Official A Personal Request from Lynne Anderson

[DinkumDog]

It's amazing how para got the wooden spoon a few years back, but they currently have 25 000 paid members. This does suggest that our clubs fans area little fickle! And I agree that this email does seem a little desperate, but they probably are desperate.
As a fan who resides in gar north QLD there really is no value in me being a member. Not to me anyway. So I wont be signing up. However, if I did live in sydney then for sure I would sign up.
If Lynne really wants us to be the number one sporting franchise in the country, then i would suggest a few things:
* First of all, give us fans something unique. Something that other clubs dont have.
* How about putting together an incredible sales and marketing team!!! One that answers emails and constantly keeps us fans in the loop.
*Add a videographer to this team and make them put together a professional short film every week showing the boys training, with some one on one interviews etc.!!!
* Why not offer a lucky draw each week for paid members, where they could have the chance to win a free 3 course meal at one of the clubs restaurants after or before the game. Or a meet and greet with players. Or upgraded seats. Or a signed football, flag or jersey.
Imagine if, as a member, you had the chance to win a prize like this every single week!!! It would cost the club nothing, and I'm sure it would encourage fans to sign up. Because as it is, they want us to sign up, bit cant even get it together to put a supporters pack in the mail!
If you were

Really good post mate and some great suggestions. Understand re: your location but a suggestion if I may - a Born and Bred Membership is a non-game attendance membership that costs $50 for the season, so you’d help get the ticker up by 1, it doesn’t cost the earth and perhaps gives you some value in being a member. Maybe you prefer to buy a jersey or something and that’s cool - would just be great for all our fans who aren’t currently members to help get the numbers up. Cheers.

 

[DinkumDog]

Newcastle have shown that its possible to maintain members and crowd numbers while not winning but it's not the case with the Dogs. I can't see the numbers improving too much until we have made the finals the season prior.

One team town probably helps.
Newcastle are very parochial.

 

[DinkumDog]

My question is: define ‘desperate’ in this context. NRL grant covers the salary cap + ~30%, leagues club grant covers a big chunk of the running costs of the footy club, it’s not like we can’t keep the lights switched on. No doubt there’s a gap they’re trying to close. I don’t recall a time (recently at least) where the Chair wrote to fans about becoming members so I don’t see it as a bad thing. Maybe a larger membership number helps with the pursuit of a major sponsor? I’m just trying to figure out why it sounds ‘desperate’ to some rather than just a simple and relevant communication?

 

[c-b-b]

The club need to look at what might have gone wrong with the renewal process.

As a 10+ year member no auto renew, mail outs or emails. I called to renew which suits me fine but there would be plenty like me who just thought it auto renewed when it didn't.

 

[Spoonman84]

My question is: define ‘desperate’ in this context. NRL grant covers the salary cap + ~30%, leagues club grant covers a big chunk of the running costs of the footy club, it’s not like we can’t keep the lights switched on. No doubt there’s a gap they’re trying to close. I don’t recall a time (recently at least) where the Chair wrote to fans about becoming members so I don’t see it as a bad thing. Maybe a larger membership number helps with the pursuit of a major sponsor? I’m just trying to figure out why it sounds ‘desperate’ to some rather than just a simple and relevant communication?

The whole tone of the email wrecks in desperation to me especially when you consider the current numbers and any other relevant communication from the club to get members to sign up prior to this one.

Saying that is a fans responsibly to invest and put their money where there mouth is pretty odd especially with the strong financial backing the club has.

It's like they have just realised the numbers are terrible and they are desperately trying to do something about it at the 11th hour.

 

[DinkumDog]

The club need to look at what might have gone wrong with the renewal process.

As a 10+ year member no auto renew, mail outs or emails. I called to renew which suits me fine but there would be plenty like me who just thought it auto renewed when it didn't.

I agree the renewal process isn’t great but there’s some integration with Ticketek or something from memory? Either way it’s not exactly seamless.

 

[DinkumDog]

The whole tone of the email wrecks in desperation to me especially when you consider the current numbers and any other relevant communication from the club to get members to sign up prior to this one.

Saying that is a fans responsibly to invest and put their money where there mouth is pretty odd especially with the strong financial backing the club has.

It's like they have just realised the numbers are terrible and they are desperately trying to do something about it at the 11th hour.

Sure, but with all due respect to every paying member (myself included) - getting a few thousand more is unlikely to close any financial gaps, so hence I’m wondering what a bigger meaning to the communication is, ie: if we were in the Top 5 clubs for membership numbers that might assist the pursuit of a major sponsor whose dollars WOULD make a difference to the costs of running the footy club. So I just think there’s more to it than asking fans for some of their hard earned...

 

[Raysie]

Want to be the #1 Sporting Brand in Australia, maybe focus on what you're selling to Australia and not just Sydney!

