Analysis Should we be pursuing a secondary market post-Hobart? If yes, then where?

[Sillygit]

Whilst it's a small number I hope those remaining Tasmanian members are thanked beyond a suitable reduction in their membership price for the reduction of games in 2025. I'll leave that to the marketing boffins as to what that could be.

2 beanies

 

[Sillygit]

We should do it right and employ a Tasmanian marketing boffin too.

They can put their heads together and work up something suitable for sure

Ahh you beat me to it

 

[Dan]

Whilst it's a small number I hope those remaining Tasmanian members are thanked beyond a suitable reduction in their membership price for the reduction of games in 2025. I'll leave that to the marketing boffins as to what that could be.

Yeah nah….they’re getting their own footy team.

They’ll be fine.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Reckon half our membership base wouldn't prop up an extra $100 a year to see 11 Melbourne home games?

Theres $2.5M

Simplified it but only needing $2.5M to settle the annual books is encouraging thought it was more like $4M.

Where the maths around these types of calculations often fall down is in assuming that the extra $100 per member comes to the club as pure profit. That's only true if those members don't turn up to the extra games and scan their tickets. If they do, then part of that $100 gets shared around other gameday stakeholders. So there is a contradiction at work between wanting members to turn up and also kind of... not wanting them to turn up, if that makes sense. Of course, it's ultimately best if we get big crowds but you can't simply run numbers based on membership costs. It's a bit more complicated when you have to factor in other noses in the trough.

 

[shintemaster]

Where the maths around these types of calculations often fall down is in assuming that the extra $100 per member comes to the club as pure profit. That's only true if those members don't turn up to the extra games and scan their tickets. If they do, then part of that $100 gets shared around other gameday stakeholders. So there is a contradiction at work between wanting members to turn up and also kind of... not wanting them to turn up, if that makes sense. Of course, it's ultimately best if we get big crowds but you can't simply run numbers based on membership costs. It's a bit more complicated when you have to factor in other noses in the trough.

Club is more than welcome to share this information...

I think these numbers are cleaner with replacement games where non attendance = pure $ in clubs pocket (perhaps part of the reason they've been trying really hard to not try that hard to help reserved seat members with these games).

End of the day though the main cost is in running the game full stop and having 35,000 vs 30,000 is a no brainer for which is better for us.

 

[Elroo]

Anyone know our first largest fan base outside of VIC? And if so why didn’t we sell the games there?

I'ii be interested to see how the tickets are allocated to the Bunbury game, 12,000 capacity.

 

[Gasometer]

Gaso was right

 

[giantroo]

 

[andana]

 

[giantroo]

North Melbourne spoke with regional Victoria, several states and even different countries before settling on Western Australia as its new interstate base for 2025 and beyond.

The Kangaroos will take on West Coast at Hands Oval in Bunbury in round 13 next season and Fremantle at Perth Stadium the following weekend as part of a new $2.5 million, three-year arrangement to play home games in Western Australia. It’ll be North Melbourne’s only trip to WA next year.

The club will play its two final AFL home matches in Tasmania in 2025 - down from four games this year - as well as two AFLW home games in the final year of the current deal.

While North Melbourne chief executive Jennifer Watt wouldn’t say what overseas countries the Kangaroos inquired with, she said that WA’s pitch was too good to resist.

“For us, Western Australia was a clear standout in terms of what it can deliver our club – reduced overall travel, a terrific financial model for us and two games eventually back to our Melbourne heartland,” Watt said.

North Melbourne will play at Bunbury's Hands Oval

“As soon as we found out about the 19th license, it was clear to us that we needed to plan for a post-Tasmania future. Playing interstate games has been part of our DNA for decades now.

“There’s a very smart young man at the AFL who manages the AFL fixture called Josh Bowler. He said that WA is a terrific option but I’d also look at the South West and that was the seed of the idea that got us really meaningfully exploring this dual option.

“We looked far and wide. We spoke to a number of governments, regional Victoria, other states, and even other countries about what that could look like for us. As soon as we started exploring WA and the terrific model that exists here, it became really clear that this was the answer for us.”

