I love spirited debate so keep it coming?
That said there are a number of separate issues being debated concurrently here so in answer to some of the points raised and in reply to some questions directly to me here are a few points
MSWSE “shut downâ€Â
The real reason why people couldn’t post for a period this weekend was due to technical problems – not censorship.
Other areas of the site including merchandise sales, ticket and event bookings and other pages were also not working?
When the problem was notified to the club it was rectified as soon as possible.
When the forum has been closed/suspended previously the supporters have been notified why and warning messages were posted to remind people of the rules and their obligations when it was re-opened.
Re banning posters – this happened to at least 2 people that I know of…but as mentioned, as the site can’t be monitored 24/7 the real possibility and risk of material being posted that may be damaging to the club or individuals connected to it remaining un-moderated was understandably not one that the club were prepared to wear so they acted accordingly.
MWSE forum posts
MB was, as Mata said “on the money†re closing the forum down previously…CC I remember seeing posts directly “quoted† (lifted!) from the official forum appearing in the press.
(From memory even Matabele was quoted in one article but not sure if that was a direct quote or lifted from a forum post?)
Regular readers will recall my notes of caution re discussing the Brett Stewart affair in a public forum and the incredible number of “guests†that were logged in during that time?
As to people being blinkered…you get that (We even have a “one eyed eagle" posting in this thread?)
I’m a big believer in the motto “If you carry a big sword then you need a big shield†– ie if you are going to go public and be critical of people or process then be prepared that there will be others who may disagree and will take you to task…It seems that people find that acceptable on here but not on the official site?
Memberships
The number of Screaming Eagles membership for the 2009 season has risen significantly and all credit to the club and in particular it’s membership team for their efforts.
The key point on this is that the revenue from memberships has risen nearly 50% in the current season (numbers of members is important but ultimately it’s the dollars that count?)
I’m reliably told that the Sea Eagles are 3rd in the member revenue stakes in the Sydney market and considering the limited resources available to run this side of the business (The people that work in the membership team also wear many other hats due to budgetary/staffing constraints) that is to be considered an excellent result.
Key changes to the membership packages which included a number of “user pays†initiatives (ie if you don’t need it or can’t use it then you don’t pay for it (Such as bus travel for away games)) flexi-passes (For those that can’t commit to a full home seasons games) etc.) are as a direct result of listening to the wants and needs of the supporter base.
The numbers of out of town members has also risen significantly and the social functions that were held in Brisbane and the Gold Coast were pretty much sold out with big numbers turning out to support the team at these games which is indicative of the broad support the club has and its programs to convert these people to become members has shown fruit.
There are at least around 100 people traveling to Melbourne for the game and the official allocation of game tickets have been sold and the pre-game function is a sell out (last year I travelled there with kids and saw about 9 of the “regulars†being Mouse, Shane and AJ and Sue and the girls from Mudgee and co.)
So Screaming Eagles membership continues to rise and the increased awareness of the importance of this financial revenue stream for the club is encouraging but of course it is important to maintain this growth.
I personally have no official involvement in growing these numbers (Screaming Eagles) or any real influence on what is done to promote membership.
That said, whenever possible I will do what I can to assist in gaining new members and helping dollars in the door (including of course posting on here?) and am curious why some people still find it amusing to down play the importance of assisting in raising revenue for the club that they claim to support
If anyone has any ideas, suggestions or silver bullets to contribute I’m sure the club will be happy to listen or post them here and I’ll present them?
Football Club
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I see the long term security of the club lies with having a strong membership base.
Much as I’m extremely appreciative of the financial support that the Penn and Delmege families have given (and continue to give) to the club, we have seen how this can be a double edged sword and in the times of financial uncertainty then the business of having a footy team on the field and in the top flight can’t be built on the largesse of a couple of private individuals.
At some stage I would like to see that the Football Club buys back a portion of the franchise and that the supporters via this process have more ownership and say in the direction of the club.
