Congratulations Hawthorn!!!!

[Hawkk]

What was your net profit this year?

$2.7m

13th year in succession and over $10m alone just in the last 3 years

 

[speedpeck23]

Getting serious for a moment. Hawthorn has not only resurrected itself it is now taking on an agenda that goes above and beyond the call of duty to the club itself.

Many Hawthorn people were ambivalent about the Tassie connection and now we are going to NZ. Hawthorn is doing on a club level what the AFL is doing on a competition level...ie promoting the game. It seems extraordinary to link a Melbourne suburban football club with another state let alone another country. Who knows how far this will go??

 

[ArachniX]

Congratulations Hawthorn Supporters! Biggest band wagon supporters around. We all know most of you jumped on the wagon from the success in the 80's. I remember it at school. When questioned just say you barrack for the top team ie Hawthorn. Check Hawthorn crowds in the late 70's and early 80's. Less than South Melbourne some years.
Finally in 2008 after waiting 17 years you could all remember why you barracked for Hawthorn.

 

[speedpeck23]

[quote=ArachniX;16315823]Congratulations Hawthorn Supporters! Biggest band wagon supporters around. We all know most of you jumped on the wagon from the success in the 80's. I remember it at school. When questioned just say you barrack for the top team ie Hawthorn. Check Hawthorn crowds in the late 70's and early 80's. Less than South Melbourne some years.
Finally in 1998 after waiting 17 years you could all remember why you barracked for Hawthorn.[/quote]

Yeah we all remember the success of the eighties! 4 flags 7 successive GF's. During that time we went passed Geelongs premiership tally...and you guys were there in 1897!!! As an eight year old I remember leaving the MCG in tears in 1963 after we were smashed by the Cats...a great team too .."The Classy Colossal Cats" their banner read. How I hated them then. I've softened now though....9 flags later including '89 and '08 have helped. I wish the Cats every success for the future they're one of the original clubs and they should be proud of their history...just as loyal Hawk supporters should be proud of their own!!! We're a happy team at H...etc etc..

 

[lethal03]

Congratulations Hawthorn Supporters! Biggest band wagon supporters around. We all know most of you jumped on the wagon from the success in the 80's. I remember it at school. When questioned just say you barrack for the top team ie Hawthorn. Check Hawthorn crowds in the late 70's and early 80's. Less than South Melbourne some years.
Finally in 1998 after waiting 17 years you could all remember why you barracked for Hawthorn.

We won 3 flags and played in gf 6 GF's during this period

Handbagger your argument makes no sense

 

[ArachniX]

We won 3 flags and played in gf 6 GF's during this period

Handbagger your argument makes no sense

It makes perfect sense. Before the massive success in the 80's, Hawthorn were on par with South Melbourne, Fitzroy, North Melbourne etc in popularity. 30 years on you have the most members of Victorian clubs, all bleating about how great you are.

Q. Why do you barrack for the club you barrack for?
Answer for the rest of the Vic supporters: My family or I loved a certain player, lived near their ground, loved their colours etc
Answer for most Hawthorn supporters: They were on top. (definitely not "I loved their colours")

 

[halfback dasher]

Even when we were thrown a heap of money to play a few home games at the Adelaide Oval about five or six years ago. Cook and Costa threw it all back in their face and said we're staying put.

Geelong were $6 million in debt when Cook and Costa took over in 1999. Geelong never went to the AFL with cup in hand looking for a handout, yet 10 years later, we've had 10 consecutive profits, have undertaken two separate refurbishment projects at our home ground to bump up capacity from 25,000 to 30,000, and have won two flags in the process.

But if having 50,000 members, a $2.7 million profit yet nothing new in the trophy cabinet to show for it all is all it takes for most Hawks fans to get excited, then good for them. I'm perfectly happy with 38,000 members, a $657,000 profit and a shiny new premiership cup.

You jest... No really....come ON really...???

