$$$ Pledge Donations $$$ (was Football Dept)

[Mr Reliable]

I'm not sure whether a mailing list would be easy to get our hands on Limerick.

But my personal opinion is probably that we need to try and get wider coverage anyway. As previously posted, we need to try and get the message out to as many people as possible, some of whom may not already be members or financially supporting the club.

There is proabably quite a large pool of people who are complacent about the club. If they are made aware of the fact that they may just lose their club, then I feel sure there will be many sparked into action.

Agreed. Go for the mailing list but primarily target the wider audience. Committed North people will hear about it soon enough.

And we need an honorary lawyer or three to commit to the cause. Our funds will disappear fast if we're paying a lawyer hundreds of dollars per hour whenever we need some advice.

I'd be willing to help with the research.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Have I missed something here? I don't read many threads on here these days but I'd like to contribute to whatever this is...

Can someone fill me in?

I had no idea about this either yotr so you can count me in as well please pharro..........for whatever the amount is.....$100 or $200, no probs

T'toes

 

[hale]

Count me in!

 

[Limerick]

Agreed. Go for the mailing list but primarily target the wider audience. Committed North people will hear about it soon enough.

And we need an honorary lawyer or three to commit to the cause. Our funds will disappear fast if we're paying a lawyer hundreds of dollars per hour whenever we need some advice. I'd be willing to help with the research.

Just a thought. The Club can reject any application for the members list on the basis of privacy and duty of care re the data by the Club. However if a "Keep North at North" group produced a call for North members to sign up so as to keep North in Melbourne (it would have to not include any Board or Club bashing, but could identify the BF and KeepNorthat North web sites) then couldn't the Club undertake the mail out at our cost. Ron Joseph could push this through the Club on our behalf.

To keep the mail out targeted and the costs down it would only be mailed to
(i) adult general members (higher level members will be across the issue),
(ii) restrictred to one mail per address,
(iii) perhaps only to Victorian addresses.
This should keep the cost down to around $5k.

 

[Lidge]

Just a thought. The Club can reject any application for the members list on the basis of privacy and duty of care re the data by the Club. However if a "Keep North at North" group produced a call for North members to sign up so as to keep North in Melbourne (it would have to not include any Board or Club bashing, but could identify the BF and KeepNorthat North web sites) then couldn't the Club undertake the mail out at our cost. Ron Joseph could push this through the Club on our behalf.

To keep the mail out targeted and the costs down it would only be mailed to
(i) adult general members (higher level members will be across the issue),
(ii) restrictred to one mail per address,
(iii) perhaps only to Victorian addresses.
This should keep the cost down to around $5k.

IMHO - snail mail is too expensive and slow (by time art work & printing is done).

The club has 35,000 email addresses in their database of known supporters.

I'd be hitting that database - on the proviso that you can get access to it.

 

[j flex roo]

We need a taskforce that hits radio station talkbacks, writes letters to the editor, puts ads in newspapers, sends emails out etc to raise awareness.

A fully professional, crack team of hitmen.

Balaclavas provided.

 

[Lidge]

.

Balaclavas provided.

A bit like TISM - all with an alter ego/alias.

 

[moomba]

If we were to do a mailout, what would the purpose be?

Awareness, raising money, advertising the pro-Melbourne forums/sites?

 

[Limerick]

IMHO - snail mail is too expensive and slow (by time art work & printing is done).

The club has 35,000 email addresses in their database of known supporters.

I'd be hitting that database - on the proviso that you can get access to it.

My understanding is that the members database only has around 50% email addresses and the Club has some problems with bulk mail outs to "hotmail" accounts (which are 40% of the email addresses). However the same approach as I've outlinhed above can still apply to emails.

Purpose of such mailing.
1. Raise awareness of relocation issue. Many North supporters will only hear Caro & co.
2. Highlight the need for strong membership in 2008.
3. Raise awareness of relevant web sites, show there is a move to keep North at North.

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

Members received a mail-out from the Joseph/B1/B2 ticket for the previous election, Joseph or someone similar may be able to help get the info we'd need.

 

[CrazyQ]

Ok Pharro, make mine $100, sorry but I'm struggling to pay some other shit mate.

And put it towards the fight.

