Email from Euge

[fusion]

or they could charge a special one-off premium of $100 on memberships and make more then three games in Sydney.

I wonder how many members would pay for a $300+ membership each season. Maybe they should do some economics modelling and work out whether its better to have 20k members paying more or 30k members paying less.

We already have those options - just buy an extra membership (or upgrade to premium/coterie level). If you can't afford an extra adult membership, then buy a concession or junior membership.

There are a lot on this forum who have premium membership categories too - the club had a large growth in these numbers this season, not just overall total members. I choose to make an extra contribution to the club by buying a couple of rookie player sponsorships.

What is killing us (and other Vic based clubs like the Bulldogs) is the poor stadium deals, particularly at Telstra Dome. We cannot compete when Geelong can make $600k in a single home game, and we make $700k for the entire season, with 60% of that coming from three Gold Coast games. If my math is correct, we make 40% of $700k = $280k for our 8 home games. Just $35k per home game.

Even with a favorable draw next season, Euge's best case scenario is $1.1M or $100k from each home game next season. I bet the ANZAC Day game gets more than our 11 games in total.

 

[NICK_ROOBOY83]

Worried too. Sounds like Western Sydney will be the next Gold Coast for us.

We seem to just milk the AFL for money by playing in Sydney, Canberra and Gold Coast, but when it comes to a permanent move - we tell them to get stuffed..

Kinda like the girl at the bar you buy drinks all night, and then when you ask to take her home, she pashes another bloke...

Absolute rubish.

Reading that letter from Euge, he makes it clear that we would be playing the game there for the money & nothing else. In the past our club made it known we were there to develop our membership & have a second base.

 

[Event Horizon]

A good message from Eugene, no doubt but to be honest, $400,000 seems like a fairly small amount of money to be opening the whole can of warms over. If this 400k will in deed make that much difference to our bottom line, I wouldn't be against introducing a voluntary levy or something similar, of lets say $100 to allow the club to keep this game in Melbourne. Members who put in could get an invite to some exclusive players function which could be linked to the actual Sydney game at TD.

I would happily pledge my $100 now. We would need 4,000 pledges. Should be doable.

 

[breeno]

Very do able

 

[rickety]

pretty much another version of what was put forward at the members' information night, but good that it is out there to still all the rot that has been bandied around the last few days.

understandably the AFL wants what is best for NMFC, so they say, so, why then can it not exempt NMFC from its policy of selling a home game into an already established market - eg. Perth. that NMFC has established sponsorship, membership and historical links with W.A., would it not be beneficial for the club, and in turn the AFL, to increase its presence there? if NMFC were able to gain $700k from that 1 game, surely it would have immmediate and long term benefits for the club. in turn, the AFL would be less financially burdened and everything will be ticketyboo.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

What is killing us (and other Vic based clubs like the Bulldogs) is the poor stadium deals, particularly at Telstra Dome. We cannot compete when Geelong can make $600k in a single home game, and we make $700k for the entire season, with 60% of that coming from three Gold Coast games. If my math is correct, we make 40% of $700k = $280k for our 8 home games. Just $35k per home game.

Even with a favorable draw next season, Euge's best case scenario is $1.1M or $100k from each home game next season. I bet the ANZAC Day game gets more than our 11 games in total.

I gathered from the video interview that we made $1.9 million - $1.2 million from the GC deal and $700,000 from all the other home games - so not as bad as you paint, but still needs work, which they are doing.

 

[Urmoe]

Im not sure if this is covered in other threads throughout the year but the fact that we 'seemingly' let go of this $1.2m from the Gold Coast so easily seems to me that legally we werent entitled to it.

Which from where i sit indicates one of 2 things:

1. We drop the claim for $1.2mil from GC games for 'favours' in next couple of years fixturing. Playing big drawing opponents on our home ground, minimising the amount of interstate travel for away games, more friday night games, first call on good friday/easter monday games etc etc....or

2. We had it as part of the GC agreement that we would relocate NMFC to the GC after our agreement for the 10 home games expired. Now that we made a decision not to go, we have broken the agreement.

I'd really hate to think that the previous administration with their 'take relocation out of our vocabulary' stance, have lied to us and option 2 was what is being realised now. Would be very very disappointing indeed.

We can only take their word for it therefore I look forward to some favourable fixturing over the next few years from the AFL.

Time will tell.

 

[kitty_11]

pretty much another version of what was put forward at the members' information night, but good that it is out there to still all the rot that has been bandied around the last few days.