 

[halfback dasher]

It makes perfect sense. Before the massive success in the 80's, Hawthorn were on par with South Melbourne, Fitzroy, North Melbourne etc in popularity. 30 years on you have the most members of Victorian clubs, all bleating about how great you are.

Q. Why do you barrack for the club you barrack for?
Answer for the rest of the Vic supporters: My family or I loved a certain player, lived near their ground, loved their colours etc
Answer for most Hawthorn supporters: They were on top. (definitely not "I loved their colours")

I was born at the hands of the hawks club Doc of the time ,Fergie(69)....But hay, you make up what ever crap you need to justify your stance....

 

[ArachniX]

[/B]
I was born at the hands of the hawks club Doc of the time ,Fergie(69)....But hay, you make up what ever crap you need to justify your stance....

It's pretty obvious I am talking about a fair percentage of supporters not every single member. As is also obvious there were actually supporters around before the 80's. What I am saying is that Hawthorns numbers have grown massively compared to the typical growth rate for other clubs of which most have grown about the same rate or not necessarily growth rate but more percentage of total supporters.

 

[newcs]

During that time we went passed Geelongs premiership tally

Oh FFS not this argument again.
GEELONG PREMIERSHIPS - 1878 , 1879 , 1890 , 1882 , 1883 , 1884 , 1886 , 1925 , 1931 , 1937 , 1951 , 1952 , 1963 , 2007 , 2009 .
Now you watch what people say - "oh, but I'm only narrowing the period down to this or this".
The fact is that Geelong have won 15 premierships, which is third behind Carlton (17) and Essendon (16)

P.S. - maybe Hawthorn should try to expand into PNG, they seem to have a bit of an obsession with the Kokoda Trail.

 

[Hawkas]

Just to add.

Hawthorn don't have the most lucrative sponsorship deal. & unlike Hawthorn, Collingwood don't use a 4 game membership deal as the cornerstone of their membership numbers.

But then why were Collingwood pushing the 4 game membership on the radio and in papers last season???

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I've never seen so many Geelong supporters in a thread that has nothing to do with them.

I find it easier to ignore the haters, they're unavoidable, we're Australian.

Our club is doing fine. Record memberships, record profit, excellent facilities, a club that players want to come to, a market outside of Eastern Melbourne and a young promising team with a premature Premiership.

And now NZ. We very well may gain nothing out of that venture, but we wont lose anything trying.

Hopefully all other clubs can become this viable, the game as a brand would be unstoppable.

 

[Football God]

Wow. Just an amazing feeling right now & I think a big congratulations is in order for the Hawks.

A few years ago, in the dark days of the mid 00's for the club I, like many football lovers couldn't foresee the rise of this club to become the biggest Victorian club of all!!

Looking back to the dark old days of the 96 merger proposition, not many of us could have known that the Hawks would become the mmost successful operating club in Victoria - on & off the field, outdoing the likes of Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon & Geelong.

A member base of 52, 290. Operating net profit of $2.7 mil (Coll, Geel @ 600k), the most lucrative sponsership deal, 1 recent flag & a hugely promising list that should snag another premiership in the next year or two. NZ national football club league sponsor & the best facilities in the AFL out at the old arctic park(who would have thought!!!??!!).

So congrats Hawks, Hawk fans & football lovers in general on rising from the burning coals & becoming the new powerhouse of AFL football in Victoria. We all look forward to the many prosperous years to come.

To fans of other clubs, have faith in your clubs, as like us at Hawthorn, you too may rise from the ashes and one day become a powerhouse club. Good luck to all.

how many of them were pets?

 

[medusala]

What garbage ! without selling games interstate the Hawks would be struggling big time financially...giving out membership packages to kids in schools is one way to claim huge memberships i guess

More gibberish. Hawthorn made a good profit in Jeff's first year before the current Tas deal.

Hawthorn only had one bad year when Dicker had to chip in quite a bit (still made a profit). That however was on the back of the worst onfield effort in decades.

