AFL Silver Membership Waitlist Number Part 2
- Thread starter bucko_666
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- Feb 21, 2006
- 21,344
- 20,457
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Turtles NYJets Celtics Spurs Fake Sports
Gone up $90 in two seasons
Had to make up for Covid freeze, mind you the stuff they offered was rubbishGone up $90 in two seasons
And now ppl are rooted in to buying prepaid seats for all games
The Golden Glenferrie
Norm Smith Medallist
beez
A*mazing
Imagining bitching about a small price increase while getting access to one of the best deals in footy; even without guaranteed grand final access.
Why is it so popular? Why are people complaining about the long waitlist? Because it's a freaking amazing deal.
AFL members don't know how good they've got it.
Why is it so popular? Why are people complaining about the long waitlist? Because it's a freaking amazing deal.
AFL members don't know how good they've got it.
The Golden Glenferrie
Norm Smith Medallist
Oh hello Mr AFL Membership manager
threenewpadlocks
Brownlow Medallist
It's still a breakeven point of scanning your barcode to a non-sold out game 28 times across the season (so across 24 weeks of football, just slightly more than one per game average), than otherwise buying a GA ticket at $27 a pop. You can in effect get "free tickets" if you go to more games than that. Games that require reserving a seat in advance would also not be a GA accessible game outside of the reserve, so the value proposition relative to the game's demand scales up in teh same amount - as a gold member you're paying for the equivalent to accessing about 30 games that you otherwise wouldn't and if you go to more you can get them for free.
If you're not a person who would go to 30+ neutral games of a season, and are willing to pay for it, are you really a person who should morally get the access to the Grand Final ticket?
I agree, the whining on here for me is a bit frustrating. It isn't a grand final ticket access membership, it's an all-around AFL membership in which GF access is just one part of the value proposition. The other being that if you go to 30+ games a year, it is the cheapest way of doing so in Melbourne, and shows a certain level of dedication to the sport that that's the reason that person gets priority access to the GF.
- Feb 21, 2006
- 21,344
- 20,457
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Turtles NYJets Celtics Spurs Fake Sports
The 14% increase has already been mentioned.
People are complaining about the long wait list because
a) they were told something else when joining
b) the reason the wait is getting longer is because the AFL having taken away our seats for Medallion Club and also standing room for club members during Grand Finals.
AFL members who think we have it so good must not be aware that a full MCC member (after a super long wait) is now effectively cheaper than AFL Gold (for a GF attendee) as they pay $875 and can walk up to any game, including the GF. Even finals tickets were only $12 to reserve rather than $30 or something for AFL. Sure they don't get entry to that woeful Marvel Stadium, but they can get walk up to all the cricket.
beez
A*mazing
That's fair. I accept that to an extent.
But I'd argue the primary reason the waitlist is getting longer is because it is such good value; especially when compared to reserved seat packages for the various individual clubs. And while the majority purchase the membership for the future grand final access, you are still getting incredible value for just H&A and finals access.
Comparing AFL membership to MCC membership is understandable. But if you compare the AFL membership to clubs' reserved seat and grand final packages, the AFL membership is superior.
I think it's fair to be shitty that the waitlist period is getting longer. But I don't think it's the AFL's fault, it's a function of population growth and the insanely good value.
The irony of the increase in prices is that for Silver and Bronze members, the waitlist time will arguably decrease as people choose not to renew due to some people not viewing it as value. Although, anything less than $1000 for grand final access and ostensibly unlimited access to games at the MCG and Marvel is a bargain.
Agree to disagree
threenewpadlocks
Brownlow Medallist
Sure, but comparing access to the cricket and access to Marvel is on the basis of fundamentally different products. It's an unfair comparison. You're making the comparison because you want to treat both membership categories only through the lens of GF access, which is not what the products are. You yourself state that MCC gets you cricket, and AFL gets you Marvel. Both are meaningful. You don't get to handwave that away because it doesn't suit you.
At the end of the day, an AFL membership helps you avoid a $27 GA ticket cost for a Marvel game if you want to go. You yourself don't have to value that, but then again, no different to the 2 million Melburnians who have no interest in the AFL and also elect not to buy an AFL membership don't value it. You can weigh up your own value proposition but the AFL has only ever advertised the waitlist and GF access as part of an entire value package proposition that's mainly centred on game access. You get discounts/access to Marvel events (yes they could be better but they do exist). The reserve still exists for cricket, it's not as cheap as the MCC but you still get discounts on cricket tickets vs the public etc. Etc.