Yep, pretty similar to what was put forward at the info night. I think Eugene also said on the video that the EGM would be scheduled for the 29th October, and that correspondence regarding the vote on restructuring would be sent out in the next couple of weeks

kitty

 

[kangalover]

Regarding the $400,000 needed to keep another game in Melbourne I believe it would be quite feasible to raise the money through a member donation program called something like "Keep the game in Melbourne fund" by members for members for the NMFC.

I have sent Eugene a proposal outlining this suggestion, hopefully he will see some merit in it.

If 25,000 members donated $20 each (giving us $500,000)
I believe the funds could be raised quite promptly to keep the game in Melbourne.
Of course many members would be unable to afford a donation but there would be many who could and who would be willing to donate much more than $20.
Just look at how quickly the MFC has raised over $3million simply to help eliminate their massive debt.

If the money could be raised by the members for a "Keep the game in Melbourne fund" it could be brilliant public relations for the club, it could also be a real boost and incentive for attracting new memberships.

Clubs like Geelong have such an unfair advantage over other clubs with their skilled stadium arrangement, which in turn, creates a very unfair playing field from which to try and make a profit.

The AFL really could and should do more to help clubs like North, the Bulldogs and Melbourne with their stadium deals.
But, of course, they do not want this to happen, because, in their own underhanded way they are hoping that unfair deals like the stadium deals that are currently in effect, will weed out the weakest link, making it impossible for their survival to be maintained.

 

[trevagreene]

kangalover, great minds think alike
sent a similar email to EA and JB myself over the weekend.

 

[Limerick]

Having worked as a volunteer for the last 3 years in the membership tents etc I would say we would be lucky to get 3k-5k taking up the additional $20 option. Remember that we on this board are not representative of the broader NMFC membership base. Also the 32k membership has around 6k concession and 6k children leaving around 20k full paying adults, 2k of which are "friendlies" together with a number of members buying extras. However having said this I'd pay an additional levy.

We need to focus on getting our attendance rate up then this issue will disappear.

 

[Jay_Bee]

Ladies and Gentlemen, a fantastic e-mail from our esteemed and respected CEO in the big Euge.

How about a hand for Eugene?

 

[Christabella]

Kind of worrying, just means lots of hard work and luck is needed.

'Kind of worrying' is someone being able to quote this minutes before it appears to have been posted.

This I find to be very unfair, financially speaking the idea is as good to me as it is to the club, but I'd rather take the four points on offer and so would prefer a venue that was more neutral and/or less populated with football ignoramuses (ignorami?).
I trust Eugene knows what he is doing and is acting in the clubs best interests but anywhere is better than Sydney. I'd rather take a game to Iraq or Pakistan ...

 

[BlueRoos]

Quick response, logical explanation, doesn't treat the members like idiots, re-iterates our long term position and has not one but two subtle shots at Caro's article.

The man is a GUN.

On the money.

Another professional performance by the Rooguene/JB tag team, further illustrates just how bad the previous NMFC admin. had become.

 

[kitty_11]

I trust Eugene knows what he is doing and is acting in the clubs best interests but anywhere is better than Sydney. I'd rather take a game to Iraq or Pakistan ...

Glad I wasn't the only one who dreads the idea of playing yet another 'home' game in Sydney. Am wondering if this means we'll have to play Sydney 'at home', or whether we'll have a game against another Melbourne team?

kitty

 

[Christabella]

When I said I'd rather take a game to Iraq or Pakistan what I meant is I'd rather take the Swans there. It's just pity the "fans" who would be missed the least wouldn't even know it was on until after the team had won.

Mind you I recall some very meagre crowds when we played the likes of Richmond and Port Adelaide in Sydney in the past so I think there is no chance of this game being against anyone else.

 

[jacko57]

I trust Eugene knows what he is doing and is acting in the clubs best interests but anywhere is better than Sydney. I'd rather take a game to Iraq or Pakistan ...

Fair call. The locals would be much more welcoming.........and more knowledgeable about AFL.

 

[kitty_11]

When I said I'd rather take a game to Iraq or Pakistan what I meant is I'd rather take the Swans there. It's just pity the "fans" who would be missed the least wouldn't even know it was on until after the team had won.

Mind you I recall some very meagre crowds when we played the likes of Richmond and Port Adelaide in Sydney in the past so I think there is no chance of this game being against anyone else.

Would you leave them there though?

Even though the crowds aren't great, it doesn't really make sense for us to just be playing Sydney if the aim is to 'grow the game'. The poor natives up there need to see the game played in other ways...preferably ways that aren't a cure for insomnia.

kitty

 

[Christabella]

Would you leave them there though?