Mention could also be made that Hawthorn was refused access to the CBF and was forced to play games at TD even though the club was promised 11 home games at the MCG.

The NET as opposed to gross from Tas is nowhere near $4m.

You would think the club would not be able to get a major sponsor to cough up any cash in the event the club played all its games in Melbourne the way some flogs carry on.

With over 40k members and average crowds such as those this year how could anyone think the club would not be viable in Melbourne?

 

[newcs]

This thread is getting quite entertaining, just throw out the bait and watch em bite.
Notice this thread has had over 5800 views in just over a day, that means that there are a lot of people out there who have got out the drinks and popcorn and are getting quite entertained.
Let's keep up the good work.

 

[dipper86]

Oh FFS not this argument again.
GEELONG PREMIERSHIPS - 1878 , 1879 , 1890 , 1882 , 1883 , 1884 , 1886 , 1925 , 1931 , 1937 , 1951 , 1952 , 1963 , 2007 , 2009 .
Now you watch what people say - "oh, but I'm only narrowing the period down to this or this".
The fact is that Geelong have won 15 premierships, which is third behind Carlton (17) and Essendon (16)

P.S. - maybe Hawthorn should try to expand into PNG, they seem to have a bit of an obsession with the Kokoda Trail.

Hilarious...counting VFA premierships, the desperation is quite amusing.

 

[yodellinhank]

Oh FFS not this argument again.
GEELONG PREMIERSHIPS - 1878 , 1879 , 1890 , 1882 , 1883 , 1884 , 1886 , 1925 , 1931 , 1937 , 1951 , 1952 , 1963 , 2007 , 2009 .
Now you watch what people say - "oh, but I'm only narrowing the period down to this or this".
The fact is that Geelong have won 15 premierships, which is third behind Carlton (17) and Essendon (16)

P.S. - maybe Hawthorn should try to expand into PNG, they seem to have a bit of an obsession with the Kokoda Trail.

Hawks breaking ground in NZ as well. Good on them. They also have an amazing record for a club in the last 50 years or so. The original OP was how far have they come from the merger talks, and the answer is light years.

Not sure why you count the Geelong VFA premierships yet only attribute Carlton with 17 and Essendon with 16. Carlton *spit* won 2 VFA flags, Essendon 4 (in a row) including a championship (undefeated the whole journey) in 1893. How come you didn't attribute it Essendon 20, Carlton 18?
I know your point is about where you draw the line, and that Carlton *spit*won 4 pre VFA (it pains me), but you have diddled us!! Plus Collingwood in 1896 takes them to 15 as well. So what you say is not fact.

*opens door for Port Magpies fans*

 

[Franko Armani]

well pointed out yodellinhank.

It is truly amazing the inferiority complex displayed by geelong posters in this thread. who would think that they had just won a premiership, albeit dubiously. Simply put, the only real measure of success for the cats is beating the Hawks in a Grand Final. They can't & it hurts & therefore hijack every Hawthorn thread.

Seriously though, you force me to take this path - Geelong have been top of the table for 3 seasons, returned 2 flags, but still only manage to net a profit of $600k. Fitzroy are still turning over more than this pa.

 

[Franko Armani]

how many of them were pets?

You have a supporter base that consists solely of animals, how can you talk?

 

[OneEyedHawk]

Hawthorn have done very well off field considering where they were in 96 and all power to them.

I wouldn't be comfortable with my club pursuing all the means they have done it by but hey, each to their own, end result is they are making money and safely two-thirds in Melbourne to stay.

But save us the fawning over the hypocrite and buffoon Kennett.

Just as it wasn't Kennett who 'saved' Victoria ... for the Libs Stockdale had far far more to do with it ... so people like Dicker did all the leg work for Hawthorn.

Hawthorn would do well to ditch Kennett IMO.

Agree with all of that.

