TheMase
26 Jun 2003, 11:31
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,6655797-23211,00.html
THE Sydney Swans are "disappointed" with the drastic 23 per cent drop in membership this season.
But it is not all doom and gloom at the club, according to interim chief executive officer Phil Mullen.
A seven per cent jump in attendances for Swans homes games this year has boosted Sydney's average crowd figures to the highest level for four seasons.
Sydney are averaging 28,403 people a game this year - up on last season's figure of 26,612.
The Swans believe the increase in crowds is a sign Sydney is starting to get behind the new-look team which, under coach Paul Roos, has defied the critics to be in fourth place.
With five home games left, including Collingwood at Telstra Stadium in round 21, the Swans could surpass 1999's average crowd of 30,539, which was the year Tony "Plugger" Lockett broke Gordon Coventry's all-time goal kicking record.
But the increase in attendances still does not offset this year's membership nosedive to 21,270 from the 2002 figure of 27,755, compounding the Swans' financial woes.
The club has made it known it is in need of a minimum handout of $1.5 million from the AFL to keep trading after October.
"While we are obviously disappointed with the final membership figures, I believe our membership department has still done a great job in an extremely tough economic environment," Mullen said.
"I can see some tremendous opportunities as we go forward with other key performance indicators suggesting there is a real upturn in support for the club.
"Apart from the 21,270 memberships, we have reported to the AFL there were another 4423 multiple game tickets purchased, those tickets mixing both SCG and Telstra Stadium games.
"On top of that, our crowd figures in Sydney this year are the strongest we have had for five seasons, with the average attendance for the SCG and Telstra Stadium games currently at 28,403, up nearly 7per cent from 2002."
The major challenge the Swans are facing is to find a way to entice the people who are buying three, four or five multi-game tickets this season to become members next year.
That job will be easier if the Swans can continue their current form and not only qualify for the finals but play footy deep into September.
After Sydney made the 1996 grand final against the Kangaroos, their membership jumped from 9525 to 22,109 the following season.
In 1997 the Swans also averaged 35,818 people for home games, well up on the 1996 figure of 24,574.
THE Sydney Swans are "disappointed" with the drastic 23 per cent drop in membership this season.
But it is not all doom and gloom at the club, according to interim chief executive officer Phil Mullen.
A seven per cent jump in attendances for Swans homes games this year has boosted Sydney's average crowd figures to the highest level for four seasons.
Sydney are averaging 28,403 people a game this year - up on last season's figure of 26,612.
The Swans believe the increase in crowds is a sign Sydney is starting to get behind the new-look team which, under coach Paul Roos, has defied the critics to be in fourth place.
With five home games left, including Collingwood at Telstra Stadium in round 21, the Swans could surpass 1999's average crowd of 30,539, which was the year Tony "Plugger" Lockett broke Gordon Coventry's all-time goal kicking record.
But the increase in attendances still does not offset this year's membership nosedive to 21,270 from the 2002 figure of 27,755, compounding the Swans' financial woes.
The club has made it known it is in need of a minimum handout of $1.5 million from the AFL to keep trading after October.
"While we are obviously disappointed with the final membership figures, I believe our membership department has still done a great job in an extremely tough economic environment," Mullen said.
"I can see some tremendous opportunities as we go forward with other key performance indicators suggesting there is a real upturn in support for the club.
"Apart from the 21,270 memberships, we have reported to the AFL there were another 4423 multiple game tickets purchased, those tickets mixing both SCG and Telstra Stadium games.
"On top of that, our crowd figures in Sydney this year are the strongest we have had for five seasons, with the average attendance for the SCG and Telstra Stadium games currently at 28,403, up nearly 7per cent from 2002."
The major challenge the Swans are facing is to find a way to entice the people who are buying three, four or five multi-game tickets this season to become members next year.
That job will be easier if the Swans can continue their current form and not only qualify for the finals but play footy deep into September.
After Sydney made the 1996 grand final against the Kangaroos, their membership jumped from 9525 to 22,109 the following season.
In 1997 the Swans also averaged 35,818 people for home games, well up on the 1996 figure of 24,574.