Opinion Jeff Kennett News, Media etc.

[Gralin]

Get over the crowds, you'll be happier it's just another negative to waste energy on.

 

[Lotus]

IMHO, It goes both ways, the club also needs to be creative.
E.g. knowing that the weather will be so bad with no train as well, maybe give free hot patches or free coffee or tea just as an incentive. Or a little bit extreme, sending out sms message to our reserved member with option reply 1 for attending, 2 not attending 3 tentative. Then if the number for attending is so low, free upgrade for the GA ticket holder.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

In Brissy if you’re going to a major sporting event your public transport cost is covered with your ticket. Have never understood why a sporting city like Melbourne has never embraced this.

 

[Jaeger]

The crowd was very poor and 26,000 barely makes the club a profit.

The club would be disappointed so have no problem with Jeff raising the issue.

We only get 6 home games at the MCG. People need to make more of an effort to turn up. It's not as if we're playing like Carlton or St Kilda.

Our last two home games for the season are later in the year against Essendon and Geelong so those should be solid crowds.

 

[MasterSamurai]

We can’t complain about been called fairweather supporters. That’s a awful turn out.

 

[flinchfree]

Oooh, can I get in on it...
I hate me I hate me.

Am I doing this right?

 

[Coathanger]

So Jeff thinks all 80,000 members live in Melbourne?
Bonehead statement!

 

[The BIG X]

So Jeff thinks all 80,000 members live in Melbourne?
Bonehead statement!

When did Jeff say that??

 

[hawkgal02]

What is always disappointing is the big patch of Gold membership seats behind the goals at the Punt Road end of the MCG. They are Hawk supporters who pay for membership to get guaranteed finals tickets, but don’t show up. My seats are in M57, which is on the wing on the northern side, generally well attended, but hidden from the cameras.

I guess it’s your money, you can do what you like, but it is a terrible look: the crowd appears sparse and we seem to have little support, but they are all fully paid seats.

Seriously, the club needs your support right now. The club is fighting to be successful, so get to the damn games and back them, you miserable bastards!

I never understand how people can pay a ridiculous amount of money for something and not get every cent out of it.
It’s the only reason I bother to turn up to most games is that I’ve already paid for it. I’ve lost a lot of interest this year and I can’t stand the people I sit near.

I also agree though that the club needs to put a lot more effort into bringing members to the game. More (free) member functions would be good. More incentives, someone mentioned giving out free coffees or hand warmers etc.
The marketing team at Hawthorn is terrible and needs a complete overhaul.
It’s really hard to feel connected to the club when you pay $200+ for a seat for 7 games and don’t get any appreciation.

 

[wahawk]

So Jeff thinks all 80,000 members live in Melbourne?
Bonehead statement!

Speaking of ‘bonehead statements’

 

[TazHawk15]

If you use the old "we have such and such members" argument is neither here or there.

Take the Tiggers V Handbagger game where between them they have 140,000 members but only got a crowd of 47,000

Just say "Hawk supporters need to get to the game" because sure as hell we have more supporters than members.

 

[MrPremiership]

Positive selfish note - the small crowd made it easier to get on the train to get home.

 

[vaughnie]

Ok. I'll fess up. I wasn't there. I was crook.
Yes, 26,000 was an ordinary crowd. But I get annoyed when our Prez comes out and plays the 80k membership card. Ok Jeff, tell us how many 11 game membership holders we have in Melbourne. After you take out the Tassie and other interstate memberships, country memberships, those 3 game memberships, how many are left? 40- 45,000? I dunno. Do they ever release such classified information?

As I say, the crowd wasn't great but don't quote 80k as though they could all gain entry on their memberships. Leave the trolling to the Hun.

 

[Gralin]

If you use the old "we have such and such members" argument is neither here or there.

