Opinion The Club and the way they communicate with us

[FredLeDeux]

Credit Card Park has a ring to it.

We could even have the Moorabool Street Pavilion

 

[you pick one]

We could even have the Moorabool Street Pavilion

Now your talking! under my plan the entrance to the Mooro Stand would be via Yarra St,where you would park the under New Casino, who are now the Cats new major sponsor and paid for the relocating of Moorabool St.Simple vote 1 YPO.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Now your talking! under my plan the entrance to the Mooro Stand would be via Yarra St,where you would park the under New Casino, who are now the Cats new major sponsor and paid for the relocating of Moorabool St.Simple vote 1 YPO.

You got my vote, is Yarra Street anywhere near Greensborough?

 

[goyoucatters]

My point of view is that the people who you describe - just not engaged enough - are not really going to be able to say "oh if only the club did this or was more that, I'd be a member". Part of being disengaged is that you don't really think about these issues. But at its core, I am talking about improving a product. And i know I'm not being too controversial here when my line of thinking is that improving a product generally drives sales.

Fair enough. But, to me, there's a 'ceiling' with the disengaged that sees them unwilling to seriously look at buying the product. No matter how much you improve it.

Buying a football membership cuts against the philosophy of consumerism that permeates our society, Because fundamentally it doesn't work on the simple maxim of "what's in it for me?"

A fair part of the benefit actually accumulates to the club rather than the individual. Which means that 'the disengaged' are unlikely to ever find there is "enough in it for them" to actually join the club.

And simply improving their access to information about player progress and general club updates is not going to change that scenario greatly in my view.

I don't disagree with you about improving the product at all. It would be a good thing.

I just don't believe the threshold for people to 'buy in' to something where a key part of the benefit doesn't accrue to them is going to be bridged by better communication and dissemination of information. It's going to take more than that.

Doesn't mean you're wrong to invite improvements. And hope that said improvements would actually affect membership positively.

Reality is of course that your hypothesis is unlikely to be tested in the foreseeable future.

Let's face it, the club demonstrably does not care a great deal for how its communication strategy sits with its supporter base, no matter how much we wish it were different.

 

[you pick one]

You got my vote, is Yarra Street anywhere near Greensborough?

No but who knows where the northern end of the Mooro tunnel might pop out

 

[catempire]

Fair enough. But, to me, there's a 'ceiling' with the disengaged that sees them unwilling to seriously look at buying the product. No matter how much you improve it.

Buying a football membership cuts against the philosophy of consumerism that permeates our society, Because fundamentally it doesn't work on the simple maxim of "what's in it for me?"

A fair part of the benefit actually accumulates to the club rather than the individual. Which means that 'the disengaged' are unlikely to ever find there is "enough in it for them" to actually join the club.

And simply improving their access to information about player progress and general club updates is not going to change that scenario greatly in my view.

I don't disagree with you about improving the product at all. It would be a good thing.

I just don't believe the threshold for people to 'buy in' to something where a key part of the benefit doesn't accrue to them is going to be bridged by better communication and dissemination of information. It's going to take more than that.

Doesn't mean you're wrong to invite improvements. And hope that said improvements would actually affect membership positively.

Reality is of course that your hypothesis is unlikely to be tested in the foreseeable future.

Let's face it, the club demonstrably does not care a great deal for how its communication strategy sits with its supporter base, no matter how much we wish it were different.

Agree with a lot of what you say. I'm coming from a position of seeing a club explicitly stating it is desperate for members yet seemingly uninterested in trying something that many people believe would improve their chances (clearly too, some think it would make no differnce).

At the end of the day, if we are to increase membership by ten or twenty thousand a great part of that is going to need to come from people who haven't really considered it before and who would need a product quite different. It remains to be seen if the club is willing to take such steps.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Agree with a lot of what you say. I'm coming from a position of seeing a club explicitly stating it is desperate for members yet seemingly uninterested in trying something that many people believe would improve their chances (clearly too, some think it would make no differnce).

At the end of the day, if we are to increase membership by ten or twenty thousand a great part of that is going to need to come from people who haven't really considered it before and who would need a product quite different. It remains to be seen if the club is willing to take such steps.

I've been thinking about this whilst out and about today.

