Donstuie wrote:
Stephen,
this is all you need to know.
Thanks Donstuie,
Last night I listed all of the feedback received. Tomorrow I will be making an appointment to see Clinton Bown. Please let me tell you all - I understand. Notwithstanding the business of AFL football requires a strong business focus, we remain a "members' club". Each 10,000 members equates to approximately $1,500,000+. That means that 10,000 members can be the difference between making a profit and a loss. I acknowledge, having been on the board for the last 6 years, that as a Club, we need to embrace our supporters better than we have done. In all things, there must be compromises. The AFL controls so much of what the clubs can do. For example, I have three kids but can only have a family membership that comprises 2 adults and 2 kids. This means I have always had to buy an individual membership for one of my children. I have asked why? I don't have an issue paying the additional amount for a family membership of 5. However, our membership processes and indeed our website, are controlled by the AFL. If you go to another website (a friend of mine showed me the Hawks website the other day because it was about Rats introducing some new training methods) you will notice the background music is exactly the same as you hear on our videos.
I have no doubt that as we approach the end of the current Etihad contract, the Club will push for more games at the MCG (I am sure we would all applaud such an outcome). The AFL is contracted to play a certain number of games at Etihad. This will play a part in any negotiations for seasons beyond 2014.
I make no promises as to whether the Club will adopt some or many of the suggestions you have made but I can promise you I will take each and everyone up with Clinton and I will report back to you. Clinton "gets" it - he is responsible for achieving certain KPIs and membership numbers is one of those. I have no doubt I will get a fair hearing and look forward to reporting back to you all.
Cheers
Stephen