2019 Membership changes

[Tiges1229]

I rang the club today about a membership matter and wasn’t told anything about losing My reserved seat , I’m in M as well ground level .

 

[Tiges1229]

Lifelong Richmond friends, we have sat in the same seats in N5 since the stand was built. We have attended almost every MCG home game since we signed up for reserved seats. The same people have been in our area for years. Our kids have grown up watching the Tigers together and we LOVE our seats because we think they are the best seats in the house. Undercover, we don't have to rush in case we miss out.. We love it. Even when in the eras when we were so crap we had the entire row in our section to ourselves. Week after week.

We win a premiership, and the marketing campaign is in full swing to achieve 100,000 members. Of course we sign up more family members to achieve this.

Then today, we receive the eviction notice. I guess that's the club's way of "thanking us" for our loyalty as members for 35 years. A way of "thanking us" for being there when we were crap... Yea - they got their 100,000 members, and these new supporters need to sit somewhere, while we are a powerhouse.

For sure, we will "move on" and watch our beloved Tigers. We will have to sit somewhere else, that's success for you. One thing is for sure, when the club ask for donations for the Fighting Tiger Fund, or raffle tickets etc, I will remind them of their eviction notice and they can START collecting off the NEW members.

It's only a seat. I know... But I LIKED sitting there, and if I was given a CHOICE to pay $270 more to secure that seat, I would have GLADLY done so.

Do what now next year you just have to rock up and sit anywhere ? Because you lost reserved seat ?

 

[Disco_Stu]

When you receive bad news it's usually delivered in a sh*t-sandwich. Good news | Sh*t news | Good news. This letter is just all SH*T news - no sandwich.

"We have lots of members now. Hey, you know that seat you've had for 24 years? YOINK. It's gone. You can pay $6 to go sit somewhere else each week, otherwise - better get there REAL early so you can watch the umpires warm up. Love Benny"


Go Tiges!

 

[Tiges1229]

Apparently ours is going up by $225 over the next 2 years.

Not happy at all.

No extra benefits, not sure if we lose the reserved seating or not but that price rise might mean we have to drop our level of membership

Paying for Dusty’s contract lol

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

What’s an RE member ?

Richmond Executive
https://membership.richmondfc.com.au/richmond-executive

 

[Frank Grimes]

I'm not sure if my reserved seating is also affected. I normally go to the Maurice Rioli club before the game. Does anyone who is part of the 3121 membership know if people get in early to put a bag (no valuables obviously) or something to save a seat so they can do something like going to the Maurice Rioli club or catch up with friends before the game?

 

[Ned_Flanders]

When you receive bad news it's usually delivered in a sh*t-sandwich. Good news | Sh*t news | Good news. This letter is just all SH*T news - no sandwich.

"We have lots of members now. Hey, you know that seat you've had for 24 years? YOINK. It's gone. You can pay $6 to go sit somewhere else each week, otherwise - better get there REAL early so you can watch the umpires warm up. Love Benny"


Go Tiges!

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

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

Sack the coach see what happens when we waste money on tigers and wrestling and stuff - outrage!!

Do we know what areas are affected? Is it only level 2?

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Thank you for your loyal support of the Richmond Football Club. It has been an exciting season and we look forward to the upcoming finals series.

The 2017 Premiership was the result of a lot of hard work over many years. We could not have done it without you - our members - who are the cornerstone of our success.

Each week, the roar of the Tiger Army inspires our players to perform at their best. Importantly, our loyal and passionate members also deliver the financial stability that allows the Club to make important investments in its football program.

We need to build on what we have achieved so we can continue to invest in our facilities, people and programs to deliver sustainable success. As part of this, we have recently completed a review of our membership offerings for season 2019.

This review has focussed on filling the best seats at the MCG with Richmond fans, to feed the atmosphere that drives our players. It has also been about striking the balance between enhancing our financial capabilities to ensure we remain a Strong & Bold Football Club, while maintaining affordability.

On Wednesday August 15, an information flyer was posted to each household, outlining some changes to your membership that will take effect in season 2019.

Thank you again for your wonderful support and we hope you enjoy the remainder of season 2018 and the upcoming Finals series.