North Melbourne’s largest non-Victorian supporter base resides in Perth, with 10,000 Kangaroos fans expected to attend both games. The WA government also projects that at least 1000 interstate fans will make the trip west with direct flights now available between Melbourne and Busselton.




North Melbourne also says the new deal as part of its Tasmanian exit strategy will ensure its long-term future at Arden Street with fully funded football departments and talent identification programs.

North Melbourne’s AFL team will completely exit Tasmania at the end of 2025, which means Melbourne-based Kangaroos fans will have two extra home games at Marvel Stadium from 2026.

“We feel like partly our journey there has paved the way for that state to have its own team,” Watt said. “It’s a very grateful departure from Tasmania.”


North Melbourne insisted the new deal won’t impact on the club’s pursuit of future success, saying coach Alastair Clarkson had plenty of experience of playing in a secondary market.

“We want to contend for silverware,” Watt said. “If you want to be right up there, you need to be able to win anyway.

“We have no fears about travelling. We want to be a team known for winning anytime, anywhere.”

Both Fremantle and West Coast are fully supportive of the deal after both clubs advocated for more home games as part of the AFL’s competitive balance review.

“We’ve been open in our advocacy of that,” Dockers chief executive Simon Garlick

Simon Garlick

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49

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9.4

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HB

4.2

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3.4

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1.7

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No current season stats available

D

9.6

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said. “There is a significant disparity from a travel perspective. This assists that process.

“You combine this with the Indigenous All-Stars on February 15 and I think there’s a little nod of recognition from the AFL to a state that has as much footy history and heritage as any in the country.”

North Melbourne has sold two home games to Western Australia.

Added Eagles chief executive Don Pyke: “We’re really excited about the opportunity to go and play down at Hands Oval. The locals are pumped about the opportunity. We’ll need to see how many we can fit in there.”

It’s expected that the capacity for the Bunbury game will sit between 10,000-15,000.

The WA government has committed $20 million to upgrade Hands Oval and an additional $5.7 million to import additional infrastructure like seating, a second scoreboard, lighting and broadcast facilities for North’s clash with West Coast.

“Bunbury will be beamed across the nation,” Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said. “We want to see as many (fans come across from Melbourne) as we can.

“Our return on investment is very strong because people won’t be staying the normal two or three days. They’ll be staying 10 days.”

 

[King Corey]

On the surface - outstanding result.

This is a potentially sustainable model if it works our for all parties.

Whilst I get the 11 Melbourne games, regional Vic, member top up arguments - this is a more robust approach.

Then you add these benefits:

-WA is a great place to visit and the fixture could legit drive a couple 1000 extra tourists over there

-Nobody is speculating on us shifting to WA

-We reinforce and maybe even grow our disproportionate legacy WA fan base

-9 games in Melbourne

You never know, it might be terrible for reasons nobody predicts but on all available information, a brilliantly executed move by club leadership that sidesteps and maybe even leaps over the Tasmania exit obstacles.

 

[giantroo]

 

[andana]

Hopefully not Indonesia.

Bali flights cancelled due to dangerous volcanic ash​

 

[RoyalBlue]

No tuck shop!? Hoping Arden St cafe is on the cards.

 

[Zondor]

Great to see you're still on here Zondor!

:smirk look

 

[Zondor]

No tuck shop!? Hoping Arden St cafe is on the cards.

I'd prefer a Hardon Street Pub thank you very much. :stern look

 

[andana]

NORTH Melbourne's deal to play two home games a season in WA from 2025 has the potential to open a large block at home for Fremantle and West Coast and break up the clubs' heavy travel loads, according to Dockers chief executive Simon Garlick

Simon Garlick

Age

49

Ht

177cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

4.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.0

3star

.

Garlick declared the North Melbourne deal would go some way to addressing travel equity issues the WA clubs have lobbied for while also sending a "nod of recognition" to WA as a football state.

There is a significant disparity from a travel perspective ... we think this goes in part to assisting that process."

There is an easy fix. Just play wc every week.
Should have thought of it before joining a national competition.