Take the Tiggers V Handbagger game where between them they have 140,000 members but only got a crowd of 47,000

Just say "Hawk supporters need to get to the game" because sure as hell we have more supporters than members.

and that was two Vic clubs

average attendance for the round was 27k, second time this year it was only 27k maybe it wasn't just Hawks supporters who didn't go to the footy on the weekend

 

[Thaihawk]

The weather is relevant. It didn't used to be when footy was footy and the TV wouldn't tell you 1/2 the story. You would walk over hot coals to stand in the outer on a freezing day. But now, let's all run down one end and then let's all run down the other, meh. I can watch all 36 players on the screen at the same time. When it's cold, you have a serious decision to make.

You speak of the days that if you didn't see a Hawk game live, all you would get would be "flash scores" from another game broadcast. Very little press or radio for the bottom dwelling Hawks in those days. Oh, the Big 4 were even relavent in those days.

 

[Thaihawk]

What is always disappointing is the big patch of Gold membership seats behind the goals at the Punt Road end of the MCG. They are Hawk supporters who pay for membership to get guaranteed finals tickets, but don’t show up. My seats are in M57, which is on the wing on the northern side, generally well attended, but hidden from the cameras.

I guess it’s your money, you can do what you like, but it is a terrible look: the crowd appears sparse and we seem to have little support, but they are all fully paid seats.

Seriously, the club needs your support right now. The club is fighting to be successful, so get to the damn games and back them, you miserable bastards!

Real fans can't get tickets because social, well heeled ones do.

Back in the 80s, after attending every Hawthorn game, I was unable to get a GF ticket, but got to the game because the company I worked for was a big user of Visy products. Had to go with two Poms watching their first game, it was a pain in the arse, especially knowing the number of real fans aren't considered when it comes to finals.

The AFL really don't care as long as the TV viewers keep going up.

 

[Yardie]

Positive selfish note - the small crowd made it easier to get on the train to get home.

At least you had a train! We had to arrive over an hour early to make sure we got in before they closed the parking (I've been burnt before).

Although the warm car on the way home was appreciated

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

The minute the Socceroos game was scheduled on our game, I was never coming to the G.

I expect plenty of others did the same.

 

[HairyO]

So Buddy did make it to the 2008 catch up. Good to hear.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

The minute the Socceroos game was scheduled on our game, I was never coming to the G.

I expect plenty of others did the same.

The Rah Rah game might have also taken away any Irish fans we might have as well as any wannabe hipster members who pretend to be Rebels fans.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

The Rah Rah game might have also taken away any Irish fans we might have as well as any wannabe hipster members who pretend to be Rebels fans.

True, but I am not sure how many that would have been.

Unfortunate scheduling, but we will get over it

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The AFL is itching to fixture more and bigger games at Etihad Stadium (they own it).

Having a turnout of under 30,000 makes it easier for the AFL to put Hawthorn on at Etihad more and more often.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

The AFL is itching to fixture more and bigger games at Etihad Stadium (they own it).

Having a turnout of under 30,000 makes it easier for the AFL to put Hawthorn on at Etihad more and more often.

This is why I’m concerned about our shitty crowd numbers. People moan all year about how Carlton get Friday night games - we’ll maybe because they can draw ~37,000 to Etihad and that looks good on TV. If we can only partly fill the MCG then we won’t get FTA games (bad for revenue as sponsors want eyes on their logos) and we will have more games diverted to Etihad/Marvel which people always have a cry about.

Don’t want games at Etihad and don’t want all our games being on Fox? Simple - turn up!

 

[Thaihawk]

Ok. I'll fess up. I wasn't there. I was crook.
Yes, 26,000 was an ordinary crowd. But I get annoyed when our Prez comes out and plays the 80k membership card. Ok Jeff, tell us how many 11 game membership holders we have in Melbourne. After you take out the Tassie and other interstate memberships, country memberships, those 3 game memberships, how many are left? 40- 45,000? I dunno. Do they ever release such classified information?

As I say, the crowd wasn't great but don't quote 80k as though they could all gain entry on their memberships. Leave the trolling to the Hun.

I believe overseas members are included also. We do get a "membership pack!" Would be interesting to see clubs break down the demographics of their memberships. That would make the issue far ,ore transparent, wouldn't it?

 

[MrPremiership]

Some updates on Dingley would be nice too Jeff