This is my first post on TalkingCarlton. I'm a passionate member and have enjoyed reading the posts on this website. I thought I would add in my 2 cents worth generally on the club.
I am pretty positive (or hopeful) about the club at the moment. This is absolutely the kick in the guts the club needed to reposition itself to compete with Essendon* and Collingwood. I know of others who felt the same when I say our supporters en-masse were becoming too passive about the clubs success. I don't think we were far off becoming Dee-like in terms of the atmosphere at Carlton games.
There is no reason why the club emerge from this bigger and better than ever. And in an holistic sense - not just on the field. This is a great opportunity for the club to completely reposition itself, much like I think Essendon* did in the early 90's. The club can completely distance itself from tags of arrogance and privelage. And for all but the die-hards like myself, Carlton was becoming an unattractive club to follow.
When I lined up for GF tiks in 93 we had more members than Essendon*. I wouldn't have believed that Essendon* could have more supporters than Carlton. Within a couple of years, people were saying Essendon* possibly had more support than Collingwood. Perhaps I just had it wrong, although I believe Essendon* were just clever in building the support to become the most "fashionable" club in the aFL to follow.
It started with the 'baby bombers'. (it also roughly coincided with a move to the MCG). They marketed their players well. They went to all parts of the country - Kevin Sheedy was marketable and everywhere. They tried to create rivalries with everyone. Supporters like rivalries and blockbusters. I must admit I thought at the time (even as we were winning the premiership in 95) it would be pretty exciting to be an Essendon* supporter.
I remember Essendon* supporters had these giant hands at the GF in 1993 - it was unbelievably irrating at the end of the game as the supporters launched them in the air to the song "see the bombers fly up, up". Essendon* continue to do this sort of thing - providing their members with things to wave around (fingers, plastic battens etc...) It creates a spectical and builds atmosphere. It creates a perception of more Essendon* support than there actually is.
Carlton have been left behind in my view. Even when we won 95.
Collingwood and Essendon* games (not just against each other) seem to be bigger events wtih more excitement than Carlton games . I think its commonly accepted now that Essendon* and Collingwood are way out in front in terms of total supporter base. I'm sure it didn't used to be that way (at least with Essendon*). Carlton are now in a similar position to Essendon* in 93 - we have a number of very exciting young players coming through. Realistically, it won't be too long before we become a very competitive team again - the draft should ensure we do. The club really needs to use this period as the springboard to changing its profile off the field and the excitement / atmoshpere at the game. Even with a crap team, Essendon* appear to generate tremendous excitement and sense of occasion.
And with this, little things make a difference. Banners, cheer squads, merchandise - anything that creates colour and vibe. The Carlton crowd need to get more involved. I really hope the board introduces some marketing talent to the board - because this is the time when we need to get it right. I'd love to know what has happened to our cheer squad - why do we have the smallest cheer squad in the comp - and fairly poor banners that reflect it? Why can't the club support the cheer squad. Little things like this all add up to make a difference. I think the club also needs to find itself a more passionate leader - either playing or off-field leader. I don't see anyone at the moment. I think Kouta is a wonderful person, but I believe he is just playing out his contract at the moment. Lacks energy and drive. And I don't see anybody off-field putting up their hand either. I deal with Graham Smorgon a fair bit in business, and I fear he is not the rousing leader we need. Love him or hate him, at least David Smorgon appears passionate.

Welcome to TC klomp and congratulations on making your first post.

I agree that the marketing efforts of the Club have us a poor secnd, third, fifth... whatever... we ar ejust miles behind other Clubs. Some of it is to do with money, some to do with laziness, and some just living off history. We need to do better and our marketing efforts need to be redoubled.

On the plus side, it's a lot easier to market our new bunch of kids than it was our VFL team of the year from 2002, so hopefully some new ideas / Directors etc. can infiltrate the Club and improve going forward.

Believe it or not if we do this properly... the last few years including Black Friday will probably be the best thing thats ever happened to this club.
It should force us into the this millenium.. force us to use the draft better.. and make sure some thought is put into planning instead of living day to day.
the club was in decline long before the recession hit.

Im hoping we can get out of la la land.. and make all the right choices so were back where we belong.. not put our heads in the sand and not see what REALLY needs to be done ...

When youre last very little is a risk.. cos youre last.

So you can make the hard decisions but make sure you make them with an eye to your next flag... not to just live day to day.. cos if we come out of this a safe day to day club it just wasnt worth it!!!

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I've been thinking the same thing....but you have put in writing.
Great Post Keep it up...

I think 2008 will determine where we are really going as a football club.
If WesterBulldogs,Geelong can reverse things so quick, why cant we?
I think more junk has to go by the end of this season and add more youth and character to our list.
If Bentdick,Simmo,Murphy,Walker,Carazzo,Betts can set the foundations we will be back better quicker than ppl think.

I agree - 2008 should be the year we really look to emerge. And this opportunity cannot be lost.
There are a number of fronts the club needs to use to rebuild itself (aside from playing stocks). Some require money, but most in my view require creativity and intelligence. I sure hope they are formulating something. I look forward to the day when I hear the "Carlton" chant reverberate around an arena - I don't feel like I've heard this for a decade. I miss fever pitch support, the energetic cheer squad that actually has the capacity to lead a crowd (as it used to) and surely we can get every junior member a flag. It can't be that expensive can it. Colour, oomph, excitement! It will both be lifted by the team, and lift the team.

There's a hell of a lot to be said for actually doing something yourself, and not just waiting for 'them' or 'they' to formulate something.

Wow!!! Great post Klompy. You can tell by the way it stayed intelligent right through. We need more of this kind of thread instead of some of the inane banter and name calling that goes on.

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The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!

A lover of history...

Thanks Molsy. The 'them' or 'they' are appointed by the members on behalf of the members to act in the club's best interests. We can't have 30k people run the club. As for contributing ideas and suggestions, I have emailed the marketing department a number of times on matters, although not sure that this is really all that effective. I suspect they get a lot of 'helpful advice' from people. At the end of the day, unless you can afford to run for office, the best an individual can do is elect the most capable board who in turn elects the best officers to run the club.

Great post klomp.

Nice name too. I always thought there was something quite onomatopoeic about Robert Klomp when he was running around way back when. Good, solid, dependable, no fuss, and if you hit him with a really big piece of wood, it'd make a sound a lot like klomp! Then he'd brush himself off and get straight back up again.

Can it, numnuts.

Wonderful post klomp.

On the theme of crowd gimmicks, it was good to see the club giving away thousands of GO BLUES signs at the Sydney game that roll out when you pull the two handles apart.

My 6 year old niece got a lot of enjoyment out of this simple 'toy' which enhanced the whole experience of her first game of football.

So kudos to the club for that initiative.

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

Or help in the Blueseum.....

(Walked into that one!)

See what I mean? Ahh should that not be numbnuts?

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The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!

Just hope we don't become a banana club.

Wonder if you could win the colour TV set with 7 possessions these days ...

Essendon* played Carlton late in the year at the G that year - 67000 were there. 42000 of them would have been Essendon*. I think you are dreaming if you think we had more supporters than Essendon* in 93.

CG
Footy Expert

yeah and I heard they were fed with five loaves and a fish or two

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

3600 posts on here and god knows how many thousand on TBV. Good to see the shit just never stops flowing, how about a poem to put the icing on the cake?

how about a parting of the waves? Come on...

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!