anybody.

reduced price season tickets are the way to go to build crowds. especially at telstra stadium where the club are guaranteed $80,000 per game and the ST sales are on top of that.

 

[dallymessenger]

I don't see any major negatives in this at all?

I think its a nice ploy and its a trial so who cares? The game will probably now out draw what it would have to begin with. Only concern I have is say a family wanting to go who can only afford one member(say for example dad) surely they will let guests or something in.

exactly.

souths have found a way to promote their season tickets here, and people are finding negatives.

its called good marketing

 

[SSFC Hitman]

LOL@ Madunit trying to bitch about Souths but everyone disagrees. Madunit you are against the idea because Souths came up with it LOL.

Personally great idea.... to me it is a reward for season ticket holders.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

I don't see any major negatives in this at all?

I think its a nice ploy and its a trial so who cares? The game will probably now out draw what it would have to begin with. Only concern I have is say a family wanting to go who can only afford one member(say for example dad) surely they will let guests or something in.

Exactly.

Say we had a normal trial match in Feb at ANZ, we'd be lucky to get 5000 in through the gates. Take it to the new Redfern oval and that makes it special as it'll be the first match back there and then throw in the exclusivity element and it'll be guaranteed to draw the full 5000. I can't see the problem really. Membership prices won't increase because of it, it'll just be an added extra for Rabbits and Tigers members to be able to go into the ballot. It will exclude some people off the street from going to the match but if you only have 5000 seats then why should you allow the people off the streets in anyway, when they haven't paid for a membership?