I think Carlton media promote the rebuild pretty well through their website and twitter.

I don't read the msm guff or listen and watch their shows so all I'm getting is positive messaging.

I agree. You can squeeze only so much out of our supporter base right now. The next jump will be when we make top 4 and go deep into finals. Then we'll be relevant to that tier of supporters who currently can't get interested enough and choose to spend their money elsewhere.

I'd like to know how many interstate members we have. Looking at the category Interstate it seems pretty steep for what is essentially a donation:

ADULT: $20/mth ($120 annual) | BUY NOW

CONC.: $15/mth ($90 annual) | BUY NOW

JUNIOR: $11.67/mth ($70 annual) | BUY NOW

Compare that to Digital ($110) and non access ($60). If you want your numbers looking good (personally my CFC-esteem is not built on it) get the interstaters on board.

That's fine if that's where you receive all your information from. I suspect you're a member.
If so, you are not the issue when it comes to membership numbers.

I agree the one off 20 minute episode of "The Journey" episode gives us a fantastic insight. I think there's 3 episodes over how long a period? 12 months?
I can watch it twice maybe thrice but then that's done.

Most Carlton supporters do not receive Twitter feeds.

Most Carlton supporters do get exposed to mainstream media and the views of tcommentators. They dominate the footy landscape, not an episode of The Journey every 6 months.

The question revolves around our stalled membership numbers, and why we are behind last year. I'm sure The Journey and Twitter does not dominates the thinking of non members. Therefore imo the club needs to do more externally than the bubble of the website and Twitter. It's a big world out there, and you have to go out and get it.

I'm welded on. I by a lot of memberships for family and friends, in part, to keep Carlton relevant amongst friends for my family, otherwise my friend, the conversation about Carlton would be dominated by mainstream media goons like King, Lloyd, Cornes...whereas we can laugh at how the kids ofmy friens are Carlton members whilst the parents are Demons, Saints, Pies etc supporters.

Maybe you have a different theory as to why our numbers have stalled, or to the point, whether or not The Journey and Twitter feeds are enough to see Carlton FC surpass last year's membership total.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

No i gave up my membership when board elections ceased, but that's a separate issue.

Each week there's multiple player interviews, a weekly news and injury report and coach pressers twice a week, not sure what else you need.

I certainly don't need uninformed msm rubbish based on the agenda of an industry hack that's for sure.

Btw, our membership is low because our supporters are theatre goers like Sydney supporters. It will pick up when we start winning.

agree about numbers with Rexy and yes our community of tragics here will look for greenshoots debuts young players etc - those not so rusted on think we are going to be 18 th and will be lucky to win a couple of games for the year and if our skill level continues like last Thursday night there will be a huge drop off from those not very interested and not incentivised to buy membership - you can only watch episodes of Benny Hill so many times until it doesn't become funny and for some the first time watching that show isn't funny

What can the club do ,to improve the membership.Tigers,Pies even the Cheats have no issue getting 55thou +we will be lucky to get 50thou ,we may have a lot of supporters around the country but very few are members . To many of our supporters give excuses ,the only excuse in my opinion is one cant afford to buy a membership. I know success breeds success and with that comes more members etc,but it wont be happening for a while so get used to it . Our list is improving and finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel,get on board the ride will be bumpy but it will be worth it at the end

I see where you are coming from, but the point I'm making isn't about you.

From what you say you probably don't know what's going on in mainstream. Key word "Main"

Its about the noise most people hear...most kids hear....and there's no good news about Carlton...they have to look for it.

Good chance they will turn to another team or another code. They're kids...and they are the future.

MacDonalds marketed to kids and still do. Kids took their parents to Maccas.
Kids ordered ad ate 1 Big Mac with fries and a coke and dad ordered and ate 2 big Macs, large fries, coke and some...

