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What Membership Brings To A Club

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
I remember MITS and others on this site a few years ago arguing the point that increasing membership is not the way to save a club and that it's overrated as a tool to save our club from extinction or merger. Well as I said back then, he and others have no idea and maybe believed the hype of our former incompetent, lacklustre, useless administrators.

The numbers don't lie. Our current admin have got this one right, we should be aiming for 40+ thousand members. The TV ratings tell us and always have, that the fans are there, even in greater numbers then the AFL. So really all that was missing were the people who could recognise this and be competent and committed enough to do something about it, without a million and one excuses as to why it can't be done. It's called professionalism.

I want to be wowed as a fan, not ignored.


http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/so...mbership-numbers/story-fndujljl-1226586362211Across the board NRL club membership is up by a massive 18 per cent on this time last year - and the Rabbitohs are leading the way with 22,003 members.

It wasn't so long ago NRL clubs treated membership drives as an afterthought - but in the wake of the poker machine tax it's fair to say members have become the financial lifeblood for most clubs.
"We used to earn about $330,000 a year from membership five years ago," Souths boss Shane Richardson said. "Now we are bringing in over $3.5 million.
"On top of that we probably do around the $2.5 million in merchandise and of that nearly 65 per cent directly comes through our members and our internet."
That's $6 million a year members are bringing in for the Bunnies - and that's not even taking into account the crowd figures that have increased dramatically directly through membership numbers.
"This is a mistake people make, they think success builds membership. Well, we have proven that to be wrong," Richardson said.
"Up until last year we had only made the finals once since 1989.
"It's about the feeling you give them, the culture you create."
Richardson can't believe some clubs are yet to jump on board the membership bandwagon.
"You have to throw yourself completely into it,' he said.
"You can't half get committed, you can't get half pregnant. You have to be fully committed to it or otherwise it just doesn't work."
The Broncos have the second most members heading into 2013 (17,561) followed by the Dragons (16,314) and the Knights (14,213).
But Richardson knows there is still work to be done to rival the type of membership numbers some of the AFL clubs have.
Collingwood last year had 72,688 members while the Sydney Swans have 27,592, up by more than 7000 on this time last year.
Even AFL new boys Greater Western Sydney currently have 10,261 members, more than double what they had last year and embarrassingly also more than NRL rivals the Wests Tigers and the Panthers.
In 2007 Souths had 9,350 members - in 2013 they are targeting for 25,000 members.
Richardson said: "People used to say to me when I joined the club: 'Where are all those Souths fans?'
"Well, they are back and they are actually real and they are spending money."
 
Messages
14,121
I remember MITS and others on this site a few years ago arguing the point that increasing membership is not the way to save a club and that it's overrated as a tool to save our club from extinction or merger. Well as I said back then, he and others have no idea and maybe believed the hype of our former incompetent, lacklustre, useless administrators.

The numbers don't lie. Our current admin have got this one right, we should be aiming for 40+ thousand members. The TV ratings tell us and always have, that the fans are there, even in greater numbers then the AFL. So really all that was missing were the people who could recognise this and be competent and committed enough to do something about it, without a million and one excuses as to why it can't be done. It's called professionalism.

I want to be wowed as a fan, not ignored.


http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/so...mbership-numbers/story-fndujljl-1226586362211Across the board NRL club membership is up by a massive 18 per cent on this time last year - and the Rabbitohs are leading the way with 22,003 members.

It wasn't so long ago NRL clubs treated membership drives as an afterthought - but in the wake of the poker machine tax it's fair to say members have become the financial lifeblood for most clubs.
"We used to earn about $330,000 a year from membership five years ago," Souths boss Shane Richardson said. "Now we are bringing in over $3.5 million.
"On top of that we probably do around the $2.5 million in merchandise and of that nearly 65 per cent directly comes through our members and our internet."
That's $6 million a year members are bringing in for the Bunnies - and that's not even taking into account the crowd figures that have increased dramatically directly through membership numbers.
"This is a mistake people make, they think success builds membership. Well, we have proven that to be wrong," Richardson said.
"Up until last year we had only made the finals once since 1989.
"It's about the feeling you give them, the culture you create."
Richardson can't believe some clubs are yet to jump on board the membership bandwagon.
"You have to throw yourself completely into it,' he said.
"You can't half get committed, you can't get half pregnant. You have to be fully committed to it or otherwise it just doesn't work."
The Broncos have the second most members heading into 2013 (17,561) followed by the Dragons (16,314) and the Knights (14,213).
But Richardson knows there is still work to be done to rival the type of membership numbers some of the AFL clubs have.
Collingwood last year had 72,688 members while the Sydney Swans have 27,592, up by more than 7000 on this time last year.
Even AFL new boys Greater Western Sydney currently have 10,261 members, more than double what they had last year and embarrassingly also more than NRL rivals the Wests Tigers and the Panthers.
In 2007 Souths had 9,350 members - in 2013 they are targeting for 25,000 members.
Richardson said: "People used to say to me when I joined the club: 'Where are all those Souths fans?'
"Well, they are back and they are actually real and they are spending money."

I said it then and I will say it now, Membership is not the only plank in keeping a club successful. Especially a club like Parramatta.

