Memberships 2019 St.Kilda Membership Thread (FINAL TALLY 42,910)

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And perhaps some closure on the great “Just how big is the Saints support base?” debate:

In 2018, St Kilda had a support base of 294,000 supporters and boasts 1 in 5 supporters in the Bayside region.

The numbers quoted are the Club’s.
(Ref: p9 of the Reconciliation Action Plan).

This is exactly the number quoted in the Roy Morgan research published in 2017:

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7345-roy-morgan-afl-supporter-ladder-2017-201709210118

We are a small club, any thought of reaching Richmond style membership numbers is total pipe dream stuff.

We are as big, or small, as Port Adelaide, North, Bulldogs and Melbourne.

(I was working separately on this issue, as plugger66 will attest. Pointless me continuing that work now. We have the answer).

Do you think this is correct , it seems really high to me , if true how the hell do we get them to sign up , that would sure help the club
 
Sep 25, 2017
668
5,361
AFL Club
St Kilda
We seemed to have the Jewish community split between us and Carlton and the Catholics were over represented as St Kilda fans. We have a decent SriLankan following from around Bentleigh where they settled in the 80s.

Yup the Jewish community would be mostly Carlton, Melbourne and then us.

Do you think the fact that we are the Saints would have turned off Protestants and other denominations? Must've played a big part esp in those early days and times of sectarianism.

I can imagine Muslims probably wouldn't choose us to support either, being settled overwhelmingly in the north and west. The name Saints and its religious connotations probably dont help either.
 
We seemed to have the Jewish community split between us and Carlton and the Catholics were over represented as St Kilda fans. We have a decent SriLankan following from around Bentleigh where they settled in the 80s.


the jewish community that previously were in north carlton and carlton, which is why the older generation of the jewish community barracked for carlton. The younger generations (since the 70's) now live in st kilda and very few jews now live in carlton.
 

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I can only go by the numbers published by the club.
But wrt membership, our conversion rate seems to be similar to the other clubs.
Interesting , being an expensive area i would have thought there would have been a bigger difference in supporters , maybe not
 
It was very tribal back then with everyone supporting their local club.

Footscray lost it's identity once the blue collar Aussies moved on and the Vietnamese moved in.

Same with North.

Fitzroy lost it's soul when it became nomad.

Melbourne also, and given the demographic shift in the city and surrounds, they will struggle.

I think for us the move to Waverly hurt us as did Seaford.

Now we are back at Moorabbin, we can start to rebuild that base.


It's a very interesting case study.....I've always believed we had a huge supporter base over our existence due to the fact that St.Kilda was the most densely populated suburb in Australia.

I think Kings Cross in Sydney may not have been far behind given the huge amount of large boarding houses/flats.

The demographics of St.Kilda would of course changed over the last 40-50 years but I'd always thought the generational aspect would have kept that numbers base growing over the years despite years of no more silverware.

My Mum who grew up in Ripponlea said everyone barracked for the Saints.

Another thing that comes to mind is that the several times when team relocation came up in discussion during the 80's and 90's....we were always in the mix.........I recall on each occasion that the media said that St.Kilda would be saved only because of it's huge latent supporter base.
 

St Neil

Premiership Player
Aug 14, 2016
3,040
11,099
Aspendale Gardens
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Blackpool
except that hawthorn is moving to dingley

Danger signs for Hawthorn. Only 14,000 at the MCG when they played GWS.

They have a history of falling away quickly to the point where they are battling to make ends meet. The mid 1950s before Dr Sandy Ferguson became President, then in 1996 when they almost merged with Melbourne. Finally they were in all sorts of trouble in 2003-2004 before the appointment of Alistair Clarkson was the most inspired choice in the club’s history.

The wheel can turn quickly. I actually think the AFLW will boost our club enormously. We’ll become successful quickly with the infrastructure we already have with the VFL team, and a successful women’s team will boost membership and support to the club overall.

I tell you what. When we come good it will be the feel good story of the AFL. Think 1997 and 2009. Both stirring years for the competition as a whole.
 

Tygrys

Club Legend
Mar 26, 2009
1,133
3,943
Dallas, Texas
AFL Club
Richmond
Hi, apologies for the intrusion and I'm not going to say something that you all don't know already. but I think it was a disaster for St Kilda that VFL park was decommissioned and levelled. There was/is a solid supporter base in the South east beyond the immediate bayside area (I'm a Clarinda resident). Certainly not as much as say Cheltenham for example (my daughter goes to school there) but still solid (I would say third after Tigers and then Hawks). And it was something that could have been built upon. For the record I think it hurt Hawthorn as well, and although their membership numbers are pretty good, as their GWS crowd showed they are perhaps no where near the 'big' club they claim to be.