There is also an invite for the members forum at MRC on Wednesday night

 

[69vintage]

I'm not sure if my reserved seating is also affected. I normally go to the Maurice Rioli club before the game. Does anyone who is part of the 3121 membership know if people get in early to put a bag (no valuables obviously) or something to save a seat so they can do something like going to the Maurice Rioli club or catch up with friends before the game?

Yep ,probably over half the seats are reserved the old fashioned way in 3121 well over an hour before the game .

 

[Samuri Pizza Cat]

So it’s seems a few of us have been affected. (Some greater than others)

So which membership categories have lost their seats completely.

I am Premiership Circle Olympic Stand and we have just had a price rise which I completely understand.

 

[SunshineBoy]

Thanks for the understanding MR.

I’m an RE member. We originally started in the Miller Room prior to the establishment of 3121, then have been to the Harrison and Olympic Rooms since. Currently we shuttle between Harrison and Olympic.

Haere Ra

Don’t spill your Chardonnay whilst your shuttling

 

[Sol23]

Lifelong Richmond friends, we have sat in the same seats in N5 since the stand was built. We have attended almost every MCG home game since we signed up for reserved seats. The same people have been in our area for years. Our kids have grown up watching the Tigers together and we LOVE our seats because we think they are the best seats in the house. Undercover, we don't have to rush in case we miss out.. We love it. Even when in the eras when we were so crap we had the entire row in our section to ourselves. Week after week.

We win a premiership, and the marketing campaign is in full swing to achieve 100,000 members. Of course we sign up more family members to achieve this.

Then today, we receive the eviction notice. I guess that's the club's way of "thanking us" for our loyalty as members for 35 years. A way of "thanking us" for being there when we were crap... Yea - they got their 100,000 members, and these new supporters need to sit somewhere, while we are a powerhouse.

For sure, we will "move on" and watch our beloved Tigers. We will have to sit somewhere else, that's success for you. One thing is for sure, when the club ask for donations for the Fighting Tiger Fund, or raffle tickets etc, I will remind them of their eviction notice and they can START collecting off the NEW members.

It's only a seat. I know... But I LIKED sitting there, and if I was given a CHOICE to pay $270 more to secure that seat, I would have GLADLY done so.

Couldn’t agree more mate..:.: it doesn’t seem fair.
You go through all the crap times and we finally have some success and this happens, although it’s great for the club we’ve had a lot of people jump on the train and this is the result.

 

[Tiges1229]

Don’t agree with at all , in fact it’s utter bullshit to lose a reserved seat .

 

[Neen]

Do what now next year you just have to rock up and sit anywhere ? Because you lost reserved seat ?

To sit in the same area with 3 families, we would have to get there earlier. We can't rock up 10 minutes before the game like we have been doing for decades. There's no guaranteed seats for us. We can "pre book" a seat at a cost. If we want our reserved seat, we have to move across to the Olympic stand - the section that is not under cover, in an area that I've never sat it before. That is an increase of $270. If given the choice, I would have happily paid an extra $270 to remain where we are.

Funny thing is that Benny and his cronies have been reviewing this for 18 months ? That would take us to the period just after we were belted by the Swans by 100 points. I don't recall a massive membership jump at the start of the 2017 season that required new seating arrangements !

 

[HTT]

To sit in the same area with 3 families, we would have to get there earlier. We can't rock up 10 minutes before the game like we have been doing for decades. There's no guaranteed seats for us. We can "pre book" a seat at a cost. If we want our reserved seat, we have to move across to the Olympic stand - the section that is not under cover, in an area that I've never sat it before. That is an increase of $270. If given the choice, I would have happily paid an extra $270 to remain where we are.

Funny thing is that Benny and his cronies have been reviewing this for 18 months ? That would take us to the period just after we were belted by the Swans by 100 points. I don't recall a massive membership jump at the start of the 2017 season that required new seating arrangements !

You reckon they took data from the end of 2016 and just used that to make their decisions? I'd be guessing that they formulated a variety of plans based on varying success rates.
At the end of the day, the fact you've been a member for x amount of years has never earnt you the right to a better seat. I get that people are annoyed but change is required. We now have incredible demand for premium memberships, the club would be mad to not raise prices.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

To sit in the same area with 3 families, we would have to get there earlier. We can't rock up 10 minutes before the game like we have been doing for decades. There's no guaranteed seats for us. We can "pre book" a seat at a cost. If we want our reserved seat, we have to move across to the Olympic stand - the section that is not under cover, in an area that I've never sat it before. That is an increase of $270. If given the choice, I would have happily paid an extra $270 to remain where we are.