You may recall that I am now taking a more active role in increasing membership of the Football Club and will attend a board meeting tomorrow (not sure if I will get a free sandwich but will make full disclosure for Matabele’s benefit on Thursday).
I have presented a draft plan to the board and the feedback so far has been positive and once it has been signed off I will of course be keen to share it with you
The Football Club are the original “owners†of the team and in reality is the one membership that is answerable to its membership so that is why I used the term “ownershipâ€Â
That said, to my mind there are 2 aspects involved in membership - being firstly keeping the franchise solvent and having an income stream to support the business (Screaming Eagles membership, match attendances and merchandise etc) and secondly growing the finances of the Football Club to allow it to take more ownership and reduce the reliance on hefty private equity from a limited number of benefactors
Sea Eagles “Brandâ€Â
The pre-season events and the well documented in-fighting whilst not ideal do not appear to have impacted too negatively on the brand fortunately.
I’m unaware of any sponsors pulling out or even high level talks having to be made (a la LG for the Sharks, Samsung for the Roosters etc) to salvage potential pulling of funds.
The list of current club sponsors can be seen here http://www.mwse.com.au/default.aspx?s=sponsor-directory
And it great to see so many businesses get behind the club.
That said, a strong membership base of supporters (say another 10,000 Screaming Eagles members) would add over half a million dollars a year to the income stream?)
It is a challenge and one that people far more cluey than I are constantly pondering on finding the answer to (There are all manner of research projects, marketing experts and analysts trying to figure that out for the code as a whole not just for the Sea Eagles?)
We are still a “community club†and we are one of the few that still play at a provincial ground.
The players and officials do a whole host of good things for the local community and various charitable entities so I feel some return from the community and supporters of the team is warranted if we are to have a long term future for the Sea Eagles to remain on the Northern Beaches
In answer to the quote “How does going to the game equate with ‘taking more ownership’? Do movie-goers take ownership of Hollywood film studios? I thought by attending we are just paying for entertainment.â€Â
A reasonable analogy but let me put it this way…If the NRL said we had to move to Orange tomorrow and play our games there could only be around 10-12,000 that realistically would be able to say that they disagreed with that decision as it directly affected them?
People watching on TV wouldn’t be inconvenienced as the venue doesn’t affect them directly (I know there will be validity on home ground advantage, history etc etc) but the fact remains that you only miss the water when the well is dry.
Strong attendances dictate a venue – how many whinge about teams playing at Homebush?
The fact that the home club is given $100,000 in revenue (sponsorship) from ANZ guaranteed compared to the poor attendances and low revenue from playing at “traditional†grounds is testament to this.
It was documented by Grant Meyer that revenue from playing at Gosford exceeded revenue from playing at Brookie – if more people got to games at Brookvale then this would cease to be an issue and Gosford would not be as attractive from a financial point of view (hence me saying people taking “ownership†of the future of the club)
Ultimately, I would hope that all who post on here want what is best for the club and are keen to see its future secure.
As a group of passionate supporters there will always be differences of opinions on how that is achieved…some make valid points and back up their ideas with facts and common sense and have a willingness to get involved and support the team.
Others are mischievous and vexatious and can be ignored as they are invariably happy to criticize but offer no clue on how to improve things but rather find perverse joy in battering others for trying or getting involved in some official capacity…… (We’ve all seen posts criticizing Philip Dean, Kerry Sibraa, Peter Spray, Bob Reilly and Peter Bryant and others who all work tirelessly for the club for no personal financial gain?)
Not for one minute do I think I have all the answers…I wish I did!
I do however feel that now is the time that our team and club really needs our support and would appreciate us getting behind them to help lift them during this important part of the season.
Moving forward, the more like minded people that are willing to do their bit to support the club financially and through spreading the word, doing volunteer work, getting to a game and putting money in the coffers the better.
Happy to hear any ideas, suggestions or comments from people…?
Vidmar