Does AFL Membership need to still exist?

[Probitas_]

I live in Melbourne and have an AFL membership with West Coast.
The club gets my full amount of money and I get to go to a ton of games with my Richmond and Carlton supporting mates.

Getting rid of the AFL membership would be terrible for people in my situation, I would have to spend way more money if I wanted to continue to give my own club the monetary support I do now, just so I could go with friends to the footy.

 

[Moo]

I live in Melbourne and have an AFL membership with West Coast.
The club gets my full amount of money and I get to go to a ton of games with my Richmond and Carlton supporting mates.

Getting rid of the AFL membership would be terrible for people in my situation, I would have to spend way more money if I wanted to continue to give my own club the monetary support I do now, just so I could go with friends to the footy.

Don't mind it for H&A ....I think the GF allocations need to be looked at.

That includes the corporate tickets.

Why not 1000 tickets to the public?

 

[blue harvest]

But hey plenty of Freo fans paying $300 a year or more for years on end will miss out on a chance of GF tickets now because there are not enough due to all the other clubs Victorian AFL members. Some will of course pay extortionist rates from AFL members scalping their tickets so they can see their team.

This is not just a Freo issue, it is the same for all clubs. There are plenty of Hawk fans paying hundreds for years on end who will also miss out for the exact same reason.

Would have thought the solution would be to retain AFL memberships for Home and Away games and then gradually cut back AFL memberships access to the GF

GF is a major reason people buy AFL membership, if you take that away not as many would join and they would have to drop the price. This would be a major revenue hit for the AFL. I agree that ideally only AFL members who support the competing teams should get in, but again this would stop many from joining. There are also about 28K AFL silver members on the waiting list for full membership, you can't just shaft them with a new set of rules after waiting years on the list.

 

[MightyHawks]

That was a home final.

This is not.

When Hawthorn hosted Sydney in the Qualifying Final and when Hawthorn hosted Geelong in the Preliminary Final, both clubs had equal allocations of the good level M, N and P seats

We were the home team in a home final

So tell me why the Perth teams take all the good seats for their home finals?

 

[Probitas_]

Don't mind it for H&A ....I think the GF allocations need to be looked at.

That includes the corporate tickets.

Why not 1000 tickets to the public?

I wouldn't be opposed to this if the cost went down. It's a great bonus, but I would prefer a more cost effective solution that doesn't entail me buying both a membership I can hardly use and then tickets every week on top.
I go to a lot of games as a neutral though, so I understand I'm in the minority here.

 

[Moo]

When Hawthorn hosted Sydney in the Qualifying Final and when Hawthorn hosted Geelong in the Preliminary Final, both clubs had equal allocations of the good level M, N and P seats

We were the home team in a home final

So tell me why the Perth teams take all the good seats for their home finals?

None of the above are grand final examples and there is no home side in the grand final....so I deflect your deflection sir.

 

[Moo]

I wouldn't be opposed to this if the cost went down. It's a great bonus, but I would prefer a more cost effective solution that doesn't entail me buying both a membership I can hardly use and then tickets every week on top.
I go to a lot of games as a neutral though, so I understand I'm in the minority here.

Plus being a WC supporter it must be good to see some good football played.

 

[MightyHawks]

None of the above are grand final examples and there is no home side in the grand final....so I deflect your deflection sir.

As you couldn't give a stuff about my ability to access tickets for a final that Hawthorn is playing in Perth, I couldn't give a stuff about your ability to access a final (or Grand Final) that Fremantle is playing in Melbourne

 

[Probitas_]

Plus being a WC supporter it must be good to see some good football played.

You cut me deep Moo Why you gotta be like that

 

[Moo]

As you couldn't give a stuff about my ability to access tickets for a final that Hawthorn is playing in Perth, I couldn't give a stuff about your ability to access a final (or Grand Final) that Fremantle is playing in Melbourne

So you view the GF as your home game .....that's my point

I knew we would get there.

I enjoyed my wing seats at Kardinia Park too for the QF.

 

[Moo]

You cut me deep Moo Why you gotta be like that

You know you love me Probitas and you wouldn't want me being nice now.