 

[Mailman]

IMHO - snail mail is too expensive and slow (by time art work & printing is done).

The club has 35,000 email addresses in their database of known supporters.

I'd be hitting that database - on the proviso that you can get access to it.

Agreed with this.....Email is cheap and quick

 

[Mailman]

If we were to do a mailout, what would the purpose be?

Awareness, raising money, advertising the pro-Melbourne forums/sites?

I believe the first round of advertising should be to advertise for attendance at an event. The event needs to be organised to have speachs from people like Arch, Joseph etc, and supporters need to be there with tins and pledge books. It would preferably be held at Arden St, and would need a stage and PA system.
At this point in time you have people interest because:
a) they have donated/pledged
b) the media attention at such an event would be huge

The next step would be to use this awareness and funds to increase the pressure on the board and the AFL.

Its all done in levels.....the first level is to get awareness

 

[Limerick]

Members received a mail-out from the Joseph/B1/B2 ticket for the previous election, Joseph or someone similar may be able to help get the info we'd need.

This was issued on the basis that it could only be used for the election. But RJ would be the person to talk to about how best to be able to get our messgae to the masses.

Will the Club put its pro GC proposal in the upcoming membership mail outs. If yes then the anti GC should have the same opportunity after all the business operation costs are funded by both groups through memberships, merchandise etc.

 

[robaba]

I'm good for $100. Who do I pay and how?

 

[giantroo]

I'm good for $100. Who do I pay and how?

Pharro will send us details later

 

[Tas]

Not sure why the money is going to the football department, that is an on-field area. If we are going to survive we have to do what the club is not doing, and that is hit the supporters of the club with the information they need to know about what they can do to stop the club from being shipped out.

 

[robaba]

Not sure why the money is going to the football department, that is an on-field area. If we are going to survive we have to do what the club is not doing, and that is hit the supporters of the club with the information they need to know about what they can do to stop the club from being shipped out.

I think that is the point of this whole thread.
$$$ Pledge Donations $$$ (was Football Dept).
I am confused? Am I?
Ahhh, I am suffering from GC war syndrome.

 

[Hoser]

My understanding is that the members database only has around 50% email addresses and the Club has some problems with bulk mail outs to "hotmail" accounts (which are 40% of the email addresses). However the same approach as I've outlinhed above can still apply to emails.

Purpose of such mailing.
1. Raise awareness of relocation issue. Many North supporters will only hear Caro & co.
2. Highlight the need for strong membership in 2008.
3. Raise awareness of relevant web sites, show there is a move to keep North at North.

Limerick highlights a good point. The scope of the message we want to get accross needs to quite clear. Strategy is important.

We don't neccessarily want to just board bash. Their greater resources and relationships with journo's could see us shot down rather quickly.

Highlighting the need for strong membership, and raising awareness means that we are working in a pro-active way, we can at the same time, force the boards hand to start communicating. If we, the common member are working to save the club and the board continues to remain silent, it will certainly make it difficult for them to sell the "Trust us, we're doing all we can, we've exhausted all opportunities" message.

 

[Hoser]

I think that is the point of this whole thread.
$$$ Pledge Donations $$$ (was Football Dept).
I am confused? Am I?
Ahhh, I am suffering from GC war syndrome.

That is tooooo funny.

 

[Tas]

I think that is the point of this whole thread.
$$$ Pledge Donations $$$ (was Football Dept).
I am confused? Am I?
Ahhh, I am suffering from GC war syndrome.

Ahh, cool. I am still half-asleep... one of those weeks.

 

[Tas]

Limerick highlights a good point. The scope of the message we want to get accross needs to quite clear. Strategy is important.

We don't neccessarily want to just board bash. Their greater resources and relationships with journo's could see us shot down rather quickly.

Highlighting the need for strong membership, and raising awareness means that we are working in a pro-active way, we can at the same time, force the boards hand to start communicating. If we, the common member are working to save the club and the board continues to remain silent, it will certainly make it difficult for them to sell the "Trust us, we're doing all we can, we've exhausted all opportunities" message.

While I agree that bashing the board or the shareholders wont get us anywhere, we need to get a very concise message clear that we strongly disagree with the direction they are taking OUR club and that they can't relocate the club without our help because irrespective of what the AFL is kicking into this, financially the club will live or die based on the level of existing membership support.