I'm willing to concede to what is clearly the majority, if people want the club to be better at using social media and it's website. Ok. Go ahead. If that makes people happy. I'll still personally do not care about where I get my news. Even though I still don't understand the fuss about injuries in off season.

Now this is where I don't know if things have changed or not since I was young. When I begun my (short lived) years playing football, starting with auskick in the mid 90's we had members of the cats team (including Hocking, Scarlett, King, Graham to name a few, King's no 1 was on my jumper fwiw) attend for clinics. For some this was not effective, they were fans of their particular club from within their family setting already. But it was effective in converting some young boys and girls to the Geelong football club.

Now I'd be utterly surprised, actually flabbergasted if that was not still the case now. Players getting out and about at auskick (where appropriate), midweek junior footy training clinics etc. That will always remain a solid way to attract fans and from that future members. Summer holiday clinics away from Geelong to name a few avenues. This is the type of fan engagement that is successful.

The best way to attract fans is obviously success, Hawthorn have experienced decades of success, a generation of mostly winning and success. This has to be a major reason why they have lots of fans. In the QF last season I saw two age demographics represented heavier than others amongst Haw supporters. Teenagers and 30-40. It makes a difference.

Now I think there is a distinction between what I regard as fan engagement and fan communication/social media. What I've described above falls under fan engagement. Usage of the club website/facebook/twitter etc to update fans falls under the latter.

This is the area I don't see being successful in creating new fans because that football club decision process is in most young people already made before they are likely to discover social media, let alone be able realise the club's non fussed, lackadaisical approach to its use.

Now assuming we have young fans who aren't members, the most likely way for them to be turned into members is to either a) go along with their parents who in fairness would be able pick up on the way the media is handled but would also be under pressure to get a membership anyway, "mum I want to go to the football", which one wins out there? or b) wait until they're old enough to go by themselves. In which case if they're that desperate to go and have been waiting until they can, is social media really going to affect them?

Now improving use of social media could increase memberships I guess, but I wouldn't think the effect would be more than minimal, after all in many cases the horse has already bolted. After all once footy fans reach a certain age they rarely change allegiances.

Now the part of what you said I have trouble understanding, truly struggle to fathom, is where are these extra 10-20k members going to come from (I'm assuming you're alluding to the club mandated target?). Is it going to come from Casual members (who don't get game access)?, is it going to come from growth in Melbourne based members? because as long as the capacity of KP is what it is, and as long as the city is struck with tough economic times, we won't be getting any more than minimal growth from within Geelong.

The influx of new young members would be in part offset by members no longer wishing to attend any more (elderly), members dying or moving away.

The stadium simply can't at present fit everyone in and for some that's a deal breaker. There is a Melbourne based membership but is that growth going to be significant? maybe auskick/junior footy clinics in Melbourne will improve the Melbourne fan base over time.

I'm in principal fine with the club setting the goal for memberships. Setting goals are important. 50k is achievable, 60k is not for a while yet. All the clubs that outperformed us in this area play in larger stadiums, which is what I keep saying. The capability to put bums on seats is a primary factor to converting fans into members and I'd consider social media/website use to be a contributory factor.

Take Adelaide for example in 2012 they were Preliminary finalists. Lost Tippett in controversial fashion, costing them a lot in the process (bad for their brand). By the end of 2013 they had missed the finals, yet in 2014 their membership increased by 6,621 or around 15%, is that due to good fan communication/social media?.... Now despite a downturn in performances and off field controversies their membership increased, I wonder why..... Oh yes a new stadium with increased capacity. Bums on seats, bums on seats.

 

[James1970]

Agree with a lot of what you say. I'm coming from a position of seeing a club explicitly stating it is desperate for members yet seemingly uninterested in trying something that many people believe would improve their chances (clearly too, some think it would make no differnce).

At the end of the day, if we are to increase membership by ten or twenty thousand a great part of that is going to need to come from people who haven't really considered it before and who would need a product quite different. It remains to be seen if the club is willing to take such steps.

Nailed it.

 

[goyoucatters]

Agree with a lot of what you say. I'm coming from a position of seeing a club explicitly stating it is desperate for members yet seemingly uninterested in trying something that many people believe would improve their chances (clearly too, some think it would make no difference).

'Many people'? Even amongst those on here who are into the club for not being stellar in the area of communication with the fanbase, I don't see that a great deal of them have explicitly stated that they believe that an improvement in this area would necessarily result in significantly enhanced membership numbers.

