Just out of interest - why?

Because it's a sign of strength...having your membership numbers slip when the club seems to be on the rise on the field is weak...

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

I'm not convinced signing your goldfish up as a member is a sign of strength, but each to their own. Membership figures are contrived..I really would like to see the breakdown of membership by type, but you never seem to get these answers.

As for Carlton, I'm still sticking with the fact that our Victorian numbers are suffering due to increased free-to-air TV coverage this year. It would also be interesting to see how many club members from previous years opted to go for the three-game membership...they're included in figures, but it's a financial loss if members have reverted to the $80 package.

J & K there is no scarf this year so we are stuck with a scarf that says 2009 on it, the cap is of very poor quality also.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Strength is in revenue generated from memberships. Reserve seating is the money maker.

Perfect example is I downgraded from Captains Club to Silver this year. It still counts as a membership, but the cost is a $400 loss to the club.

Next year when I'm more organised I'll buy my reserved seat again and the club will get that revenue back.

A good mate of mine had his dog put down last week. The dog had a great innings (95 dogs yo) so no tears shed, just a celebration of a life. The dog will be buried at the farm in the Otways today.

However, there may be a tear or two shed at the Hawthorn FC, because they lost a member.

It's revenue that really matters. It just happens that the revenue from memberships is an important stream coming into the club.

If as you think Doc the members have downgraded to 3 game memberships due to the excellent FTA coverage receives this year, then it's really important that the club spruiks and spruiks the 3 game membership to make up for the drop in revenue.

Where there is a will there's a way. Smart and committed people know how to make up any shortfalls. generate publicity to generate desire. If the Marketing Dept does not increase its membership numbers or revenues from memberships this year, I would suggest that they are the type who are satisfied with whatever they end up with and will use excuses such as FTA and Fev's departure to cover up any of their own shortfalls: not good enough imo.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I've brought up this question before.

Has anyone seen a single membership ad for Carlton on tv?

I have Foxtel, and I'm pretty sure I've seen membership ads for basically every other team except for ours.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I have noticed this too Donstuie.... Hmmmm

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Don't look at me, I'm irrelevant....

I am actually with Juddy and the Kreuzers on this one Or perhaps more specifically Tommi

To me it is all about what I am giving to the club rather than the other way around. For the kiddies I can understand giving them a little extra and a few pretty things, but I would much prefer my money to go into the football department. I buy my memberships for the family, merchandise, donate etc, but what I want to see is a team having a red hot go and that at the end of the day is enough for me. For a number of years we didn't get that and unfortunately neither did we get the investment in the football department for various reasons.

Each to their own though and perhaps the club could be a bit better at enticing and or keeping happy those who expect a bit more to sign up or continue with their membership.

I want to compliment you Juddy for an impassioned and thought provoking plea about what it means to be a Carlton supporter and a paid up member of our great club. It has certainly given me cause to stop and reflect, with some guilt, given that I don’t currently hold membership for 2010. Everyone’s circumstances are different and what follows below is not an attempt to justify my position, but merely to indicate the position some people who may be similar to me find themselves in.

I first became a Carlton member in 1966 as a young child. I still remember the hard cardboard junior membership tickets which you’d have clicked at the turnstiles on entry to Princes Park. I was a member for many many years as a child and adult and have held social club and social gold memberships over the years. I particularly liked the social club memberships at Princes Park because I loved sitting in the social club with like minded fanatics and having a drink and something to eat on match day in reasonable surroundings. Since Carlton moved to the MCG and Etihad for home games a number of years ago I have not been that impressed with the value of social club memberships given the very ordinary facilities offered at those venues., However I have I paid for regular memberships for myself and my children and we continued these right up until very recently. I contributed the $1000 to the Heroes stand when we were in serious financial strife. I have bought lots of merchandise from the Carlton shop, go to the Best and Fairests, and rarely miss a game, even travelling to interstate games in Adelaide twice in the last 3 years (not that pleasant).

