AFL Members shafted

[Bort]

Honesty from Duffman - shame other AFL members cant accept that they reject club membership, its what they do.

I can understand the better value argument, just dont spin it.

On page 6 of the brochure that the AFL Membership Dept sends to anyone who expresses interest is a table titled What can I do with my AFL Membership? One of the sub-headings is Membership of your AFL Club which says that the Club Support categories provide AFL Members with “Recognition and inclusion in the official members number of your club of support” and enable them to provide “Financial support of your team”.

Are you gonna get the AFL charged with false advertising? Or should I do that?


Then on pages 14 & 15 of the same brochure are the Terms & Conditions of the Membership. Under the sub-head Club Support Packages it states “By nominating a club of support, you are agreeing to become a member of your nominated club ...".

I don’t know if you’re an AFL Member but it seems that you should be able to successfully sue the AFL for breach of contract. And it you aren’t an AFL Member perhaps I’ll sue ‘em. I’m sure that your expert testimony will win the case for me.

 

[Zagg]

Been totally full for the past 7 years, been trying to get in since i became a member

Rubbish, it only filled up quite late in 2009 and was rarely (maybe never) full before then. I had a friend who was a standard 16-game member in 2009 and joined the social club in June/July. From memory it may not have filled up until early August of that year!

 

[10571z]

Omg what a sook! 100ish for a ticket? Legend pies members pay more yearly and more for tickets than you so shut up. Seriously it's the biggest sporting event with the highest demand for tickets in Australia. Seriously have a sook

 

[mattys123]

Omg what a sook! 100ish for a ticket? Legend pies members pay more yearly and more for tickets than you so shut up. Seriously it's the biggest sporting event with the highest demand for tickets in Australia. Seriously have a sook

Nah, I understand where the OP is coming from, and unless you have been an AFL members for as long as he (or I) you don't get where the frustration is born.

I've been an AFL member since it was called VFL park membership, way back when I was a wee tot in the early 80's. Throughout that time, and up until the mid 90's, you could just lineup on GF day like the MCC members do now and you would get a seat if you get there early enough.

I still remember camping out overnight for the 1990 GF, and getting prime seats right next to the Collingwood race.

But unlike the OP, I understand why it had to change, and the main reason was that there are simply too many full AFL members now as compared to the "old days".

I'm happy to know that if my team gets in the GF, I am 99% guaranteed of a GF ticket, as long as I buy a ticket on the first on sale day.

That's good enough for me, and the cost is largely irrelevant to me seeing the value that AFL membership gives throughout the year.

As I've said many a time, I wouldn't give up my AFL membership for anything.

 

[Jesus Baulks]

Waaaaaaaa.

AFL members, MCC members, p155 off the lot of you. You're member of an institution and a stadium. Let the members of the competing clubs have the seats, they're the ones who are interested in the game, they're the ones who should be there. Not all the corporate suits, hangers on and AFL/MCC members who go because it's an "event".

AFL membership is a hangover from VFL Park and should be thrown out. Turn over the space to club members.

Just got my grand final seat for $20. You mad?

M44, Row CC, come say hi.

 

[MF]

I don't care how much they charge (within reason) provided the number of tickets available to club members doesn't decrease every year.

 

[Murraj1966]

Really couldn't care how much you pay to get Grand Final tickets - at least you have access to them in the first place.

I've been a St Kilda member for the past 10 or so years and I get no such privilege, and our Social Club is relatively full. I don't wish to become an AFL member, I want to support my club, not all 17. So, whilst opposition supporters got to watch MY team that I have followed to every home game all year play in the 2009 and 2010 Grand Finals, I had to watch from home.

AFL members are the last people who should be allowed to complain.

F*** Oath Brother.

 

[SA1NTER]

Waaaaaaaa.

AFL members, MCC members, p155 off the lot of you. You're member of an institution and a stadium. Let the members of the competing clubs have the seats, they're the ones who are interested in the game, they're the ones who should be there. Not all the corporate suits, hangers on and AFL/MCC members who go because it's an "event".

