2019 Membership changes

[Bin chicken]

Reserved seat to all home games, access to GA for all Melbourne away games and guaranteed GF seat for 700 dollars. The change as I read it is those reserved seats now are flexi first in seats or pay 6 dollars per game to reserve one. 3121 and RE pay alot more but only have flexi seating. A lot greater demand for tickets now from other 98% of members who are on long waiting list. Everything always changes embrace it and move forward.

 

[The Goon]

With these changes happening im hoping the MRC doesnt lose its GF guarantee, only reason i signed up to it when they launched it

Not the only reason I signed up, but in the same boat nonetheless. As long as they offer me first option on whatever replaces it, I'll be happy. Even if it's more expensive (that's demand and supply for you).

 

[Punt rd end]

The club haven’t sent me email in at least 5 years and the only time they post me anything are our memberships each year. Reading through this thread to try and work out what is going on it seems like it’s just the coterie and more exclusive memberships being affect regarding seats and a price rise across the board? I guess I’ll have to give the club a call soon to find out.

We have three seats M55 undercover which are fantastic but we probably only go to half the games. My old man’s health isn’t the best these days so he stays home if it’s biting cold. My missus is actually Carlton so she only tags along sometimes but I got her a seat so we have the flexibility of bringing someone else. So if I’m going to be a Nigel no friends I’ll just stay home. I understand some people are zealous about going and the club probably wants as many bums in seats as possible, but they’re our tickets and they’re paid for.

I also have a couple Melbourne Victory memberships and they have a pretty good system regarding seating for big games. Not so much for the Etihad games but usually for the bigger games at AAMI such as against City or Sydney FC the club will email reserved seat holders a couple weeks in advance and you have by usually the Monday before the game to confirm your attendance. If you don’t your seat is sold and your balance is credited. No penalty for opting in and still not showing up either.

Those seats of yours should be sold on if you are not going, maybe a refund back into your acc but it is selfish to deny someone else from going.

 

[theflea]

Is it possible the Membership changes are because some reserve seat Members don't turn up? we have 100K Members but an ave home crowd of "only" 61592, so maybe they are trying to shrink the amount of empty seats & have them open to the public instead?
Seems if ppl get there early instead of on the opening bounce there won't be an issue, i am only guessing but reading between the lines but that is what seems to be what is going on. For example Dreamtime was "sold out" & some Members couldn't get a ticket yet only 80k turn up.....

I would think they see it as, we could sell say 1500 membership for any given days attendance of seats of 1000. This would still mean 500 more than before of revenue.

 

[Neen]

Just to pick up on this point; we were never consulted. It was thrust upon us last year in the exact same method the PRE got - via letter from Membership. I think because we are a smaller group and not at the Punt Road end it wasn't seen as bigger an issue as the current changes. We are only 5 bays afterall...

I rang the club and emailed numerous times last year to complain about the changes but it all fell on deaf ears. The decision had been made and no amount of complaints was going to change that. I still am bitter at losing my seat but what's done is done. I had both PC and MRC but dropped the MRC due to this change. The guys who had been at the Ponsford Stand since day one got nothing from the Membership team and I expect the same now with PRE.

Good luck with the fight and I hope you are better off than we were at the other end of the ground.

The bean counter at tonight's meeting mentioned that the Ponsford Stand relocation was a complete success and they did not receive one single complaint.

 

[Neen]

Is it possible the Membership changes are because some reserve seat Members don't turn up? we have 100K Members but an ave home crowd of "only" 61592, so maybe they are trying to shrink the amount of empty seats & have them open to the public instead?
Seems if ppl get there early instead of on the opening bounce there won't be an issue, i am only guessing but reading between the lines but that is what seems to be what is going on. For example Dreamtime was "sold out" & some Members couldn't get a ticket yet only 80k turn up.....

The bean counters have EXACT figures. 57% of reserved seats at home games are used. But what they don't tell you is that the 57% includes home games at Etihad, which are poorly attended by all clubs. Being seated in N5 since the stand was built, I know this 57% is just BS bean counter spin, and even tonight, when shown a photo of the entire N1-N6 level full to the brink (Vs essendon), the bean counter pointed at the phone screen and stated "see, there a missing seat here, and that whole section (not in the photo) was empty..."

So now 1500 current members in the Premiership Circle "Product" will have to fit into the 1500 seats - sounds fine - but with all these magical statistics, they cannot tell us the figure ABOVE that 1500 that will be sold memberships.. Seriously, figures pulled from their arse in spreadsheets and graphs, but no straight answer to how many more memberships that are selling that will be fighting us for seats on home games.

 

[Underarm]

Went to the game last night and most members were still annoyed. Petition signed. Chants and 1/4 time by one area were surprising. Hope these guys turn up on Wednesday.