Going by the evidence of those explicitly commenting on the matter in this thread, it seems like opinion is well and truly mixed.

However, what we can say with some certainty is that there are not 'many people' amongst the decision-makers at the club that concur with your view. Otherwise we would clearly see some concerted efforts to improve the situation markedly. There is absolutely no evidence of that.

At the end of the day, if we are to increase membership by ten or twenty thousand a great part of that is going to need to come from people who haven't really considered it before and who would need a product quite different. It remains to be seen if the club is willing to take such steps.

I agree. However, obviously I disagree about how the product they're seeking needs to be different. They're not going to surrender to the call for membership under the weight of a Facebook frenzy or a torrent of Tweets.

Anyway, you'll be relieved to know that I'm now going to give up typing further about this matter.

Because whether we like it or not (or whether we believe it's 'holding the club back' or not), the GFC is not going anywhere in a hurry regarding an overhaul of their communication strategy.

The evidence is long-standing and incontrovertible.

 

[catempire]

'Many people'? Even amongst those on here who are into the club for not being stellar in the area of communication with the fanbase, I don't see that a great deal of them have explicitly stated that they believe that an improvement in this area would necessarily result in significantly enhanced membership numbers.

Going by the evidence of those explicitly commenting on the matter in this thread, it seems like opinion is well and truly mixed.

Certainly opinion is mixed on the job the club is doing. But taking this thread as a straw poll it looks to me like a majority think communication isn't up to scratch and a sizeable subset of that think improving communication, as part of a broader effort to improve engagement with fans, could drive membership growth. I'm happy with 'many' using this robust scientific method.

However, what we can say with some certainty is that there are not 'many people' amongst the decision-makers at the club that concur with your view. Otherwise we would clearly see some concerted efforts to improve the situation markedly. There is absolutely no evidence of that.

Again I'll point to this article:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...oost-memberships/story-fni5f6yf-1227170284183

“We are trying to work out ways to engage with our supporters and members,” football manager Steve Hocking said.

“The other thing that we’re doing is hitting Scotty (coach Chris Scott) up for 2015 and trying to have more open training sessions.

“Again, a free opportunity for people to come along and be part of the team and engage with the players and coaching staff.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...oost-memberships/story-fni5f6yf-1227170284183

So I totally disagree if you're saying they don't think they need to improve fang engagement to boost membership. To the contrary.

Where we differ is how to improve it. They are going to be standing scratching their heads mid year saying "gee, the open training sessions didn't work". I can tell them now they won't. People who go to open training sessions are hardcore fans and probably members anyway.

As I said, we are in furious agreement that communication is unlikely to improve. But that's not going to stop me from saying it should!

 

[you pick one]

Now despite a downturn in performances and off field controversies their membership increased, I wonder why..... Oh yes a new stadium with increased capacity. Bums on seats, bums on seats.

IMO that's the answer more seating= more members more visitors more money for the club and the city,we(the greater city of Geelong and the Cats) should be concentrating on pulling more people down the highway from Melbourne and from interstate.Being a regional City and club should be a huge advantage here, there should be no reason why they could not put together some exciting weekend packages.But first step is you need the capacity at the stadium with out that nothing works.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

IMO that's the answer more seating= more members more visitors more money for the club and the city,we(the greater city of Geelong and the Cats) should be concentrating on pulling more people down the highway from Melbourne and from interstate.Being a regional City and club should be a huge advantage here, there should be no reason why they could not put together some exciting weekend packages.But first step is you need the capacity at the stadium with out that nothing works.

Yep it's too big a coincidence that Adelaide had around 15% membership growth the year after AO increases its capacity. That can't be anything other than as a result of a new found ability to satisfy more fans desire to watch their team play.

As you say without that nothing else works, and in our case the club is in for a big shock if they think without it they can achieve 60,000 members. Not happening!

 

[Boxhead_31]

What odds that Moons is the new host of Down at Kardinia Park?

Geelong have scored some more recruiting coups this off-season, but this time online.
Esteemed journalist Adam McNicol will join the Cats as senior writer for geelongcats.com.au whilst premiership forward Cameron Mooney will join the CatsTV stable.