The AFL could have probably anticipated the waitlist lengthening and communicated that better. But they also had to be open to the possibility of e.g. an interstate team dominating and making several GF's. The fact that e.g Port, Freo, GWS and GC have only made 3 GF's between them since 2011 when law of averages suggests that they should have made 6 or 7, reducing demand for AFL membership if they had, is clearly a factor, for instance.
There is no probably about it. Someone else said the increased wait time is not the AFL's fault, but it is because they have taken Medallion club into the AFL reserve. You used to be able to get level 2 pretty easily if you timed it right, but not now. This is surely the reason upgrades have slowed so much.
I am not comparing MCC and AFL because I view them as Grand Final access tickets, but because I support an MCG tenant club and all the games I went to as a neutral this year were (deliberately) at the MCG. So point taken, the value proposition it is quite different for you as a Dogs supporter than for me as a Richmond supporter.
The Golden Glenferrie
Norm Smith Medallist
AFL members only useful for a GF ticket. It's a disgrace now
- Feb 21, 2006
- 21,344
- 20,457
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Turtles NYJets Celtics Spurs Fake Sports
I reckon they're bumping the price up to make the other packages they mentioned in the midseason survey more lucrative (ie access to only 20 h&a games instead for 40 etc)
The Golden Glenferrie
Norm Smith Medallist
Agree.
Or they're trying to squeeze gold out so they can flog off more AFL members to the medallion club who can afford it
threenewpadlocks
Brownlow Medallist
No, because I have a separate Dogs membership and use that to go to Dogs games (yes, I do really go to about 30-35 games of footy a year outside of Dogs home games, this includes Dogs away games in Melbourne)
In terms of value proposition, I view MCG games and Docklands games essentially identical, because I enjoy the AFL so much, that the value of a neutral game is essentially identical as to who is playing (with bias to better quality teams naturally but that's in theory equally divided among the two stadiums). Both grounds are modern, easily accessible by public transport and I have no issue either going alone or finding people to go with, and it's not as if the facilities are miles apart that makes Docklands worse. The stadium itself is newer than the Southern stand, for instance. The idea of a big crowd, while I enjoy the experience and atmosphere, is equally outweighed by a low crowd meaning speed getting in/out/around/space so neither a big or small crowd is better or worse for me
If you don't find you're getting any benefit from access to Docklands games because you support an MCG tenant team that speaks to my original point than sure - you don't have to buy the membership but it's a thing that others value and how it's advertised. It's no different to the fact that you have access to up to 40 games but nobody is hitting the 40 games exactly. But the fact that they can and their likelihood is fairly weight up as part of the value proposition.
Keep in mind that if your club is an MCG tenant club, then the value proposition is against other membership categories with shorter waitlists. Also, you're not really supporting your club as less than $200 goes to the club of support, if the AFL considers the club contribution to only be equivlanet to a cheap GA membership when you nominate your club of support (about a third or a quarter of the membership), why should people buying the membership who understand the ins and outs of it consider the proportion of value relevant to the team they support to be any different to the third or the quarter of why they purchase it?
FWIW it's not that I necessarily disagree with the points being made about squeezing the capacity of the reserve, increases of cost etc. It's just for me (and many others) the membership remains valuable and I would still purchase it even without GF access - it is an eventual bonus and I would argue that my love of football as a neutral is even stronger than some members who support a competing club - but the point I'm trying to make is that it still remains a value purchase for me relative to the fact that a GA ticket costs $27 for a neutral game, I love football, and going to 30+ games a year the membership could cost $800 and I would still pay that amount plus whatever other ancillary benefits (such as cheaper other tickets to cricket, concerts, finals, wait list) which are probably worth a couple hundred a year. I get that that tipping point may be lower than $800 for many others, and I can empathise with the fact people were advertised on the waiting list that has been pushed out - but I don't think it's entirely right to completely ignore that the AFL has correctly advertised and promoted the access to up to 40 games, and it's not the AFL's fault if individuals do not feel as if it's that element they're getting the value from.
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I doubt there would be many at all that would get the sort of use out of the membership and good on you for that, but I expect the majority would go to fewer than 20 home and away games. I would think that Grand Final access is more of a selling point to most than going to 40 games (at least it was when it looked like you'd get to Gold in under 10 years).
