How St Kilda's membership stacks up to other Vic clubs

[SaintDebi]

StFid, first up let me say categorically that I think anyone who CAN buy memberships to support our club should do, and frankly if there isn't a financial (or other) reason legitimately stopping them, I dont understand how they cannot WANT to be a member. But just a suggestion to answer one of your questions in an earlier post: Why would a member line up to buy a seat at a game where there is plenty of seating? (did I understand correctly that that was what you were asking?) - maybe they don't like to sit on level 3 and are trying to get better seats? I know that even though I have a membership for away games I still purchase a seat for those games because I prefer not to sit on level 3. This is just a guess though, cos I have my reserved seat for home games, so I don't really know how upgrading members seating at home games would actually work.

[chook23]

Was an interview on SEN

spokesman ..not sure of his name

I am sure he stated only 3 game memberships or above counted in official membership numbers.....

Hawthorn as stated had approx 6700 in Tassie (4 game?)
Pies have a 3 game membership package


Overall though our membership number is very poor.

[Mr Magic]

Was an interview on SEN

spokesman ..not sure of his name

I am sure he stated only 3 game memberships or above counted in official membership numbers.....

Hawthorn as stated had approx 6700 in Tassie (4 game?)
Pies have a 3 game membership package


Overall though our membership number is very poor.

Depends on the actual dollars it brings in.

I would not be surprised to see that our 28000+ this year is actually bringin in more $ than last year's 32000.


That's not to say that our total couldn't/shouldn't be better, just that raw numbers often don't tell teh whole story accurately. ( a bit like Jason Blake's 18 errors last week! )

[SaintDebi]

Thinking about "sneaky" membership numbers made me think back a couple of years (maybe 3 or 4?), and just wondered if anyone else had this experience?
At the time our oldest daughter had just gotten too old to be part of our family membership so we had changed to her own membership leaving us with a family membership with mum, dad and one other daughter. A short while later we got a call from the membership dept saying our family membership NEEDED to have another junior member on it and did we have anybody else who could take that membership, whether thay were part of our immediate family or not. We nominated our young nephew, a footy fan that loves any game, but who we told the club was a bulldogs supporter, and who did not live with us. He was the only other person in that age group who we could take at that time. Sure enough, shortly after, addressed to him, but at my address arrived his full members package. He enjoyed a year of saints footy, but is still a doggies supporter (with a soft spot for our boys), but didn't renew when he got old enough for his own membership. We still get mail outs to him here as a lapsed member, but didn't hear from the boys on Tuesday night.
We thought this was all pretty odd at the time, and did query the membership dept about it, but I'm thinking now it might have been a scheme to boost our membership numbers at the time?
Anyway, I wasn't into SS, or any other forums at the time, so didn't get the chance to ask if anyone else had a similar experience. So I am asking now. Was there anyone else, or just us?

[saintbart]

I was a member with my son last year, but because of junior footy on Sundays, a membership is not worthwhile for me this year. I am not in a position just to buy a membership to donate to the club.

In all, I have worked out that I can attend approximately 10 or 11 games this year, but most of these are away games, and nearly all are not on Sundays.

When 'Ask Archie' was up and running on Saints Central, I asked about future membership packages that were more flexible so that I could still go to my 10 or 11 games irrespective of whether they were home or away. He said this, along with other ideas, will be presented to the AFL to try to include in next year's packages.

By the way, I will be going to the game tonight, but buying a General Admission level 3 seat at the ground.

[Scottish Saint]

I don't dispute that the Hawks are claiming they have close to 50,000 members.
BUT
I also don't trust their public announcements either.

How many memberships have they sold that are actually 'sponsorship monies' converted into memberships?

A truer figure of the worth of their 'record membership sales' would be to see the actual dollars they claim they've collected from membership sales?

That's the true figure to compare, not the declared number sold.

It's possible that our 28,000 memberships sold may bring in nearly as much (in dollar terms) as their 50,000? In this raw statistic we are probably not comparing like for like?