I can see why new members (or members wanting to upgrade to reserve seats) are upset at not having access to reserved seats. I'm in Row D N5. There are 18 seats in row C. Of those 18 seats, 8 were occupied. In Row E, directly behind us, there were 3-4 foul mouthed Essendon supporters..

The bean counters have EXACT figures. 57% of reserved seats at home games are used. But what they don't tell you is that the 57% includes home games at Etihad, which are poorly attended by all clubs. Being seated in N5 since the stand was built, I know this 57% is just BS bean counter spin, and even tonight, when shown a photo of the entire N1-N6 level full to the brink (Vs essendon), the bean counter pointed at the phone screen and stated "see, there a missing seat here, and that whole section (not in the photo) was empty..."

So now 1500 current members in the Premiership Circle "Product" will have to fit into the 1500 seats - sounds fine - but with all these magical statistics, they cannot tell us the figure ABOVE that 1500 that will be sold memberships.. Seriously, figures pulled from their arse in spreadsheets and graphs, but no straight answer to how many more memberships that are selling that will be fighting us for seats on home games.

You yourself, and others on level 2 have said the bays are only half full most of the time.

Others in this thread have said they rang up the club and were told no extra memberships sold, just the ability to puchase guest passes (much like 3121). Obviously the Club could articulate it better

 

[Bojangles17]

The club haven’t sent me email in at least 5 years and the only time they post me anything are our memberships each year. Reading through this thread to try and work out what is going on it seems like it’s just the coterie and more exclusive memberships being affect regarding seats and a price rise across the board? I guess I’ll have to give the club a call soon to find out.

We have three seats M55 undercover which are fantastic but we probably only go to half the games. My old man’s health isn’t the best these days so he stays home if it’s biting cold. My missus is actually Carlton so she only tags along sometimes but I got her a seat so we have the flexibility of bringing someone else. So if I’m going to be a Nigel no friends I’ll just stay home. I understand some people are zealous about going and the club probably wants as many bums in seats as possible, but they’re our tickets and they’re paid for.

I also have a couple Melbourne Victory memberships and they have a pretty good system regarding seating for big games. Not so much for the Etihad games but usually for the bigger games at AAMI such as against City or Sydney FC the club will email reserved seat holders a couple weeks in advance and you have by usually the Monday before the game to confirm your attendance. If you don’t your seat is sold and your balance is credited. No penalty for opting in and still not showing up either.

That’s been my point all along that only a few games impact with no shows so confirmation is required for those games only , make the process as simple as and that would work , text , email or direct on www ,what’s so difficult and you don’t tip the bucket on what most regard as a premium membership with the res seat includ

The bean counters have EXACT figures. 57% of reserved seats at home games are used. But what they don't tell you is that the 57% includes home games at Etihad, which are poorly attended by all clubs. Being seated in N5 since the stand was built, I know this 57% is just BS bean counter spin, and even tonight, when shown a photo of the entire N1-N6 level full to the brink (Vs essendon), the bean counter pointed at the phone screen and stated "see, there a missing seat here, and that whole section (not in the photo) was empty..."

So now 1500 current members in the Premiership Circle "Product" will have to fit into the 1500 seats - sounds fine - but with all these magical statistics, they cannot tell us the figure ABOVE that 1500 that will be sold memberships.. Seriously, figures pulled from their arse in spreadsheets and graphs, but no straight answer to how many more memberships that are selling that will be fighting us for seats on home games.

etihad attendances wouldnt pollute those figures as most reserved seat packages don’t include a seat there , mine never has

 

[prodigy]

I haven't heard this one before, but a mate just mentioned that people at the game told him they received an email from the club saying as of next year only gold members will have guaranteed grand final tickets.... has anyone else heard of this?

I'm a gold member, so doesn't affect me but not sure how true this one is.

I’m not a Gold Member but I still have Grand Final guarantee through my Silver Premiership Circle membership.
Also the letter I got from the club didn’t stipulate any changes to that.

 

[HumanMeatball]

I am surprised Brendon did not provide a tube of lube with his letter from the club regarding loss of reserved seats.

That is what you get when you allow lawyers to run anything let alone a footy club.


.

Maybe we should get the focus on footy crew in

 

[HumanMeatball]

You don't have to get there early

They have had this system in 3121 since it started, and not once have I not found two seats together for dad and myself.

And this includes the pies game where the whole section was chockers (did take 2-3 mins, but found two without asking anyone to bunch up 5 mins before the game started

Exactly I have legit never not found multiple seats in a row in 3121. I also get there with like 2 minutes to the bounce

 

[Neen]

You yourself, and others on level 2 have said the bays are only half full most of the time.