AFL membership is a hangover from VFL Park and should be thrown out. Turn over the space to club members.

It's probably not that simple, but I don't really know or care that much. I'm a St. Kilda member and that's fine for me.

 

[Kwality]

Any chance Perty might turn on the Claytons members:
the member you have when you dont really have a member
because
they reject their club for a better deal

 

[Bunk Moreland]

All those whinging will be glad to know the AFL members GF allocation is always shrinking and is down to as little as 15k now (anecdotally, as they refuse to publish the figure). They only “guarantee” them to full members with club support (I believe Collingwood is the highest with about 6k, and that won’t increase as full membership is capped and perhaps being reduced), everybody else is fighting for what is now a very, very small allocation. It’s been steadily decreasing for years, starting with the 5k they took out and gave to the Medallion Club in 2000 (without publicising it of course). But no, you're not benefitting - they're going to corporates, not clubs members.

The basic problem is nobody really likes or benefits from AFL memberships except for those who hold them. The clubs don’t like them and whinge to the league about it, because if you have $500 to spend on a footy membership they’d rather you gave the lot to them in some premium package rather than the AFL taking $300 of it.

The AFL aren’t that fussed because it’s now (relatively) not a huge money spinner for them – though they’re trying to improve what they get with annual hikes in membership fees (far beyond match ticket and club membership increases) and charging full price for a GF ticket.

Noticed how you barely ever see any advertising for AFL membership? They’re just not that keen for people to sign up but don’t want the PR mess of just canning the whole thing altogether – though that’ll eventually happen when they’ve whittled it down enough and they’ll come up with some system of just transferring everyone to club memberships because it’s not that popular anymore.

Basically the AFL members have outlived their usefulness – they were needed to pay for VFL Park (just like Medallion Club is paying for Docklands on a larger scale) and have become gradually more pointless ever since.

And I’m not potting them, I’m one myself. It still can’t be beaten IF you use the full benefits and attend many neutral games. I’m sure the day will come when it’ll be discontinued, which will suck as I just love going to the footy even when my team isn’t playing. I’m not a full member however so haven’t been to the GF as an AFL member.

 

[Rob]

The basic problem is nobody really likes or benefits from AFL memberships except for those who hold them. The clubs don’t like them and whinge to the league about it, because if you have $500 to spend on a footy membership they’d rather you gave the lot to them in some premium package rather than the AFL taking $300 of it.

That's not entirely true - there are benefits for MCG tenant clubs, as the AFL pays the MCC a big chunk of money every year for use of the ground, which is paid for by AFL memberships. Without that, the tenant clubs would get use of that area, but they'd also have to pay for it. Whether their revenue could increase to put them in a better net position is doubtful, especially for the smaller clubs. Melbourne, for instance, hardly need more seats to fill.

But personally, I think the AFL gets far too involved in Victorian stadia in the first place and the idea of an AFL membership is a conflict of interest. If the clubs want to pool together and negotiate their own deals with the MCC and sell combined memberships then they can do that themselves.
Hopefully by 2038 (or whenever that ****ing MCC deal finishes), the AFL have realised that as well.

 

[tigerfan1961]

Why do these turn into AFL or MCC member bashing threads all the time? These are facts;

1/ If you are an AFL club support member you are a fully paid up FULL member of yournominated club.
2/ a typical AFL member and MCC member for that matter who has been a member for 20 years has paid well in excess of $10,000 for that ticket. These members are the ones who have paid for the ground go be what it is today. To think that they should just be pushed aside for fair weather club supporters is laughable.
3/ stop sooking. If you can't beat em join em and it is open to anyone.

Well said!!!

 

[QuietB]

That's not entirely true - there are benefits for MCG tenant clubs, as the AFL pays the MCC a big chunk of money every year for use of the ground, which is paid for by AFL memberships. Without that, the tenant clubs would get use of that area, but they'd also have to pay for it. Whether their revenue could increase to put them in a better net position is doubtful, especially for the smaller clubs. Melbourne, for instance, hardly need more seats to fill.