I think this is nonsense argument really. The AFL pay the clubs what they pay, but how that stacks up depends on how you use the membership.
I get at least a 16/17 game membership's worth of benefit which next year would be $340 with Richmond. So my $525 silver is $185 more and I will usually get that value in neutral games and finals.
Anyway, I wasn't complaining about value in the first place, just pointing out to someone that said we had it so good, that MCC is a comparable product with similar price points but better in many respects.
Publishing only the number of people in front in the waiting list rather than just publishing the latest sign-up date Gold has been offered to gives a false sense of hope about how fast the list is moving, especially at larger numbers where the number of silver members not renewing makes up the bulk of the list movement.
The Golden Glenferrie
Norm Smith Medallist
AFL smoke and shadows behind the mirrors.
errant bounce
All Australian
- May 2, 2024
- 823
- 1,291
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
- Other Teams
- South Fremantle
I don't get the idea of spending 500 bucks a year for 15 years to have access to one game a year, where you'll be attending yourself. the chance of your club getting there is small, anyway, and you're not actually guaranteed a ticket if you support a big club. and what happens when they play another big club?
They're being cheeky ****s and underwriting us in any way possible, they tried sneaking in giveaway tickets to plebs for the first few rounds of this year and it was cramped and chaotic. but it was also very noticeable. so the AFL quietly removed that allocation. now you're getting a similar type of person in the reserve but they're still taking up your reserve.
It's now the AFL's reserve that you're entitled to sit in, as opposed to being an AFL Member or a member of the AFL.
But still, it's cheap and gets me out the house on a cold day and sometimes you end up at a cracking match. that North and Collingwood one for example. who'd be going to that for nearly 30 dollars? make it free on a boring winter's Saturday and there you go.
They're being cheeky ****s and underwriting us in any way possible, they tried sneaking in giveaway tickets to plebs for the first few rounds of this year and it was cramped and chaotic. but it was also very noticeable. so the AFL quietly removed that allocation. now you're getting a similar type of person in the reserve but they're still taking up your reserve.
It's now the AFL's reserve that you're entitled to sit in, as opposed to being an AFL Member or a member of the AFL.
But still, it's cheap and gets me out the house on a cold day and sometimes you end up at a cracking match. that North and Collingwood one for example. who'd be going to that for nearly 30 dollars? make it free on a boring winter's Saturday and there you go.
threenewpadlocks
Brownlow Medallist
I suppose the argument is that the membership has always changed and always taken different iterations. The VFL Park then Waverley membership became different when the AFL and Mcc made their peace with the opening of the Southern Stand in 1991-3, which became a different membership when Docklands opened on 2000, which will eventually become a different membership when a new stadium is build and/or Docklands is sold and/or if the Southern stand is rebuilt.
Manchild
Rookie
- Nov 8, 2013
- 32
- 32
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
2013 - 25,251 (joined mid year)
2014 - 20,882
2015 - 15,470
2016 - 12,628
2017 - 11,625
2018 - 11,030
2019 - 10,060
2020 - 9,174
2021 - 8,138
2022 - 6,675
2023 - 5,759
2024 - 4,979 (latest)
2014 - 20,882
2015 - 15,470
2016 - 12,628
2017 - 11,625
2018 - 11,030
2019 - 10,060
2020 - 9,174
2021 - 8,138
2022 - 6,675
2023 - 5,759
2024 - 4,979 (latest)
Visions
Brownlow Medallist
- Oct 2, 2007
- 12,681
- 16,613
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Liverpool FC, HNS Vatreni
They were my comments the last survey earlier this season. Not that the muppets who get paid huge sums of money to make the decisions take any notice.
I thought Bronze was on a waitlist for Silver, and not Gold?
I have noticed that last year there was a flat fee for Bronze, now they have added a joining fee on top.
What's even weirder is that in the junior category, the Silver is a cheaper option than the Bronze (excluding the joining fee) even though you have more games, gold waitlist, etc.
Junior Bronze is $225 (without joining fee) whereas Silver is $190 for the year.
I looked at downgrading to bronze last year for my kids and even checked with the AFL and it was tge same. Totally illogical.
Seems like they’ve rushed into the change to Bronze that they haven’t actually figured everything out.