Moreover, with VFL park a memory, I have to wonder as a south east suburb/bayside club about your tenancy at Marvel Stadium. Although don't get me wrong I like the ground, unlike North, Footscray or Essendon it is not geographically or psychologically logical. I know you can only fit so many clubs at the MCG, but not withstanding your contractual agreements, I'd have to think you'd have an appreciably bigger membership if it were your home ground. I mean I have always believed that you have more support than Melbourne (and certainly in the parts of Melbourne I am familiar with overwhelmingly so) and they have 50,000. Yes form and expectations play a part in this, but still, something is not quite right here. Anyhow that's my contribution for what it's worth, again sorry for the intrusion.
 

Tommy Wigs

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 10, 2012
6,218
11,851
AFL Club
St Kilda
Do you think this is correct , it seems really high to me , if true how the hell do we get them to sign up , that would sure help the club
My son’s primary school does a tally once per year and from memory I think it’s a bit of a close run thing, maybe second to the Tiges. It’s only 600 kids, so just a slither, but having moved from more around the Caulfield area and also growing up in northern Victoria, I was shocked how many Saints supporters are down bayside.
 

Tommy Wigs

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 10, 2012
6,218
11,851
AFL Club
St Kilda
Hi, apologies for the intrusion and I'm not going to say something that you all don't know already. but I think it was a disaster for St Kilda that VFL park was decommissioned and levelled. There was/is a solid supporter base in the South east beyond the immediate bayside area (I'm a Clarinda resident). Certainly not as much as say Cheltenham for example (my daughter goes to school there) but still solid (I would say third after Tigers and then Hawks). And it was something that could have been built upon. For the record I think it hurt Hawthorn as well, and although their membership numbers are pretty good, as their GWS crowd showed they are perhaps no where near the 'big' club they claim to be.

Moreover, with VFL park a memory, I have to wonder as a south east suburb/bayside club about your tenancy at Marvel Stadium. Although don't get me wrong I like the ground, unlike North, Footscray or Essendon it is not geographically or psychologically logical. I know you can only fit so many clubs at the MCG, but not withstanding your contractual agreements, I'd have to think you'd have an appreciably bigger membership if it were your home ground. I mean I have always believed that you have more support than Melbourne (and certainly in the parts of Melbourne I am familiar with overwhelmingly so) and they have 50,000. Yes form and expectations play a part in this, but still, something is not quite right here. Anyhow that's my contribution for what it's worth, again sorry for the intrusion.
More than happy to move! You have my vote. Moorabbin first choice! :p
 
Oct 12, 2015
348
1,232
AFL Club
St Kilda
I probably know 10-15 people who support St Kilda but aren't members. They may go to 1 or 2 games a year at most.
There is a real malaise with alot of the Saints supporters I know. Almost like they're waiting for us to slip up again.

I still think it would be great to see more of a Saints presence around St Kilda. Maybe a pop up shop in Acland St for a couple of months or some billboards/posters around the place.
Driving through Richmond and Footscray and seeing their colours around town looks great.
 
May 9, 2011
919
2,328
VIC
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
San Francisco Giants
On the topic of memberships, I think the club can do a bit more in terms of the package we receive. Some of the things that American clubs do are awesome.
Check these out:
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9117dd37578503.574512a4150a1.jpg
7341f051573851.58f27cfcec4cb.jpg
ceab1225081607.5633f0136af04.jpg
2384cc25081607.5633f0133917a.jpg
I especially like the flag and bracelet ideas.
 

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RobbieMuir

Team Captain
Oct 28, 2013
506
2,212
AFL Club
St Kilda
Yup the Jewish community would be mostly Carlton, Melbourne and then us.

Do you think the fact that we are the Saints would have turned off Protestants and other denominations? Must've played a big part esp in those early days and times of sectarianism.

I can imagine Muslims probably wouldn't choose us to support either, being settled overwhelmingly in the north and west. The name Saints and its religious connotations probably dont help either.


My dad is 91 and he is a lifetime Saints supporter. He said that as a kid he used to go to all the home games at the Junction oval and the Saints were known back then as "The Jew Boys" as there were so many Jewish Saints players and Jewish supporters in the 1930's.

Rather than yell out "Go saints" the crowd in the outer would often yell out "Go Jew Boys!"

Fast forward 85 years... I do a lot of work in Caulfield North and St Kilda East, and the majority of the Jewish people I meet follow the Saints (at least the ones that follow footy). So I would be surprised if we weren't the most popular team amongst the Jewish community.
 
damn they look amazing!
They absolutely do look amazing.

People usually love boxed "goodies"...…..it can look so damn professional.

A friend who is in the Halo's coterie group told me a few years back that they used to receive all their tickets......info.....passes etc in a gift box in saints colours pre season....she said it looked magnificent.

