Membership Apathy - food for thought

[The Wheel]

NRL CEO Calls on fans to support the game26/06/2008 - By Manly Sea Eagles


Over the past few seasons we have seen a radical changes surrounding membership in the NRL. AFL have lead the way and only now are codes such as Rugby League and Soccer are seeing the benefits in having a strong membership base.  A key to the change in thinking was the realization that membership was not only an important benefit to fans but a key to the long term growth of our game.

With so much pressure coming from the expanding AFL and A-Leagues, NRL clubs, in the majority, have embraced Membership as a way of securing our future.

“It is a message we have been working on for some time,” NRL Chief Executive Mr David Gallop said today.

“The NRL has already invested heavily in support for the clubs in driving membership and it is time for clubs and fans to accept that this is a change in the way we all support the game.

“People want to see their teams prosper, they want to see the best players remain in the NRL … and the most powerful influence fans can have on that is to sign up as a member of their team.”

Fairly stern words from the NRL CEO however the message is clear.  If we want to survive we all need to embrace membership as the best way we can support the club.

At the Sea Eagles we are already well underway with planning for our 2009 membership program, we are only waiting on the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle, could the Brookie redevelopment be ready for 2009!  We expect to have an answer in the coming months.

DID YOU KNOW?

• In AFL and A-League when they refer to membership they are only talking about full Season Ticket Holders.  Most clubs in the AFL only offer two types of membership a full season ticket and a country membership (half a season only offered to fans who live well away from their club). 
• Some AFL Clubs have more members than their stadiums can hold! 
• The Melbourne FC (AFL) are coming stone motherless last and they set a new membership record this year.
• A-League Clubs like Sydney and Melbourne only have full season memberships and have more members than most NRL clubs.

 

[Dan]

Wheel please put these on the front page going forward

 

[Guest]

Gallop should have negotiated higher TV income and the NRL clubs would be a lot stronger.  This is all to cover up his inadequacies and the fact that he is Channel 9 and Newscorp stooge.

 

[Dan]

Gallop is absolutely useless!

As for regional memberships it jsut isn't a reality here. They shouldn't consist of a half yearly entry just a fee to join etc.

Dan

 

[Canteen Worker]

I agree. The NRL should charge much higher TV fees to Fox/9 and that revenue used to support the clubs.

Hang on - the game is owned by a media company??? No wonder there is such a level of conflict.

To have all games scheduled at the start of the year, giving all clubs equal access to Friday and Sunday games etc would go a way to alleviating some of the problems and a more equal playing field.

 

[DSM5]

Mr Meyer, as a member who pays upfront for all home games, I'm pissed I have to travel to Gosford for a 'home' game.  I've been posting for ages that Gallop is the problem.  He's the idiot in the woodpile.  He's like Iemma, asleep at the wheel and in his waking moments can't/won't make decisions in the best interest of the game.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Mr Meyer, as a member who pays upfront for all home games, I'm pissed I have to travel to Gosford for a 'home' game.  I've been posting for ages that Gallop is the problem.  He's the idiot in the woodpile.  He's like Iemma, asleep at the wheel and in his waking moments can't/won't make decisions in the best interest of the game.

He is far from being an idiot.

He is a lawyer, manager & administrator and a fairly good one. He is however, in this scenario, a stooge & when all is said & done he is simply an employee who is told the strategic picture. He doesnt set or orchestrate the strategic picture.

He is not the problem to focus upon.

 

[Fluffy]

so i gallop the new messiah or what?

 

[SilentBob]

Blah blah blah