EDIT: The means we've used i can understand people questioning, but I've got no problem with it. Except the poker machines. We're far from the only ones to cash in on them, but they're a blight on sociaety, and any revenue gained is tainted.

It makes perfect sense. Before the massive success in the 80's, Hawthorn were on par with South Melbourne, Fitzroy, North Melbourne etc in popularity. 30 years on you have the most members of Victorian clubs, all bleating about how great you are.

Q. Why do you barrack for the club you barrack for?
Answer for the rest of the Vic supporters: My family or I loved a certain player, lived near their ground, loved their colours etc
Answer for most Hawthorn supporters: They were on top. (definitely not "I loved their colours")

What a massive, massive fail-merchant you are. Our membership numbers started rising after 1996 (12k members that year) after being faced with the threat of a merger. We were in the midst of our worst on-field performance in my 33 years on this planet, you clearly have no idea of the meaning of the word 'bandwagonner'?

 

[kriles76]

Tassie supporters are having dellusions of granduer ....once again ..powerhouse clubs don't have to sell half their homes games interstate.

Yeah buddy, you've shit for brains.

Because otherwise being forced by the AFL in the early-mid 2000's to play home games against low-drawing, interstate clubs at Docklands stadium would have been a massive money-spinner for us. I remember being part of a c.16,000 crowd seeing HFC play the Dockers there in 2001. Yeah, we made lots of dough from that game.

I don't know why we took the guarenteed profit option to play these games in Tassie and grow a strong supporter and membership base when we could have played home games at Docklands, a stadium that many Hawk supporters know and love, and actively go out of their way to attend.

What attendance do you need to break even there - 36,000? I'm so disappointed a club stalwart and man so motivated by his club succeeding without demonstrating a blatant conflict of interest like Ian Collins couldn't get us to play home games at Docklands.

I also don't know how we're possibly competing against the financial leviathans that are the Docklands tenants that are making obviously understated multi-million dollar profits.

Honestly, you must be smelling too much of the crap you're cooking.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

well pointed out yodellinhank.

It is truly amazing the inferiority complex displayed by geelong posters in this thread. who would think that they had just won a premiership, albeit dubiously. Simply put, the only real measure of success for the cats is beating the Hawks in a Grand Final. They can't & it hurts & therefore hijack every Hawthorn thread.

Seriously though, you force me to take this path - Geelong have been top of the table for 3 seasons, returned 2 flags, but still only manage to net a profit of $600k. Fitzroy are still turning over more than this pa.

Dont tar them all with the same brush Franko, otherwise you're as bad as these kids! There are plenty of fine Cats fans out there, shame there are a few who cant let go.

My favourites have been the dude who mentioned the VFA flags and the fella banging on about bandwagons in the 70s and early 80s.

Nothing to do with your thread but a perfect example of desperation to jump on anything Hawthorn.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Honestly, you must be smelling too much of the crap you're cooking.

Nice

 

[Books]

For us Hawk fans, comparing where we are now to the dark days of 1996 is amazing. We could have been gone just like Fitzroy. Imagine how the footy world would marvel if Fitzroy had survived and then prospered like Hawthorn have.

As the OP said, all clubs that may be struggling now should take heart - anything is possible in footy.

The pettiness of Geelong fans is embarrasing. We know they hate Hawthorn and we all know why but seriously guys - get over it! Move on. Enjoy what your club has achieved. When Hawthorn win their next flag I hope all Hawk fans simply enjoy our success instead of spending there lives searching for mindless crap to throw at Geelong, or the previous premiers. What a waste of a life that would be.

 

[tazhawk]

As usual the Geelong Flogs come out in force.

I suppose the fact that they have been the Hawks bitches for so long starts to cut deep after a while.

I have yet to hear of one Geelong Flog that has seen their team win a Final against the Hawks.

Cue the usual "but you never even made the Finals last year" brigade.

No one and I mean no one who supports Geelong will answer the question.

Why is it that the Hawks treat Geelong like their bitches in Finals ?