Treatment of interstate members - ridiculously bad 2023 membership options

[caitsith01]

I'm well into my second decade of Geelong membership living interstate. I'm not sure whether other interstate members have looked at the 2023 membership options but they are, in a word, absolutely shithouse.

2024 Membership

My Filters Games Just a few (3-5 games) Most (11 games) I do not want to go to games (0 games) Unsure Type Home Home & Away Interstate International Junior Support from your Home AFLW Where Do You Watch GMHBA Stadium Melbourne Interstate Far Away Access Reserved Seat General Admission Digital...

membership.geelongcats.com.au

Your choices as an adult interstate member are:

1. A significantly more expensive than last year interstate membership which gives you absolutely nothing of value including, as far as I can tell, no game tickets and no grand final access (but you do get "access" to buying tickets to games for what appears to be extra cost).
2. A completely pointless digital membership which gives you absolutely nothing of value. Like, literally nothing, I cannot figure out what part of it is "digital" other than possibly a digit being metaphorically extended at me by the club.
3. Just putting some cash in a pile and burning it while the club ignores you, which would be of equivalent value/enjoyment.

The Kayo digital membership, which was actually a good deal for interstate members, has disappeared completely, because * us. 'Full' interstate members will not even get a bloody scarf in 2023 because apparently that would eat into the virtually 100% profit that the club will make from the membership as offered. Instead you get a $20 voucher for the heinously overpriced Cats shop, in an effort to lure you into spending more than $20. A scarf in the shop is $40.

If you live interstate but want any access to GF tickets you have to pay $360 for a full home and away membership you can't use just for the privilege.

The options for kids interstate are also bloody dire, newborns can pay $50 for a beanie and other kids can basically get stuffed and pay marginally less expensive amounts for the exact same useless options listed above. The 'real' kids memberships are now $75 for "kinder cats" or $95 for "Hawkins Heroes", both of which are based around the assumption that you live in Victoria and can go to home games and do not appear to include a kids pack for 2023, just a crap version of an adult membership. So my kids living interstate can also apparently just be a source of 100% profit for the club based on the choices available.

Compare that to the equivalent options for the Melbourne Demons:

1. A similarly priced country/interstate membership which gives you access to 5 games in Melbourne plus an included ticket to a game in your home state. And guess what, you get a scarf and get to actually feel like the club gives a s**t about your membership and wants you to get something for your money.
2. A Kayo digital membership which gives you a 12 month Kayo subscription and a heavy discount in the club shop.
3. A "Young Demon" membership for kids which is $75 and gives kids access to all Melbourne games, a footy, a lunchbox, stickers, and access to Casey Demons games.

As a lifelong fan and long term member interstate the attitude the club seems to have to interstate members is really disappointing. It gives me a sour taste after dropping the better part of $1k to get to the grand final. My kids have loved the (reasonably priced, merch-heavy) kids memberships up to now but there's very little appeal in dropping a couple of hundred bucks for them to get nothing of real interest/value. Likewise the apparent loss of the Kayo membership is a kick in the teeth because it was a nice way to get something for your membership money, even though going to games hasn't been realistic.

Finally the prices being jacked up significantly is pretty disappointing having continued, like most, to support the club by paying for myself and my kids through COVID.

And the Melbourne example shows that it's not some secret AFL rule that prevents Geelong from offering better options, it seems to be a deliberate choice by the club.

You almost get the sense Geelong doesn't actually want interstate members...

 

[cats_09]

Locking this for now

We'll get a 2023 Members thread opened in due course and keep discussion in a single



But in response to "Digital Memberships", they're not pointless and are offered by a large number of sporting organisations - sometimes called "Supporter membership" or in this case "Digital membership", they're non-access memberships for those who want to show their official support for their club or even to allow one to keep their years of active membership going even when unable to attend

I currently have one for Melbourne Victory as I don't often get to their games up in Melbourne, and have previously had one with the Renegades when I was traveling overseas during the BBL season and just not here to attend matches

They may not be for everyone, but they have their value

 

[jim boy]

you absolutely nothing of value including, as far as I can tell, no game tickets

While I know this thread is locked- I will point out you DO get a ticket to a match in your home state and three tickets to Geelong home matches - maybe they have updated the page since you last looked

 

[cats_09]

2023 membership discussion thread:

2024 Membership Discussion

First - going to keep this separate from the fixture discussion; hoping that unlike recent seasons that the fixture will be a bit more set & we can keep them as separate topics Seems that 2023 Memberships are becoming bit of a discussion point just a matter of weeks after the completion of the...

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