We need to convince the people that have given up or accepted it as fate that we must move that that is not the case. We are financially in a stronger trading position than the Bulldogs, probably also Melbourne as well, we have a lot of supporters who are not renewing because they are not happy about this gold coast direction but not signing up is giving them the ammunition to move us.

We need to also explain the agenda of the AFL and the media which has been sowing seeds of doom and gloom about our fate here. Nobody is denying that it is not tough here at the moment and that we have to be smart and work hard in order to thrive here but St Kilda does not turn over significantly more than us and are very profitable. A number of clubs are surviving with 5 or so thousand more members than us.

If we have to run raffles or fund raising exercises on a monthly basis to help raise the shortfall until we can grow our supporter base then it is still something we can do to save our club.

If we rise in numbers and become vocally against the move the shareholders wouldn't dare stand against the members. The cracks started to appear in their wall as soon as one man made a stand, when Archer said we should stay here in Melbourne it changed the thinking of some and the AFL panicked and started to raise the bribe with innuendo of threats and ultimatums.

We need to get the supporters passionate, we need to also target supporters of other clubs. During the Richmond SoS campaign I purchased memberships until they got back on their feet, I gave to St Kilda and Fitzroy as well. There is a lot of support we can generate from those that feel the AFL are ruining the game and killing off our clubs.

They say our 10 victorian clubs can't survive here but the 16 teams are going to generate $1.4 billion over the next 5 years, the AFL could afford to return 10-12 million to each club and no club would have any financial hardship. They wont do that though because without driving clubs into the dirt they wouldn't get games in Queensland or Tasmania or Canberra or NT.

The AFL does not have the right to kill off our clubs, they can't support any evidence that the Gold Coast is viable at all and our presence there would not only put us at risk but hurt Brisbane who are struggling worse than us at the moment.

We showed steady growth prior to switching games to the Gold Coast, it has stalled this year because the members are not happy... however, they need to express that the other way by being passionate MEMBERS and being vocal against relocation.

Giving up just signs our death warrant.

 

[Hoser]

Well said Tas
Now I really need to get back and get some work done or I will have no money to donate to the cause!!

 

[parkside.. F.C.]

chuck my name on that list..
i pledge..

$100 is no problem..
but $200..
maybe we should have 2 rounds.. organize the first, and if its a go-er..
then do kinda the same..

and why not use that 5,000 to buy us all an extra membership


and why are we making this so hard for people, i know alot of elderly north fans who are the most passionate people goin, but they can hardly afford $100 on a pension. we you should let it be known that if you cant afford $100 that

"EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!"

whether that be $5, $50 or $500 dollars.

between your friends who arent greatly passionate about the club the way you are maybe you should organize a syndicate.
it might sound stupid.. but if 500 people were to raise an extra $20 each..
and then you add another 500 people who are contributing 20 dollars on there own..
thats alot more money than what we started with.

there should be no cieling on the amount you are to contribute, if your on $500,000 a year then why not throw a grand in? because it says $100? thats poor form if you ask me.

 

[pharro]

chuck my name on that list..
i pledge..

$100 is no problem..
but $200..
maybe we should have 2 rounds.. organize the first, and if its a go-er..
then do kinda the same..

and why not use that 5,000 to buy us all an extra membership


and why are we making this so hard for people, i know alot of elderly north fans who are the most passionate people goin, but they can hardly afford $100 on a pension. we you should let it be known that if you cant afford $100 that

"EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!"

whether that be $5, $50 or $500 dollars.

between your friends who arent greatly passionate about the club the way you are maybe you should organize a syndicate.
it might sound stupid.. but if 500 people were to raise an extra $20 each..
and then you add another 500 people who are contributing 20 dollars on there own..
thats alot more money than what we started with.

there should be no cieling on the amount you are to contribute, if your on $500,000 a year then why not throw a grand in? because it says $100? thats poor form if you ask me.

All fair points. Some people have pledged $200 and we have a US citizen who has offered $50. (the way the greenback is going, I'd better lock him into some sort of futures/options currency exchange deal)

So if anyone wants to throw in whatever amount, it will all be most gratefully accepted.