 

[Natboy]

Newcastle have shown that its possible to maintain members and crowd numbers while not winning but it's not the case with the Dogs. I can't see the numbers improving too much until we have made the finals the season prior.

I wish our fans had their continual passion/support and not just when we are winning

 

[Spoonman84]

Sure, but with all due respect to every paying member (myself included) - getting a few thousand more is unlikely to close any financial gaps, so hence I’m wondering what a bigger meaning to the communication is, ie: if we were in the Top 5 clubs for membership numbers that might assist the pursuit of a major sponsor whose dollars WOULD make a difference to the costs of running the footy club. So I just think there’s more to it than asking fans for some of their hard earned...

I think it’s probably got to do with attracting a major sponsor. Having the lowest Sydney figures and second lowest overall wouldn’t be a good look when trying to sell the club. I don’t think there is anymore hidden meaning to it besides the club hitting the panic button and pulling their finger out.

 

[Spoonman84]

I wish our fans had their continual passion/support and not just when we are winning

The 10k that have signed up are your rusted on loyal supporters and that’s not a bad number but every club has that element of fair weatherness. Some fans just don’t take it as seriously and see it as a entertainment event. If you were after a fun afternoon at the footy with the family you don’t get that when you are losing more then you win. It’s not easy to do but the club has to find a way of turning those fans that come for entertainment into the rusted on fan.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

View attachment 13190

The biggest thing to take away from this is how shit the roosters fans are... Still that low after all the recent success

 

[TwinTurbo]

Much like the Wabbits, Parramatta count EVERYTHING in their memberships, pets, babies, toddlers etc. Plus anyone who buys a one game ticket is also included as a member, and if you buy 2 one game tickets separately you get counted twice. Another plus, anyone who joins and buys a ticket to their one game in NT is also counted as a member. There were 5,400 in attendance at the NT game last year, how many were "members" I don't know. As a result their membership numbers are very much inflated.

Go Dogs

 

[Spoonman84]

Much like the Wabbits, Parramatta count EVERYTHING in their memberships, pets, babies, toddlers etc. Plus anyone who buys a one game ticket is also included as a member, and if you buy 2 one game tickets separately you get counted twice. Another plus, anyone who joins and buys a ticket to their one game in NT is also counted as a member. There were 5,400 in attendance at the NT game last year, how many were "members" I don't know. As a result their membership numbers are very much inflated.

Go Dogs

So we should be doing exactly the same thing. I couldn't care less if we inflate the numbers because reporting just the ticketed members is a embarrassing look.

 

[Natboy]

The 10k that have signed up are your rusted on loyal supporters and that’s not a bad number but every club has that element of fair weatherness. Some fans just don’t take it as seriously and see it as a entertainment event. If you were after a fun afternoon at the footy with the family you don’t get that when you are losing more then you win. It’s not easy to do but the club has to find a way of turning those fans that come for entertainment into the rusted on fan.

I agree mate but it’s just unfortunate we don’t have as many rusted on fans as other teams

 

[Spoonman84]

I agree mate but it’s just unfortunate we don’t have as many rusted on fans as other teams

I don't think we are that much different from other sides though apart from Newcastle. I think every other team would be similar or even worse then us in the same circumstances.

 

[flamebouyant]

You're spot on with all your points but on Parra I think getting a brand new purpose built stadium in the heart of their territory would make selling memberships a whole lot easier.

It was only a few years ago we had a competition with Parra to be the first to get 15000 members I think. The drop off has been massive.

That's a good point. Still, it's a massive jump. Cant remember the last time we had 25000 members.

 

[Spoonman84]

That's a good point. Still, it's a massive jump. Cant remember the last time we had 25000 members.

I don't think we have ever had 25k members.

 

[TwinTurbo]

So we should be doing exactly the same thing. I couldn't care less if we inflate the numbers because reporting just the ticketed members is a embarrassing look.

Game attendances are a good indication where the members numbers are fudged. Last year we averaged 15,274 at home games with 18,273 members and Parramatta averaged 18,396 with 25,250 members. Roughly 84% of our members attended games on average, whilst only 73% of Parramatta members attended their games. You would think that their brand new state of the art football stadium would attract a higher percentage of their members to games, but plainly it didn't. So either the venue isn't very attractive or their members numbers are inflated. I'm leaning to the latter.

Go Dogs

 

[Spoonman84]

Game attendances are a good indication where the members numbers are fudged. Last year we averaged 15,274 at home games with 18,273 members and Parramatta averaged 18,396 with 25,250 members. Roughly 84% of our members attended games on average, whilst only 73% of Parramatta members attended their games. You would think that their brand new state of the art football stadium would attract a higher percentage of their members to games, but plainly it didn't. So either the venue isn't very attractive or their members numbers are inflated. I'm leaning to the latter.

Go Dogs

No doubt they are inflated. I just don't see much point in us just giving out the ticketed member numbers when most other clubs are doing whatever they can to inflate theirs. You have to fight fire with fire.