I heard Ian Robson? (Hawk ceo) state that they'd sold 6600 Tassie 4 game memberships (included in their total). How many other variations to an 11 game membership have they sold (and counted in their figures)?

How many 1, 2 , 3 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 game memberships have they sold?
We don't, I believe, offer these type of 'limited memberships'.

They offer 4 'replacement games' to Melbourne based supporters (to compensate for Tassie home games).

I wonder if they actually sell any/many Reserved Seats since they play their home games at MCG and York Park?

The only true comparison is to look at the income derived from Membership sales.

We've got friends who have a Hawthorn family membership - 2 adults, 2 children. However, they've got 6 memberships. They told the club they wanted 4 but Hawthorn told them that there is a minimum of 4 children in a family membership and that they should use the extra 2 cards to invite friends along. I wonder how many "phantom" members that scheme has added to the total?

[noblejohn]

what is wrong with signing up a fictitious person or a pet as a full club member. Just a donation to the club IMO

[Scottish Saint]

It's not really a donation to the club though. It costs the same whether you've got 2 children or 4. It's just massaging the figures.

[SaintDebi]

I don't dispute that the Hawks are claiming they have close to 50,000 members.
BUT
I also don't trust their public announcements either.

How many memberships have they sold that are actually 'sponsorship monies' converted into memberships?

A truer figure of the worth of their 'record membership sales' would be to see the actual dollars they claim they've collected from membership sales?

That's the true figure to compare, not the declared number sold.

It's possible that our 28,000 memberships sold may bring in nearly as much (in dollar terms) as their 50,000? In this raw statistic we are probably not comparing like for like?

I heard Ian Robson? (Hawk ceo) state that they'd sold 6600 Tassie 4 game memberships (included in their total). How many other variations to an 11 game membership have they sold (and counted in their figures)?

How many 1, 2 , 3 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 game memberships have they sold?
We don't, I believe, offer these type of 'limited memberships'.

They offer 4 'replacement games' to Melbourne based supporters (to compensate for Tassie home games).

I wonder if they actually sell any/many Reserved Seats since they play their home games at MCG and York Park?

The only true comparison is to look at the income derived from Membership sales.

We've got friends who have a Hawthorn family membership - 2 adults, 2 children. However, they've got 6 memberships. They told the club they wanted 4 but Hawthorn told them that there is a minimum of 4 children in a family membership and that they should use the extra 2 cards to invite friends along. I wonder how many "phantom" members that scheme has added to the total?

The Hawks memberships sound very similar to what I was talking about in a couple of posts above yours, Scottish Saint, when the Saints insisted I add another person to our memberships. Can anybody tell me if thats still the case with StKilda family memberships?

[Mr Magic]

I don't dispute that the Hawks are claiming they have close to 50,000 members.
BUT
I also don't trust their public announcements either.

How many memberships have they sold that are actually 'sponsorship monies' converted into memberships?

A truer figure of the worth of their 'record membership sales' would be to see the actual dollars they claim they've collected from membership sales?

That's the true figure to compare, not the declared number sold.

It's possible that our 28,000 memberships sold may bring in nearly as much (in dollar terms) as their 50,000? In this raw statistic we are probably not comparing like for like?

I heard Ian Robson? (Hawk ceo) state that they'd sold 6600 Tassie 4 game memberships (included in their total). How many other variations to an 11 game membership have they sold (and counted in their figures)?

How many 1, 2 , 3 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 game memberships have they sold?
We don't, I believe, offer these type of 'limited memberships'.

They offer 4 'replacement games' to Melbourne based supporters (to compensate for Tassie home games).

I wonder if they actually sell any/many Reserved Seats since they play their home games at MCG and York Park?

The only true comparison is to look at the income derived from Membership sales.

We've got friends who have a Hawthorn family membership - 2 adults, 2 children. However, they've got 6 memberships. They told the club they wanted 4 but Hawthorn told them that there is a minimum of 4 children in a family membership and that they should use the extra 2 cards to invite friends along. I wonder how many "phantom" members that scheme has added to the total?