If you can get Parramatta fans to stick you are doing a good job. Our numbers are still lower then they were last year with less than two weeks to go in the Pre-Season.

But having said that I have always pushed for people to become members, because membership gives you a voice and without that voice you are nothing in any organisation but a customer.

But if you think I was wrong, then fine mate I was wrong.
 

Noise

Coach
Messages
17,106
Don't we have some $20 membership this year ? Was that around last year? If not then that's a good way to make the numbers look better...
 

Sphagnum

Coach
Messages
12,803
I want to be a member but had an awful experience where we were allocated member's seats last year for the Tiger's game.

It was the worst experience I've ever had at the football when those members turned up demanding we vacate the seats we had both paid for. It was terrible.

Too much of a shambles for me to consider it at this stage. I can still see the look on their face when we showed them our tickets with their seat numbers on them.

'Couldn't organise a f**k in a brothel' would be a good way to describe it.
 
Messages
14,121

IIRC we got 16,000 sometime during the year. Happy to be corrected. Could be wrong, but I remember us with 16,000 last year, still means we are about 4,000 down. Not insurmountable, but possibly a reflection of last year?s season results.

Also I have done some fishing on my stats and we have had a falling parentage Ticketed members vs Members, although we are increasing memberships, are we increasing the right memberships?

71% of our 5219 members in 2009 was a Season Ticket Holder (3704 STH)
67% of our 11133 members in 2010 was a season ticket Holder (7451 STH)
59% of our 12,121 members in 2011 was a season ticket Holder (7126 STH)
and so on and so forth.

Membership is important. Ticketed memberships even more so.
 

mickdo

Coach
Messages
17,355
IIRC we got 16,000 sometime during the year

Not according to this...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/parramattas-new-chief-on-mission-to-boost-membership-20121022-281j6.html

Parramatta had about 12,000 members last season, which was more than double the 5219 the Eels had when they made the grand final in 2009

or this...

http://www.parraeels.com.au/news-display/Weve-hit-12000-members/68296

As of 3.15pm today, the Eels have hit 12,000 memberships for the 2013 season!

This puts us on track for our target of 20,000 members by the end of the season, and is already well above the 2012 tally of 11,480 members.

Unless they're all dealing with different sets of membership types
 
Last edited:

bartman

Immortal
Messages
41,022
Membership revenue is good, but sponsorship and ownership of assets (eg grounds, training facilities etc) are pretty important too.
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
Membership revenue is good, but sponsorship and ownership of assets (eg grounds, training facilities etc) are pretty important too.


You do realize that sponsorship and ownership of assets is tied into all that. Money/membership begets prosperity. It's called the power of numbers.

Think of it this way, a well run country of 300 million will always out wealth/power a well run country of 20 million.
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,457
I said it then and I will say it now, Membership is not the only plank in keeping a club successful. Especially a club like Parramatta.

If you can get Parramatta fans to stick you are doing a good job. Our numbers are still lower then they were last year with less than two weeks to go in the Pre-Season.

But having said that I have always pushed for people to become members, because membership gives you a voice and without that voice you are nothing in any organization but a customer.

But if you think I was wrong, then fine mate I was wrong.


If that was all you said, then we wouldn't have had that debate or this one for that matter. No one sane would argue that membership is the "only plank".

You basically dismissed it as inconsequential to the bottom line of the fortunes of a NRL club, and my position is the direct opposite.

You were wrong.
 

bartman

Immortal
Messages
41,022
You do realize that sponsorship and ownership of assets is tied into all that. Money/membership begets prosperity. It's called the power of numbers.

Think of it this way, a well run country of 300 million will always out wealth/power a well run country of 20 million.
Yes, obviously it's tied together. But so is winning some football games and not finishing with the f**king spoon :lol:.

On a contribution to the bottom line membership revenue is important, sponsorship more so, ownership of assets is an ultimate goal that will reduce rental costs and make the membership and sponsorship dollar go further.
 
Messages
14,121
If that was all you said, then we wouldn't have had that debate or this one for that matter. No one sane would argue that membership is the "only plank".

You basically dismissed it as inconsequential to the bottom line of the fortunes of a NRL club, and my position is the direct opposite.

You were wrong.

Thanks mate, appreicate you stating that, I am sure you feel much better now.

However, as a member at Hawthorn and that being a club that has only one peer in this country for membership, and having written the infamous report to the Board about our shortcomming in membership in 2007/8 I fail to see how I have ever dismissed membership, but indeed it is not the only plank.

Sponsorhips is great and linked to membership as memberships provides direct eyeballs for sponsors. The other thing that is important for revenue is game day, guarentted game day revenue is the best and that is what teams like Souths and the Bulldogs get and has helped them grow their membership, indeed allowing those clubs to double dip finacially with thier season tickets and the stadium fees.

Will memberships replace pokie revenue in this club? That is a hard one to see, I think even with our memberships we are still $3 million shy for NRL and another $1 Million for other Football operations.. Now the NRL's new TV deal will help that but still we would need to double our membership to get there. The only way we are going to double our memberships is to become a consistant success, so that tickets to Parramatta Stadium are hot property, and then convert all those Blue Blood memberships into STH's, that might be a fair way away.
 
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