 

[MightyHawks]

So you view the GF as your home game .....that's my point

I knew we would get there.

I couldn't care less really mate how you view the game

Next time I'm in Perth for a final I'll just buy a corporate ticket - not going to waste hours whinging on Big Footy about it... (Got much better things to whinge about on BF!!!)

 

[Moo]

I couldn't care less really mate how you view the game

Next time I'm in Perth for a final I'll just buy a corporate ticket - not going to waste hours whinging on Big Footy about it... (Got much better things to whinge about on BF!!!)

What using my GST money?

Bloody Victorians

Plus I'm OK - it's the other members who are missing out that annoys me.

 

[MightyHawks]

What using my GST money?

Bloody Victorians

Plus I'm OK - it's the other members who are missing out that annoys me.

I'm glad you're ok... was getting a little stressed about it

 

[Moo]

I'm glad you're ok... was getting a little stressed about it

If you could pick me up from the airport - that will be one less worry.

Appreciate it.

 

[MightyHawks]

If you could pick me up from the airport - that will be one less worry.

Appreciate it.

We actually have a rail link in Melbourne to the airport, but have hidden it from Fremantle fans this week

 

[Freo Dr]

This is not just a Freo issue, it is the same for all clubs. There are plenty of Hawk fans paying hundreds for years on end who will also miss out for the exact same reason.

Exactly most years two clubs members get shafted.

GF is a major reason people buy AFL membership, if you take that away not as many would join and they would have to drop the price. This would be a major revenue hit for the AFL. I agree that ideally only AFL members who support the competing teams should get in, but again this would stop many from joining. There are also about 28K AFL silver members on the waiting list for full membership, you can't just shaft them with a new set of rules after waiting years on the list.

Counter argument is that if more GF tickets were going to be available to competing clubs a club membership would be worth more - particularly since the clubs involved could then offer more GF upgrades. So really it is just the AFL membership cannibalizing the club memberships. Also the amount you reduce the cost of the AFL membership could also be counteracted by selling the seats as packages through the competing clubs (as first priority) for the usual extortionist rates.

Changing the rules midstream can always be done and should not be an excuse to not start - soften the blow by giving waiting list people club memberships with GF upgrades should their team make it as well as the home and away and/or other finals access still.

 

[Moo]

It ain't going to happen though.

In fact I can see the AFL going the other way and knocking down the club tickets even more.

Cash is king.

 

[blue harvest]

Counter argument is that if more GF tickets were going to be available to competing clubs a club membership would be worth more - particularly since the clubs involved could then offer more GF upgrades. So really it is just the AFL membership cannibalizing the club memberships. Also the amount you reduce the cost of the AFL membership could also be counteracted by selling the seats as packages through the competing clubs (as first priority) for the usual extortionist rates.

True, in the end it comes down to money. If AFL loses membership revenue then the freed up GF tickets would have to be priced a lot higher to make up for it.

Changing the rules midstream can always be done and should not be an excuse to not start - soften the blow by giving waiting list people club memberships with GF upgrades should their team make it as well as the home and away and/or other finals access still.

Most club GF upgrades are at capacity, so to do that you would have to allocate more GF tickets to the clubs. Also part of the reason silver members pay is because of the thought that one day they will be able to go to the GF no matter who is playing. If you sit on a waitlist for 10 years it is not fair to take this away unless you refund part of their membership backdated to when they joined.

 

[blue harvest]

It ain't going to happen though.

In fact I can see the AFL going the other way and knocking down the club tickets even more.

Cash is king.

They actually increased the club allocation from 24,000 to 28,000 a year or 2 back.

But yeah I don't think too much will change.
I'm certainly hanging on to my silver membership, one day I think they will cap it and there will be a waiting list even for silver membership, or they may stop new members altogether.

 

[Underarm]

they also reduce AFL members section for finals, plus it includes 5k medallion club members/afl delegates who get automatic entry.