Funny thing is that Benny and his cronies have been reviewing this for 18 months ? That would take us to the period just after we were belted by the Swans by 100 points. I don't recall a massive membership jump at the start of the 2017 season that required new seating arrangements !

This has been an ongoing issue since Benny signed on

I've been to two focus groups for members of premium packages (I had a reserved seat in n4)

There have been two main problems throughout that time. The first being that on average only 50% of PC members would attend any given game. That's a lot of empty seats.

Club looked at resell options and other arrangements, but fans didn't want to allow oppo supporters to buy their seats, and they wanted the right to decide to sell till the last minute.

Secondly, we have limited real estate to use, so what we have we have to optimise. Initially I kept my seat when I joined 3121, but ultimately they asked me to give it up. Reason being, both 3121 and PC have wait lists.

I was initially concerned about the reserved bay arrangements for 3121, but in all my years I've never missed out on a seat (and I do rock up late)

It also could be worse. At least we get to keep our access for home games against the pies, unlike Inner Sanctum members (thanks to the pies deal with the MCC, they keep their seats for away games)

 

[crl74]

Unfortunately it is prime real estate, and will be sold to the highest bidders . Especially if people aren’t turning up..

I sit in N6 and have done so since 98 , you fo kinda nd of build up a relationship with the our members around you which will be sad to go!!! But who knows maybe most people will still be able to sit in their normal spots anyway..

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

I love my seat which is level 1 row A and we were lucky to get there when the stand was opened and have held onto the seat since... but there is a lot of seats the go begging around me. The reality is that when you buy a reserved seat membership there’s not a value on each specific seat, it’s just seating categories, so whether I’m row A or row N it’s luck of the draw.

It’s a bit of a burn on the sentimentality of attachment to the seat of you lose it - but it is what it is. It’s better to get bums on seats in the end. It’s just a shame there’s no re-sale system that is sophisticated enough to deal with it.

 

[Tiges1229]

To sit in the same area with 3 families, we would have to get there earlier. We can't rock up 10 minutes before the game like we have been doing for decades. There's no guaranteed seats for us. We can "pre book" a seat at a cost. If we want our reserved seat, we have to move across to the Olympic stand - the section that is not under cover, in an area that I've never sat it before. That is an increase of $270. If given the choice, I would have happily paid an extra $270 to remain where we are.

Funny thing is that Benny and his cronies have been reviewing this for 18 months ? That would take us to the period just after we were belted by the Swans by 100 points. I don't recall a massive membership jump at the start of the 2017 season that required new seating arrangements !

what stand do you sit in ?

 

[The Cardtrader]

I'm furious. Years of paying thousands of dollars to be in 3121 and now Premiership Circle Southern Stand bay N7, sitting in the EXACT same seats for 12-13 years, and now the membership has been basically pulled.

My kids grew up in those seats, we've laughed, cried and high-fived in those seats. Made friends with everyone around us - and joined when we had 25,000 members and no-one else cared.

And thats it, now being canned to make way for newbey, moneyed supporters

 

[NimFromSudan]

I've got reserved seats on level 2A and the reality is even for big games the bay is half empty. The club is much better converting it to a flexible arrangement and overselling marginally so that it's full more often.

 

[The Cardtrader]

There have been two main problems throughout that time. The first being that on average only 50% of PC members would attend any given game. That's a lot of empty seats. Secondly, we have limited real estate to use, so what we have we have to optimise.

Problem one is garbage. The seats are paid for whether someone sits in it or not. There will always be a no-show factor, so your second problem comes into play - if the seats are going to be empty, we may as well get more money for them.

So why not just strip the members who have a say below 60% attendance instead of everyone?

 

[The Cardtrader]

If given the choice, I would have happily paid an extra $270 to remain where we are.!

Precisely, me too.

 

[The Cardtrader]

I'm not sure if my reserved seating is also affected. I normally go to the Maurice Rioli club before the game. Does anyone who is part of the 3121 membership know if people get in early to put a bag (no valuables obviously) or something to save a seat so they can do something like going to the Maurice Rioli club or catch up with friends before the game?

If I see a scarf or bag next year to "reserve" seats, I will be throwing them over the edge of the stand