OT: GWS Giants seeking 17,000 members

[Gronk]

THE GWS Giants have issued a challenge to their NRL rivals with a bold bid to sign up 17,000 members for their first AFL season. Giants boss David Matthews told The Daily Telegraph: "It's ambitious but it's achievable and we think it represents good value for money."
The Giants preliminary figures stack up well against rugby league teams in their area. In 2011 the Parramatta Eels had 11,339 members, Wests Tigers 9286 and the Penrith Panthers 6421.
The AFL has a longer tradition of club membership than the NRL who have only recently started to expand their numbers.
The average AFL membership is more than 38,000 with Collingwood the highest at 71,000.
The Giants have just passed the 4000 mark with just over 1000 signing up since Christmas.
In 2012 the Giants will spread their home games between four different venues ANZ Stadium, Blacktown Olympic Park, Skoda Stadium and Canberra's Manuka Oval.
Canberra will host three Giants games this season and has proven to be a major source of members, providing almost half of this signings and a similar proportion of the 12,000 foundation members signed last year.
Foundation members receive priority seating which could become valuable with the capacity of the Giants home ground at Skoda Stadium limited to 25,000.
It's not just the NRL clubs who are feeling the Giants' aggressive push, cross-town rivals the Sydney Swans are also paying attention.
But GWS Giants boss David Matthews says he's not targeting Swans fans or members.
"I think the arrival of the Giants is advantageous to both teams and it's a one plus one equals three situation where the game grows."
Last year's debutants the Gold Coast Suns snared 14,000 last year.
Coach Kevin Sheedy's popularity is proving a major asset as the Giants cast their net for supporters far and wide. Sheedy has long been an advocate of interstate supporter bases and was a key player in Essendon's supporter growth around the country.
The Giants coach has come up with the concept of the Southern Giants and is hoping the AFL-mad states will adopt the Giants as their second team in a similar way to the Gold Coast Suns last year.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ng-17000-members/story-e6frexwr-1226247801378

 

[Gronk]

GWS have 4146 members for 2012 so far.

http://membership.gwsgiants.com.au/

Eels have 8616

http://www.nrl.com/clubs-enjoying-strong-membership-sales/tabid/10874/newsid/61136/default.aspx

 

[Parra Pride]

Who are the Giants? NSW cup, or Bundy Cup?

 

[hineyrulz]

So Western Sydney is a Part of Canberra now??? More smoke and mirrors from Calvin Shoddy and his crew.

 

[Craig Johnston]

the riverina's copping a pounding thanks to the form of the raiders atm . i might do a pete and adopt the raiders as a second fav side just because of the fight against the AFL

 

[mickdo]

And how many of those 'new' members would just be ex-pats from Victoriania? Pretty pointless if that's all they can end up recruiting.

 

[Western_Eel]

Gws are gone already why the hell would you start a western Sydney team that plays in four different venues including one that's not even in the state. What a joke!

 

[cleary89]

Everyone wants to see them play? Isn't it obvious?

 

[Maroubra Eel]

If they signed up half as many members as us in their first year I'd say it would be a pretty good effort.

 

[God-King Dean]

 

[Mr Pmatta]

GWS have 4146 members for 2012 so far.

http://membership.gwsgiants.com.au/

Eels have 8616

http://www.nrl.com/clubs-enjoying-strong-membership-sales/tabid/10874/newsid/61136/default.aspx

Im sure we are well over this number, and if not, I think it is a dissapointing effort so far>

 

[myanonymoususername]

I doubt the priority seating is actually worth anything. I reckon there'll be plenty of room in Skoda Stadium for any games this year.

 

[Eelectrica]

Random jelly is... Random?

 

[bartman]

The novelty will wear off soon enough. Once they get flogged pillar to post a few times by established teams there'll be heaps of space at their later season games, and less renewals for 2013.

If the NRL knows what's good for them this year they'll hope any of those eachway situations that pop up from time to time (e.g. match reviews, charges etc) happen to swing in favour of the western sydney clubs. ;-)

 

[Eels Dude]

Can't see them being much of a force in the short term. 4000 thousand members isn't much when you consider the amount of members of the four Western Sydney clubs as well as Canberra considering they are boasting half their members are from the ACT... that in fact shows how much they're struggling to get support in the actual Western Sydney.

 

[hineyrulz]

Can't see them being much of a force in the short term. 4000 thousand members isn't much when you consider the amount of members of the four Western Sydney clubs as well as Canberra considering they are boasting half their members are from the ACT... that in fact shows how much they're struggling to get support in the actual Western Sydney.

And all it means there are 2000 expat Victorians in Canberra.

 

[The EELiminator]

Can't see them being much of a force in the short term. 4000 thousand members isn't much when you consider the amount of members of the four Western Sydney clubs as well as Canberra considering they are boasting half their members are from the ACT... that in fact shows how much they're struggling to get support in the actual Western Sydney.

it doesnt matter if they have 40 thousand members if none of them turn up to games

 

[The EELiminator]

And all it means there are 2000 expat Victorians in Canberra.

it makes you wonder why they didnt put the team there if they were serious about establishing it as a legitimate team and not just a raised middle finger to the nrl

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Does anyone think Rugby League teams will have membership numbers like the afl one day?
I think the Eels have just about reached their maximum membership number. There's not much room to grow when the stadium doesn't even fit 20,000.

 

[The EELiminator]

Does anyone think Rugby League teams will have membership numbers like the afl one day?
I think the Eels have just about reached their maximum membership number. There's not much room to grow when the stadium doesn't even fit 20,000.

although a lot of people are both, not all members go to games and not all spectators are members