My MCC membership finally came through about 5 years ago, and at about $450 per year is good value for a variety of reasons, particularly given the superb dining room and bar facilities and balcony seating. I never go to non-Carlton games, and hardly ever use the MCC membership in cricket season. Given that Carlton play at the MCG about 10 times this year and that visitors tickets, balcony passes and even members dining room tables are easy to access and good value, watching the game at the G is a great pleasure.

For purely financial reasons buying a membership just for Etihad stadium doesn’t make much financial sense. I pay general admission at Etihad at the gate. My youngest child is now 16 and not eligible any more for junior Carlton membership (always superb value and bought for him since he was 4 years old) but I couldn’t justify a full membership for him or me just for Etihad games alone this year.

I’m not interested in the caps or trinkets or badges that come with membership. For me the pragmatics are that I want good quality seating with reasonable facilities. There’s also the feel-good issue of supporting the club financially which I’m not currently doing. I have also received text messages from Chris Judd about renewing my sons and mine Carlton memberships, but haven’t responded.

Against my better judgement and with your exhortations ringing in my ears, I have today bought full adult Carlton memberships for myself and my son for the remainder of the year. I can afford it, but my wife will kill me if she finds out that I have been so irresponsible. Will I do it next year again, maybe not. I’m not Catholic or Jewish so I cant understand why I feel guilty.

There are thousands and thousands of Carlton supporting MCC members who would probably buy a Carlton Etihad membership if something appealing was offered in future years. I think membership packages need to be more varied and tailored to specific requirements. For me, good quality seating and facilities top the bill, at reasonable, not necessarily sensational, value.

You may not be John F. Kennedy Juddy but the great mans words ring true here. “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”

Been a member every year since 1994... I enjoyed the wave of success in the mid 90s and first few years of the 00s, then had to sit through countless beltings during the Denis Pagan dark years. Loving it now that we're charging back up the ladder.
Not once during the time I've ben a member have I ever contemplated not renewng my membership....

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Rick, i may have misunderstood what you are saying but a Carlton Etihad membership already exists for MCC members.

Well there you go. Had no idea. Thanks for that ppw. Have blown money needlessly. No excuses for next year then.

It`s only for Carlton home games but is a fair bit cheaper.

but we have BILLBOARDS....

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#23: Lachlan Henderson

spot on doc.

collingwood is a prime example.

could a person buy 4 x 3 game memberships and be considered as 4 different members?

collingwood sold their 3 game membership with a reserve seat for the Anxac game, how many, non collingwood people bought memberships with the filth to get a ticket to the anzac clash etc..

they have 50k+ members ... but how many are 11 & 17 game members?

for memberships there are only two things that should could.

11 home game membership
17 home and away game membership

no membership for dogs, cats, fish or pigs, no membership for 3 games etc..

if its not 11 & 17, it shouldnt matter a jot.

on a side note, what we get for being a member, compared to other clubs is just plain shit. last year they got it right with the scarves, this year it was just very cheap.

make it a revenue raiser and you can pay for the scarf as an extra to your membership (and you can only get it as a member) and i dont think most would ahve a problem with that, but the hat we got this year, is well, jsut plain rubbish.

the club is getting alot of things right at the minute, but i think they still need to have a look at the memberships and what they offer. increase it slightly if it means we get a better overall package. Scarf, Hat etc.. would be $60 a year added to your membership, which is about $1.25 p/w or for those of us that do the monthly subscription an extra $5 per month. you wouldnt even notice that!!!

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

I get what you're saying, Scott, but where's the incentive then to get long-distance, or interstate members?

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

im not saying they shouldnt offer them, i just think that only the 11 and 17 game membership should count as to the "membership" tally etc..

its all rubbish anyways.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

I know what you're saying, Scott, but again, why bother handing out money for membership when it counts for nought but a warm feeling? My membership gets me 11 match entry, but given work and family commitments, not to mention finances, mean that I probably won't get to see a Carlton home match this season, unless it's towards the end of the year.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Um l wouldn't be dissin fellow Carlton supporters cos they had a disagreement about the Fev trade!!!