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Maybe the case, but Sydney is a new kid on the block in a non AFL domain with AFL support, whereas Carlton are 150 yo and in 1995 Morgan polls stated there were over 500,000 Carlton supporters in Australia, and more than Sydney in Sydney at the time...in the mean time whilst we have fallen on hard times, other teams are at 60 and 70 K members and they will continue to grow and be attractive to big sponsors (who can help us pay our debt)

How many members will Carlton attract when we start winning games again?
When will that happen? What if we become middle of the road, which is possible? Do we still wait for good news to hit mainstream?

What happens if we start to win games and we achieve 60K members? Will that be enough to get us out of debt, which TPP increases?

Will we be as attractive to sponsors as teams with 70-90K members?

The gap is growing.

Nothing to do with you and your blew with Carlton FC, its more general than that. General Public.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

It's a free country and each to their own. If parents choose to get their daily fill from the msm and their kids follow their lead then that's their business.

I see it (msm crap) as a bit like drinking alcohol or smoking or speeding. There's nothing good that comes from it. But again, that's only my opinion, each to their own.

True.

I believe the club can do better to make news happen in the mainstream.

Sitting around waiting for things to come aint a strategy.

You know large corporations increase their advertising in tough economic times not decrease. They spruik and promote.
The opposition don't slander them.

CFC seem to be sitting on their hands and happy to believe our website does enough promotion for us and for the general public, the potential members whilst out in the real world our opponents are just slandering us.

You wouldn't just stand there if someone was punching you in the mouth repeatedly.

What I'm suggesting if we continue with this strategy we are likely to lose more members in 2018.

Not my problem. Just saying.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Literally buying into the mainstream AFL media crap is simply feeding and endorsing the monster.

I choose to starve it.

I dont know if it is true but according to Big Footy we have 2000 less members than this time last year .If this is true then all Carlton supporters ,committee,players and members should be very ashamed .We are well behind the following teams Hawks,Tigers,Pies,Bombers and even the Cats. Very sad if our membership doesnt improve in the next few years I can see us being shipped to Tasmania within the next 5-10 years .

We won't be shipped anywhere. People are fickle, deliver results on field and watch our membership sky rocket. It's that simple.

Over the last 10 - 15 years we have become "St Kilda like" and supporters have had a gut full

Pretty obvious why our membership numbers have stagnated

Even Essendon* have had more success over that period and that is saying something considering their off field dramas

Although we should be more proactive in changing our supporters mindset when it comes to their affinity to the club. We need to ensure great support even when we are struggling on the field.

Or maybe the Club should start questioning 'Why'?

We ain't the most attractive brand anymore. And i get the whole need for 'support' and getting behind the club, but all the club has done for the past 20years is feed its supporters bullshit and i think a lot of supporters have just had enough. Rightly so too.

For the record, im a paid up member. I just got back from living in Europe for 4 years and even when i was overseas I was a member, i always will be. But I respect other supporters decisions not to sign up. Their voting with their hard-earned dollars. That's their right.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Yep. I used to think it was the club for not promoting themselves well enough. But there can be no excuses now.

The club has refreshed itself and delivered what we've been screaming for.
- New coaching staff.
- Refreshed playing list filled with young talent.
- An actual list-management strategy.
- Forward-thinking Pres/CEO.
- Improved communication and fan engagement (closed training sessions...boo @#$%&! hoo)
- Plan for sustained success in near future and beyond.

The one thing that isn't there yet: WINS.

I remember when one of the previous board members was on here blaming "apathetic supporters" for the low numbers, and how we only respond to wins. For a long time I thought he was out of touch, but time has proven him right.

(Negative media doesn't help either, but we can't help that when the media is filled with Essendon-supporting sycophants)

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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

Agree with what you are saying. Carlton supporters have been spoilt over the years and have come to expect success.
Our last 15 years have been pretty frustrating, experiencing a few good seasons, but on the whole we have endured a lot of poor years.
I have a gut full, although I still am a member, in all honesty am finding it difficult to get motivated to even go to the games.
Which makes me curious why Richmond have so many members. Are they now just conditioned to failure that it doesnt bother them anymore?

Richmond have the most passionate supporters and the club have done a great job harnessing that passion

They should be the template that guides us when getting matters right off the field

They have turned it around beautifully