The Hawks memberships sound very similar to what I was talking about in a couple of posts above yours, Scottish Saint, when the Saints insisted I add another person to our memberships. Can anybody tell me if thats still the case with StKilda family memberships?

The Saints Family Memberships allow you to substitute in other children once those that are initially on there reach 15?. The additional children are supposed to be eihter your owen children or grandchildren. The Saints will allow up to 4 kids whereas according to Scottish Saints the Hawks membership seems to demand 4 kids. If they sell 5000 family memberships then that would create 10000 'fake members'

[saintbrat]

the saints have saints Sidelines which includes 1 game- NOT counted
but several of the staff over the early part of this year have said that from now they will be able to offer a 3 game membership which will ' Count'

which can only be good-

it's unfortunate that people don't see their "membership" as more than going to games...But Keeping the Saints viable
- in reality if you do get membership it's a cheaper way to get to games.

[SaintDebi]

Thanks for clarifying, Mr Magic. As far as I can work out from memory it was 4 years ago that my nephew was on our membership. We definitely made it clear to the club that he was a nephew, so they knew he wasn't ours or a grandchild. I usually keep written records of who I speak to, when and about what (not only with the club but with any "business" type calls I make), so I think if I searched long enough and hard enough I'd probably find the exact date and even who I spoke to from the dept.
I am still interested to know if this was a one off or if we were desperately trying to make our numbers look better for some particular reson that year.

[noblejohn]

I didn't mean as a family package member when i wrote
"what is wrong with signing up a fictitious person or a pet as a full club member. Just a donation to the club IMO"
I meant signing them up a full football club member and not as a part of any package. Just wanted to give the club a donation and have a spare membership. I don't know whether you can have 2 memberships under the one persons name

[Mr Magic]

I didn't mean as a family package member when i wrote
"what is wrong with signing up a fictitious person or a pet as a full club member. Just a donation to the club IMO"
I meant signing them up a full football club member and not as a part of any package. Just wanted to give the club a donation and have a spare membership. I don't know whether you can have 2 memberships under the one persons name

There's nothing wrong with it per se, except when Clubs do it deliberately to inflate their Membership numbers so as to give a false impression.

[SaintDebi]

I would like to know if the Club has had an increase in the Social Club membership this year...

It was mentioned to me via email that this was the case (some 3 months back) and I would like to see those figures now and if they have not increased, what impact this has had on membership overall considering the Level 2 fiasco...

Has our membership decreased as a result of the L2

Has our Social Club membership increased as a result of the L2

I cannot answer your question but I can tell you that in L2 Sect 37-38 that seats have been taken up by Social CLub members this year that last season were either Access1 or sold on the day.

Fair enough mate...

I would like supporters, that read this forum,but have not signed up, to join saintsational and express your reason(s) why you have not done so..

I would just like a reason why?

I'm also curious StFid, to know why some supporters choose not to become members. But if we want them to post on here and tell us why, perhaps we need some sort of "amnesty" thread, where they could post their reasons with a promise of not being harassed or ridiculed by those passionate members who may not think their reasons are good enough. After all, who is going to respond honestly if they know that they are likely to be attacked or abused for what others deem as the vadility, or lack of, of their reasoning.
It could be really beneficial to know though, because if the club knows what is stopping people from signing up, they may be able to use that knowledge to work out how to encourage and/or make it easier for them to join.

[St Fidelius]

I would like to know if the Club has had an increase in the Social Club membership this year...

It was mentioned to me via email that this was the case (some 3 months back) and I would like to see those figures now and if they have not increased, what impact this has had on membership overall considering the Level 2 fiasco...

Has our membership decreased as a result of the L2

Has our Social Club membership increased as a result of the L2

I cannot answer your question but I can tell you that in L2 Sect 37-38 that seats have been taken up by Social CLub members this year that last season were either Access1 or sold on the day.

Fair enough mate...