But personally, I think the AFL gets far too involved in Victorian stadia in the first place and the idea of an AFL membership is a conflict of interest. If the clubs want to pool together and negotiate their own deals with the MCC and sell combined memberships then they can do that themselves.
Hopefully by 2038 (or whenever that ****ing MCC deal finishes), the AFL have realised that as well.

The issue with giving up AFL membership is that the AFL members paid for Waverly which was an enormous windfall for the AFL - and therefore the rest of the competition. Fact is that there are 60,000 AFL members and that is around $24m guranteed income for the AFL, MCC and football in general to share around.

So, when the pies are sh1t again, where does that $24m come from?

The MCG does not exist without MCC and AFL members. Without AFL and MCC members the MCG would make AAMI Park look like the greatest stadium on earth.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

That's not entirely true - there are benefits for MCG tenant clubs, as the AFL pays the MCC a big chunk of money every year for use of the ground, which is paid for by AFL memberships. Without that, the tenant clubs would get use of that area, but they'd also have to pay for it. Whether their revenue could increase to put them in a better net position is doubtful, especially for the smaller clubs. Melbourne, for instance, hardly need more seats to fill.

But personally, I think the AFL gets far too involved in Victorian stadia in the first place and the idea of an AFL membership is a conflict of interest. If the clubs want to pool together and negotiate their own deals with the MCC and sell combined memberships then they can do that themselves.
Hopefully by 2038 (or whenever that ****ing MCC deal finishes), the AFL have realised that as well.

See what you’re saying there, the money comes from the AFL, but to say it’s funded by AFL membership is a bit of stretch. The AFL have far bigger meal tickets than AFL membership that make up their general revenue.

The AFL and the MCG need each other just as much, the league would be tipping in plenty of cash whether there was AFL membership or not.

 

[Rob]

The issue with giving up AFL membership is that the AFL members paid for Waverly which was an enormous windfall for the AFL - and therefore the rest of the competition. Fact is that there are 60,000 AFL members and that is around $24m guranteed income for the AFL, MCC and football in general to share around.

So, when the pies are sh1t again, where does that $24m come from?

The MCG does not exist without MCC and AFL members. Without AFL and MCC members the MCG would make AAMI Park look like the greatest stadium on earth.

It's quite simple - the money would come from finals and the clubs themselves. 20,000 additional tickets for the GF alone would raise $5m @ $250 a pop. For other finals you'd probably raise anywhere between $2m and $7m combined for those extra seats to be available to others. The rest of the year clubs pay a higher rental cost (which they can negotiate with the MCC themselves, either individually or as a collective) and they get access to those additional seats to be able to sell. Like I said, those clubs could get together and offer a similar type of membership to people, allowing access to home games across all MCG tenant clubs. Let the clubs work it out for themselves.

It's not like if AFL membership didn't exist then the revenue generating capability of that part of the ground turns to dust.

 

[Rob]

The AFL and the MCG need each other just as much, the league would be tipping in plenty of cash whether there was AFL membership or not.

That's the thing - why? A few clubs need the MCG and the MCG needs those clubs. The AFL shouldn't need to be tipping in money, let the clubs do it if it's necessary, and consequently let the clubs profit from it.

 

[Valve Bounce]

Really couldn't care how much you pay to get Grand Final tickets - at least you have access to them in the first place.

I've been a St Kilda member for the past 10 or so years and I get no such privilege, and our Social Club is relatively full. I don't wish to become an AFL member, I want to support my club, not all 17. So, whilst opposition supporters got to watch MY team that I have followed to every home game all year play in the 2009 and 2010 Grand Finals, I had to watch from home.

AFL members are the last people who should be allowed to complain.

Have you considered the possibility of AFL membership with St Kilda club support?

 

[QuietB]

It's quite simple - the money would come from finals and the clubs themselves. 20,000 additional tickets for the GF alone would raise $5m @ $250 a pop. For other finals you'd probably raise anywhere between $2m and $7m combined for those extra seats to be available to others. The rest of the year clubs pay a higher rental cost (which they can negotiate with the MCC themselves, either individually or as a collective) and they get access to those additional seats to be able to sell. Like I said, those clubs could get together and offer a similar type of membership to people, allowing access to home games across all MCG tenant clubs. Let the clubs work it out for themselves.