Others in this thread have said they rang up the club and were told no extra memberships sold, just the ability to puchase guest passes (much like 3121). Obviously the Club could articulate it better

I have photos of the entire row empty (2016). The bean counter conformed this - after round 5 pre 2016, the attendance drops dramatically. That is a reflection of the on field performance, and the inability of the club to provide alternatives to members who cannot attend - ie - selling their match day seats. But I concede that many members simply "give up" and wait until next year. They paid for their seats, so why should they attend if the team is performing poorly ? It is their choice (a protest in some capacity - maybe highlighted in the "Sack Dimma" threads perhaps)- they have already given the club payment for their seat regardless. Fairweather supporters - I didn't say that. What I can say, is that I've attended almost every conceivable home game at the MCG. Win, lose, draw, spoon or premiership.. The club sent me an email in 2014, thanking me for attending every home game.

Other may have rang the club, as I did. We were encouraged to attend tonight, to hear it directly from the club. The club confirmed, tonight, that extra memberships will be available in the areas N1-N5. N6 will be for ticketek pre bookings (154 seats). What the club is hiding, is the number of memberships to be offered ABOVE the 1500 that we already have. We simply have lost the reserved seats. It will be a free for all. first in best dressed. The question was raised as to what will happen to a PC Member who travels from interstate, or travels for 3 hours only to find the section filled completely. The club would not and cannot answer that question. They just pop up another graph and move on to the next question.

Keep in mind, we represent around 2% of the current membership. While other members may view us as being "precious" etc - just remember - The club has just STARTED their plan. The bean counter expects that some of us will upgrade to 3121 - so more competition for seats. Some of us will have preference of seating in the Olympic stand. Moving those members to somewhere else etc etc..

Also, confirmed tonight - These reserved areas are NOT for new members. They are for coterie groups. The Executive groups have taken up an area once used for coterie groups. So the club is just shifting supporter groups around. It might be us this week, but rest assured, it is only the beginning.

 

[Neen]

That’s been my point all along that only a few games impact with no shows so confirmation is required for those games only , make the process as simple as and that would work , text , email or direct on www ,what’s so difficult and you don’t tip the bucket on what most regard as a premium membership with the res seat includ

etihad attendances wouldnt pollute those figures as most reserved seat packages don’t include a seat there , mine never has

Ours always has. But over the years, the club has asked that we pre reserve our seats due to poor attendance from members.

 

[HumanMeatball]

It’s a plastic seat. I really don’t understand

 

[Waca Jr]

Not the only reason I signed up, but in the same boat nonetheless. As long as they offer me first option on whatever replaces it, I'll be happy. Even if it's more expensive (that's demand and supply for you).

Have they mentioned any changes to this? I've been Maurice Rioli club for a while now and i would hate to lose my gf ticket after one grannyq

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

Have they mentioned any changes to this? I've been Maurice Rioli club for a while now and i would hate to lose my gf ticket after one grannyq

I’ve had the GF guarantee since 2011, I haven’t been sent anything.

 

[crl74]

The person I spoke to on the phone today reckoned they weren’t going to over sell the memberships in N1-N6 just guest passes on low attendence games?

 

[Greggy]

It’s a plastic seat. I really don’t understand

It’s not about the reserved seat for me, it’s the fact they are removing 3 bays of completely sold out seats from the PC and maintaining the same amount of PC memberships, so where do those extra people who have paid $600 to sit there go for bigger games? No one has an answer, they just bank on people not showing up.

 

[HumanMeatball]

It’s not about the reserved seat for me, it’s the fact they are removing 3 bays of completely sold out seats from the PC and maintaining the same amount of PC memberships, so where do those extra people who have paid $600 to sit there go for bigger games? No one has an answer, they just bank on people not showing up.

I highly doubt that’s the case

 

[Greggy]

The person I spoke to on the phone today reckoned they weren’t going to over sell the memberships in N1-N6 just guest passes on low attendence games?

But they’ll be squeezing the N7-9 people into N1-6.

 

[Ashman OG]

Ive been a 3121 member since the start.
You can never not find a seat in there for any game at any time.
These premiership circle w***ers need to get a grip and learn sometimes small change is for the greater good.
With the way they disrespected benny tonight i hope they have to sit up in the nose bleeds.
Disgusting

 

[Greggy]

I highly doubt that’s the case

Which part? N1-9 PC seating is at capacity now, PC is going to be reduced to N1-6.

 

[Greggy]

Ive been a 3121 member since the start.
You can never not find a seat in there for any game at any time.
These premiership circle w***ers need to get a grip and learn sometimes small change is for the greater good.
With the way they disrespected benny tonight i hope they have to sit up in the nose bleeds.
Disgusting

Yeah I knew the simpletons would destroy any kind of constructive dialogue.

You’ll possibly find it harder to get a seat next year as I know a lot of people are upgrading to 3121, I hope the changes are smooth anyway.

 

[crl74]

But they’ll be squeezing the N7-9 people into N1-6.

I suppose the club is planning on a few to join 3121, move to reserved seats in pond ford stand or cancel membership?

I don’t think they really give a rats arse! Since there are people on the waiting lists for all level 2 seating memberships!

 

[prodigy]

It’s a plastic seat. I really don’t understand

My plastic seat has cushioning