That all stopped around the end of the Watters years......I suspect money in the club was extremly tight around those years.
 
Fast forward 85 years... I do a lot of work in Caulfield North and St Kilda East, and the majority of the Jewish people I meet follow the Saints (at least the ones that follow footy). So I would be surprised if we weren't the most popular team amongst the Jewish community.

I reckon your on the money RobbieMuir.....I live in the Caulfield area and one of my "medical team" that keeps me going is Jewish and a very keen Saints supporter.....as are all of his mates.

On my twice yearly visits....we talk 10 mins Saints and 2 minutes me.....a fair ratio if you ask me.

I only found out last visit that incredibly....his family sat next to the Bassett family in the stand at Moorabbin.

Small world !
 
May 9, 2011
919
2,328
VIC
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
San Francisco Giants
My dad is 91 and he is a lifetime Saints supporter. He said that as a kid he used to go to all the home games at the Junction oval and the Saints were known back then as "The Jew Boys" as there were so many Jewish Saints players and Jewish supporters in the 1930's.

Rather than yell out "Go saints" the crowd in the outer would often yell out "Go Jew Boys!"

Fast forward 85 years... I do a lot of work in Caulfield North and St Kilda East, and the majority of the Jewish people I meet follow the Saints (at least the ones that follow footy). So I would be surprised if we weren't the most popular team amongst the Jewish community.
Missed opportunity to call them the 'Jew Crew'
 
Current Membership Tally (22/05/2019):
41,600



This Time Last Year (24/05/2018):
42,410



Difference:
-810



All-Time Tally;
1. 45,678 (2018)
2. 42,094 (2017)
3. 41,600 (2019)
4. 39,276 (2011)
5. 39,021 (2010)



Projected Final Total:
44,868
 

luca77

Club Legend
Sep 5, 2010
2,310
7,595
Japan
AFL Club
St Kilda
My dad is 91 and he is a lifetime Saints supporter. He said that as a kid he used to go to all the home games at the Junction oval and the Saints were known back then as "The Jew Boys" as there were so many Jewish Saints players and Jewish supporters in the 1930's.

Rather than yell out "Go saints" the crowd in the outer would often yell out "Go Jew Boys!"

Fast forward 85 years... I do a lot of work in Caulfield North and St Kilda East, and the majority of the Jewish people I meet follow the Saints (at least the ones that follow footy). So I would be surprised if we weren't the most popular team amongst the Jewish community.
It's a long time ago, but I have a vague recollection of watching Ajax play (maybe I was playing against them, or just watching - I can't remember). It seemed to be almost entirely Jewish players and I think they were wearing the saints colours. Correct me on all that if it's mistaken.

Maybe no connection between that and the Junction oval days but your post made me wonder for a moment if there might have been.
 
It's a long time ago, but I have a vague recollection of watching Ajax play (maybe I was playing against them, or just watching - I can't remember). It seemed to be almost entirely Jewish players and I think they were wearing the saints colours. Correct me on all that if it's mistaken.

Maybe no connection between that and the Junction oval days but your post made me wonder for a moment if there might have been.

Yes, Ajax wears
saints colors
 
The closest we have been all year:



Current Membership Tally (24/05/2019):
42,235



This Time Last Year (24/05/2018):
42,410



Difference:
-175



All-Time Tally;
1. 45,678 (2018)
2. 42,235 (2019)
3. 42,094 (2017)
4. 39,276 (2011)
5. 39,021 (2010)


Projected Final Total:
45,503
 

majortinkle

Premiership Player
Jul 21, 2015
3,028
4,120
AFL Club
St Kilda
The closest we have been all year:



Current Membership Tally (24/05/2019):
42,235



This Time Last Year (24/05/2018):
42,410



Difference:
-175



All-Time Tally;
1. 45,678 (2018)
2. 42,235 (2019)
3. 42,094 (2017)
4. 39,276 (2011)
5. 39,021 (2010)


Projected Final Total:
45,503
Are we imagining this mini-surge is people signing up for a second 3-gamer having used their first up?
 
Are we imagining this mini-surge is people signing up for a second 3-gamer having used their first up?
Yesterday the Angels gave the club the money they fundraised for to sign up disadvantaged Saints fans.
 
The closest we have been all year:

George....I'm very surprised.....and very rapt that the gap has closed so much.

As you mentioned....the Angels have supplied money to the club for some tics for the not so fortunate...…..they do a truly awesome job.


I think you posted a few weeks ago that they enabled 235 tics to be brought last year.......even allowing for that type of number.....it's still a pretty big bump since yr last number.

Great to see.

I thought the WC game may have killed any momentum.
 

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