It's not like if AFL membership didn't exist then the revenue generating capability of that part of the ground turns to dust.

And how do go you selling 20k extra GF tickets at $250 a pop when GC play GWS in 8 years time. Or even if your mob play Sydney next year. How does the MCG Trust and AFL make long term commitments with that sort of uncertainty in the air?

And without the MCC how do you leverage 100k members out of 20k seats and 60k members out of 20k seats for the AFL?

There is no way they make the same sort of money.

 

[Kwality]

That's not entirely true - there are benefits for MCG tenant clubs, as the AFL pays the MCC a big chunk of money every year for use of the ground, which is paid for by AFL memberships. Without that, the tenant clubs would get use of that area, but they'd also have to pay for it. Whether their revenue could increase to put them in a better net position is doubtful, especially for the smaller clubs. Melbourne, for instance, hardly need more seats to fill.

But personally, I think the AFL gets far too involved in Victorian stadia in the first place and the idea of an AFL membership is a conflict of interest. If the clubs want to pool together and negotiate their own deals with the MCC and sell combined memberships then they can do that themselves.
Hopefully by 2038 (or whenever that ****ing MCC deal finishes), the AFL have realised that as well.

HUGE claim ... supported by ???

 

[Kwality]

And how do go you selling 20k extra GF tickets at $250 a pop when GC play GWS in 8 years time. Or even if your mob play Sydney next year. How does the MCG Trust and AFL make long term commitments with that sort of uncertainty in the air?

And without the MCC how do you leverage 100k members out of 20k seats and 60k members out of 20k seats for the AFL?

There is no way they make the same sort of money.

MCG Trust read the humble taxpayer stumping up the MCC / AFL members ..

 

[ManWithNoName]

Stop posting in this thread Kwality. You're just getting annoying now.

 

[2009premiers]

MCG Trust read the humble taxpayer stumping up the MCC / AFL members ..

You are so full of crap. Go read the MCG Trust Annual Reports to get some perspective. The tax payers contribute next to nothing as I described in the other thread.

Here is the website
http://www.mcg.org.au/About the G/MCG Trust/Annual Report.aspx

I'm off to bed so I can line up early for a seat at the Grand Final.

 

[Kwality]

You are so full of crap. Go read the MCG Trust Annual Reports to get some perspective. The tax payers contribute next to nothing as I described in the other thread.

Here is the website
http://www.mcg.org.au/About the G/MCG Trust/Annual Report.aspx

I'm off to bed so I can line up early for a seat at the Grand Final.

Not able to read a set of financials ?

For next to nothing tell us the net rental paid annually by the MCC to the MCG Trust. That defines next to nothing.

 

[Kwality]

Stop posting in this thread Kwality. You're just getting annoying now.

Ah, the brain surgeon who denies having chosen to pay the AFL Members rejecting the BomBombers offer. Which part(s) of the Bomboms offer swung you?

Say it again Sam, you'll start to believe it.

The joys of free speech, bully boys excepted !!

 

[Rob]

And how do go you selling 20k extra GF tickets at $250 a pop when GC play GWS in 8 years time. Or even if your mob play Sydney next year. How does the MCG Trust and AFL make long term commitments with that sort of uncertainty in the air?

Eh? You seriously suggesting that you couldn't sell out a grand final with tickets at face value? Sydney v West Coast GF tickets were going for a grand or so. Even if any were left for the general public they'd get snapped up pretty quickly at face value. I know of Freo made it, you'd easily get 30,000 crossing the nullabor if they could all get a ticket.

And without the MCC how do you leverage 100k members out of 20k seats and 60k members out of 20k seats for the AFL?

There is no way they make the same sort of money.

Who's suggesting eliminating the MCC?

I'm just saying the AFL should have little to do with stadium negotiations (with the exception of facilitation of stadia), and certainly should not be offering 'memberships' with entry rights into home games of clubs.