I would like supporters, that read this forum,but have not signed up, to join saintsational and express your reason(s) why you have not done so..

I would just like a reason why?

I'm also curious StFid, to know why some supporters choose not to become members. But if we want them to post on here and tell us why, perhaps we need some sort of "amnesty" thread, where they could post their reasons with a promise of not being harassed or ridiculed by those passionate members who may not think their reasons are good enough. After all, who is going to respond honestly if they know that they are likely to be attacked or abused for what others deem as the vadility, or lack of, of their reasoning.
It could be really beneficial to know though, because if the club knows what is stopping people from signing up, they may be able to use that knowledge to work out how to encourage and/or make it easier for them to join.

They should not be harrassed, but it would be good to know their reasons why they have not renewed their membership.

I know my bro (who posted earlier in this thread) stated that the Club have far too many Sunday matches and maybe there are a few supporters in the same situation, where their kids play junior footy and just cant make it.

I know the Club conducted a mini survey on supporters preference to matches, but one thinks that this survey should have been conducted to all members, and not just a handful of supporters.

[3rd generation saint]

Of course one thing that would be helping Hawthorn is the fact they have won a lot of premierships since the 70's.

If we had had that sort of success, I reckon we would have passed 50,000 members by now.

[Mr Magic]

Of course one thing that would be helping Hawthorn is the fact they have won a lot of premierships since the 70's.

.

You would think so except the Hawthorn CEo (Robson?) stated yesterday that they actually didn't get much increas in tehir membership from all those premierships.

[clarky449]

Its none of our business why they cant buy a membership, if they cant/dont want to, there is nothing we can do about. There is more reasons then financial reasons

[SaintDebi]

Its none of our business why they cant buy a membership, if they cant/dont want to, there is nothing we can do about. There is more reasons then financial reasons

Exactly Clarky, there are more than just financial reasons, but that is one of the reasons I think it would be good to know. I just think there might be reasons the club could take on board and look at. The example of the guy who has Sunday footy commitments with his son is just one of the many legitimate reasons that people may have. If the club is aware of these things that put pressure on their membership numbers then they are in a position to assess it and see if there is more they can do to make membership more attractive to those affected in this way.
I certainly don't want to know just out of perverse curiosity or to give grief to anyone who chooses not to be a member, whatever their reasons might be. That's why I made the point about giving them "amnesty" from any harassment if they choose to share their thoughts.

[fonz_#15]

i have a membership and it is a complete waste of my money. with sunday games and no friday nights, coupled with the fact that i work most saturdays from 3pm onwards, means i am just donating to the club.

the fact that we play no friday night games at home means i will see only 4-5 games live this year

[Solar]

i have a membership and it is a complete waste of my money. with sunday games and no friday nights, coupled with the fact that i work most saturdays from 3pm onwards, means i am just donating to the club.

the fact that we play no friday night games at home means i will see only 4-5 games live this year

ask the WA supporters or QLD supporters about waste of money

I went to japan for a year and still had a membership. Was not a waste cause the club was there when I got back

btw it's not just money that the club gets from the membership, it also allows them to sign sponsorships as companies can see the audience for their product.

[Verdun66]

I have been a member for 13 years all the while living overseas....... and never see games., I want the Saints to survive, and of course thrive.

What would drive memberships is fear..... Fear of them being sold out. If all our memberships were sold, ( like Man U ETC)then you'd never get a seat at one of our games. But it seems at the moment you don't need a membership to see a game. You can just buy a ticket , or just rock up to less demanded games, There is no panic.

To sell more you have to have a panic that without a membership you'd never see a game. Unlikely to happen sadly.

[fonz_#15]

I have been a member for 13 years all the while living overseas....... and never see games., I want the Saints to survive, and of course thrive.

so do i hence being a member despite not getting to games anymore.

the crap draw is very frustrating, but we are thriving on field atm and are playing better footy so it won't be an issue come next season hopefully

[Verdun66]

Good stuff Fonz.....you're doing your bit. Be happy that you are contributing.