Counter argument is that if more GF tickets were going to be available to competing clubs a club membership would be worth more - particularly since the clubs involved could then offer more GF upgrades. So really it is just the AFL membership cannibalizing the club memberships. Also the amount you reduce the cost of the AFL membership could also be counteracted by selling the seats as packages through the competing clubs (as first priority) for the usual extortionist rates.

Changing the rules midstream can always be done and should not be an excuse to not start - soften the blow by giving waiting list people club memberships with GF upgrades should their team make it as well as the home and away and/or other finals access still.

Thats not entirely true. If there are more GF tickets for Competing club members then the demand for those tickets would be smaller, which would have a downwards effect on price.

During the season there might have been 1 or 2 games that sold out in public but not AFL members, but in those cases people had weeks to buy the tickets, no real excuse.

As long as the AFL GF remains at the MCG (and fairly certain it is for a while) then there will always be an Issue with Victorian teams having an advantage over Interstate sides. Even without the AFL members, you still have the MCC members causing a much bigger drain on attendances in the year.

 

[Underarm]

You might be joking but there are certainly people who do what you were referring to.

Interesting to compare AFL membership to ANZ Stadium membership. ANZ Stadium membership is about $1000 to join but then around $700 per year but you are guaranteed a seat to every event and no booking fees. You have to apply for tickets for the big events (say state of origin, wallabies tests, NRL grand final etc) but you are guaranteed to be allocated a seat and your membership is fully transferrable although I don't think you are supposed to sell your tickets. I am seriously considering getting one of these.

My point is that AFL membership is the price it is because they have heaps more members paying their dues than will apply for tickets.

I am not too sure how small my anatomy would become if I was a member of Australia's two biggest sporting venues.

How often would you use the anz membership though? No game ever sells out, I'd say you'd have to go to a bit to get value off it....I'm sure there are cheaper ways to guarantee SOO/GF tickets if your team was in it too.

 

[Kwality]

Don't mind it for H&A ....I think the GF allocations need to be looked at.

That includes the corporate tickets.

Why not 1000 tickets to the public?

Why not ... members of competing clubs should be #1, then #2 in seating - AFL members seating should be reduced (ask Eddie) & each time the Vic taxpayer contributes to the MCC its seating should be reduced (the MCC can decide whether to accept taxpayer largesse because it has a cost).

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

I love this thread.

 

[Hawkk]

they also reduce AFL members section for finals, plus it includes 5k medallion club members/afl delegates who get automatic entry.

Thats not entirely true. If there are more GF tickets for Competing club members then the demand for those tickets would be smaller, which would have a downwards effect on price.

During the season there might have been 1 or 2 games that sold out in public but not AFL members, but in those cases people had weeks to buy the tickets, no real excuse.

As long as the AFL GF remains at the MCG (and fairly certain it is for a while) then there will always be an Issue with Victorian teams having an advantage over Interstate sides. Even without the AFL members, you still have the MCC members causing a much bigger drain on attendances in the year.

Depends on whose playing. Evidently the 14,000 allocation as it is would be more than enough for probably 10 clubs in the completion. On the Hawks board there is a thread about the GF ballot and its suggested that just 55% of eligible members register for the ballot for one reason of another. Given that not all club members are eligible for the ballot (about 65% of total members for most clubs) its only the clubs with 40,000 plus members that are likely going to fill the 14,000 allocation. Evidently indications suggest that the clubs with the big memberships usually only get a ballot take up in the early 20,000's

I think for whatever reason we overstate the demand for member allocated tickets, in the UK the FA allocate just 25,000 tickets for the FA Cup Final and UFEFA just 20,000/25,000 for the Champions League Final. Despite the scale and scope of the clubs, tickets don't sell out instantly.

Boost the allocation to 20,000 and there are probably only 4-6 clubs that would constantly exhaust its allocation of tickets on a year in, year out basis. That said, 20,000 member allocated tickets (with up to 70% of AFL/MCC members supporting the clubs - which would only happen if Collingwood made it) would be one hell of an atmosphere!

Regardless of who is playing in the final we already have a higher portion of football supporters aligned in the stadium than most major sporting events in the world (thanks to the MCC and AFL members)