Without regret, and the same would go for any of Collingwood, Hawthorn or Adelaide

As for the AFL's idea of growing the game? LOL
We failed to achieve that ten years ago when there was less emphasis on the financial aspect so now when it has been declared that we are doing it purely for the money surely it is going to be less successful. We are not exactly the type of club that will attract new AFL fans in the fickle Sydney sports market.

 

[kitty_11]

I doubt that the AFL has any wish for us to increase our supporter base Chances of that actually happening are miniscule. But they really need more games being played to increase the amount of 'live-game' exposure in that market prior to introducing the new team. At least this is what I believe the AFL's thought process is on this.

Yet I don't know why the AFL would allow us to go up there in preference to another team, e.g., Collingwood, given we were practically booted out the last time. We're probably not the best candidate to stir the imaginations of the unenlightened there.


kitty

 

[linnaeus]

I have mentioned this before but I cannot see why we do not use Geelong's ground. A couple of games at Geelong would be more profitable than those at Telstra Dome. As well it is a lot easier for us to get to than Sydney. I am sure Geelong would welcome better use of their stadium. Somebody else on this thread mentioned how lucky Geelong was with their stadium deal. My view is that you make your own luck and Geelong put themselves in serious debt for a long time to develop their own stadium.

 

[Shinboner Schem]

Understood. I know times are tough economically, they are at the company that I work for as well. But I would pay an extra $100 on top of the membership if it meant the club was going to have a better year financially.

The club could look at offering a "Save A Roo" membership option with a $100 premium towards the club. Chuck in a sausage sizzle with the players down at Arden St over the pre-season for anyone that signs up, and you would have some serious interest. People spend $100 on a nice dinner or going to a concert, and an extra $100 isn't going to hurt the pocket of a dedicated member.

Even if you only get 5,000 members to sign up for this option, thats still $500,000 in the clubs back pocket. More then the AFL will give us for playing in Sydney. If the club decided to do it, and marketed it correctly - It could be done.

A good message from Eugene, no doubt but to be honest, $400,000 seems like a fairly small amount of money to be opening the whole can of warms over. If this 400k will in deed make that much difference to our bottom line, I wouldn't be against introducing a voluntary levy or something similar, of lets say $100 to allow the club to keep this game in Melbourne. Members who put in could get an invite to some exclusive players function which could be linked to the actual Sydney game at TD.

I would happily pledge my $100 now. We would need 4,000 pledges. Should be doable.

All these "pledge" type money raising schemes are good in theory, but in practise they have significant hurdles as i'll explain:

1. There are already different levels of membership that people can and do opt for to contribute more money
2. There already are events throughout the year that can raise money for the club (Syd Barker medal presentation, GF Breakfast, raffle, etc)
3. People contributing to a new scheme is likely to have a negative effect on other things (e.g. may only buy 1 raffle ticket instead of the whole book, or may decide not to attend an event)
4. It is likely they same thing will be needed each following year
5. The club will likely need more than 400k raised as having the same low drawing game at TD will mean the club has to pay

The first three points are the main ones. There's already options for people. If you're willing to pledge X many dollars, then just do it, you don't need an invitation from the club.

 

[pharro]

Im not sure if this is covered in other threads throughout the year but the fact that we 'seemingly' let go of this $1.2m from the Gold Coast so easily seems to me that legally we werent entitled to it.

Which from where i sit indicates one of 2 things:

1. We drop the claim for $1.2mil from GC games for 'favours' in next couple of years fixturing. Playing big drawing opponents on our home ground, minimising the amount of interstate travel for away games, more friday night games, first call on good friday/easter monday games etc etc....or

2. We had it as part of the GC agreement that we would relocate NMFC to the GC after our agreement for the 10 home games expired. Now that we made a decision not to go, we have broken the agreement.

I'd really hate to think that the previous administration with their 'take relocation out of our vocabulary' stance, have lied to us and option 2 was what is being realised now. Would be very very disappointing indeed.

We can only take their word for it therefore I look forward to some favourable fixturing over the next few years from the AFL.

Time will tell.

I think we are far enough down the track to be able to say with some sense of impunity that your item 2 would be pretty much on the money - that there was a handshake agreement to relocate made by certain members of the 2006 board.

Thank God for RJ and the Brayshaws.

Nevertheless, I also look forward to home Friday night fixtures vs Collingwood and Essendon.

 

[TitanicRider]

We could play Hawthorn, Carlton, Geelong and Essendon at the MCG instead of Telstra Dome.

Imagine if the Essendon & Collingwood games were at the MCG, we would have made a wad load of cash.. and played the Melbourne and Port games at Telstra Dome..

What is wrong with selling our Geelong home game to Geelong to play at Skilled ??? we had to play them twice this year anyway, so we may as well get $400,000 for getting our pants pulled down twice.