Also interesting that we now have our own reporter so now no excuse for other sites breaking stories relating to Geelong
http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2015-01-09/cats-boost-online-coverage

 

[JUBJUB]

What odds that Moons is the new host of Down at Kardinia Park?

Also interesting that we now have our own reporter so now no excuse for other sites breaking stories relating to Geelong
http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2015-01-09/cats-boost-online-coverage

Does this please the DQ's ?

 

[Boxhead_31]

Does this please the DQ's ?

Depends if the club starts being the first one to release pertinent information that relates to the club instead of the Addy, K-Rock or the AFL website

 

[Willo_]

Yep it's too big a coincidence that Adelaide had around 15% membership growth the year after AO increases its capacity. That can't be anything other than as a result of a new found ability to satisfy more fans desire to watch their team play.

As you say without that nothing else works, and in our case the club is in for a big shock if they think without it they can achieve 60,000 members. Not happening!

It also has a lot to do with the fact that Footy Park was a s**t hole and out of the way... much like Waverly. AO is right in the city

 

[Art Vandelay_]

It also has a lot to do with the fact that Footy Park was a s**t hole and out of the way... much like Waverly. AO is right in the city

True true, but if it was the same capacity as footy park would it have increased memberships esp. off a poor 2013?? Possibly a bit but I'm confident it wouldn't have been as good.

 

[Boxhead_31]

True true, but if it was the same capacity as footy park would it have increased memberships esp. off a poor 2013?? Possibly a bit but I'm confident it wouldn't have been as good.

1. 51,515 Football Park, Capacity
2. 53,500 Adelaide Oval, Capacity

Not a 15% difference between the two

 

[Art Vandelay_]

1. 51,515 Football Park, Capacity
2. 53,500 Adelaide Oval, Capacity

Not a 15% difference between the two

Yep got myself muddled up there, their 2013 membership tally was roughly 46,000 which improved by 15%. Partly due to increased capacity, mostly due to more friendly location.

Let's be honest, whether it's footy or cricket the AO looks awesome and I'm sure the atmosphere would be just that. Awesome.

The rest of my initial argument still stands.

 

[patience]

Certainly opinion is mixed on the job the club is doing. But taking this thread as a straw poll it looks to me like a majority think communication isn't up to scratch and a sizeable subset of that think improving communication, as part of a broader effort to improve engagement with fans, could drive membership growth. I'm happy with 'many' using this robust scientific method.

The the majority of people who have bothered to post in this thread may think that they don't hear enough. Those that haven't posted, may have the majority opinion that they hear more than enough from the club.

 

[Hamingja]

IMO the thing that they do disgracefully poorly is the VFL coverage. There is plenty of interest in that from the fans to track younger players coming through and also the form of the fringe players pushing for selection in the senior side. How hard would it be for the club to trundle down to the Journalism school at Deakin and ask for volunteers to cover the VFL, give them an iPad for live updates and some inner sanctum access on gameday. Piece of piss to put that together.

 

[Hamingja]

The big way to increase (non ticketed) membership would be through online streaming of games. AFL sell those rights so it is out of the club's hands like most things with the way the AFL is set up.

Edit: They do have a digital membership but it is just the telstra app at a higher price. You'd need to provide Geelong games only and undercut the telstra price for it to work.

 

[FredLeDeux]

IMO the thing that they do disgracefully poorly is the VFL coverage. There is plenty of interest in that from the fans to track younger players coming through and also the form of the fringe players pushing for selection in the senior side. How hard would it be for the club to trundle down to the Journalism school at Deakin and ask for volunteers to cover the VFL, give them an iPad for live updates and some inner sanctum access on gameday. Piece of piss to put that together.

Hear, hear. Just compare it with the Collingwood coverage.

 

[catempire]

The the majority of people who have bothered to post in this thread may think that they don't hear enough. Those that haven't posted, may have the majority opinion that they hear more than enough from the club.

Of course. Tongue in cheek, I'm calling this thread a straw poll. And I'm backing that there's a great many disengaged that aren't posting here either!

 

[Boxhead_31]

The big way to increase (non ticketed) membership would be through online streaming of games. AFL sell those rights so it is out of the club's hands like most things with the way the AFL is set up.

Edit: They do have a digital membership but it is just the telstra app at a higher price. You'd need to provide Geelong games only and undercut the telstra price for it to work.

And have a Geelong Biased Commentary team unlike the guys from K-Rock