gringo2011
Premium Platinum
Need to get something off my chest here. Will probably delete later, but just pissed off and wanted to vent anonymously on the internet.
For context, next year is my 25th consecutive as a member. Made more then one donation to the club over the years. Also pay for my young nephews, and have for many years. Now I get membership isn't everything, and people support in the best way they can. Just some context that the following is hardly coming from someone who discovered AFL 2 minutes ago.
Signed the kids up again this year. No games of course - happy for the donation to the club.
Was informed by the club that the kids packs they normally get (scarves, toys etc) are not available to be sent this year. I completely understand supply chain issues in the current environment. That is beyond the clubs control, and I am sure the staff on jobkeeper have better things to do then create something from the stock already sitting at Moorabbin.
In lieu of this, I asked if something else could be done for the kids. Just some sort of token gesture. The memberships person said they could potentially arrange a phone call or video from one of the players to the kids to say thanks. I said great. Any player. Any time. Just something to help keep them engaged. Yes we get very little out of a membership in 2020, but that shows the club actually makes some effort to say thanks.
I just received a follow up email saying that unfortunately the club is not able to assist in anyway due to current circumstances.
So 45 players on a list. Living in a hub. More than 20 not playing weekly. Not one has the time to make a 5 minute call to 2 kids? Not tomorrow. Anytime in the next 3 - 6 months will do. Doesn't have to be a favourite like Steele or Max. Any bloody player would get them excited. I know we have 40k+ members, but seriously? This is really where the club wants to draw the line for unavailability?
At this point I am just thinking that f**k I didn't tell them it might happen. Poor things would be absolutely crushed! At the very least, those selling memberships should 100% stop suggesting this could happen. What if some parent mentions a possible call to their kids, and then this happens? I get it wasn't guaranteed. We are adults and can get our heads around the real world. But how the hell do you explain to a 6yo that a player is too busy for them?
More importantly, that's it from the club in terms of communication. A thank you for your $$ email to an adult. No offer of perhaps x,y,z for the kids instead. I get the players are busy. I get the staff are busy and stressed. But no thought of "even though players are unavailable we could (insert idea here)" for the kids (not me). Yes the club needs money to survive, but wrong priority guys.
As someone who runs my own business in the Bayside area, that is seriously f**kin average.
I know most people are probably going to jump in and say I am whinging. I should just support the club and expect nothing in return. That the $$ were essentially given as a donation, and people shouldn't give expecting they will get anything in return
I guess with all of the noise about new leadership and a new direction at the club, I just thought it might be different somehow. In hindsight, I really just wish I had given the donation to somebody out feeding the homeless during the pandemic. Rather then a multi-million dollar football club that treats people the same as any other giant company out there (that we all deal with all the time, and are always left feeling like a number and not a person). I know their focus is on the field and they don't really give a f**k about supporters. I am hardly that naive. Just sucks to be reminded of it.
Anyway, as I say I will probably pull this down later. Times are rough at the moment, and it probably breaks forum rules about sh*tcanning the club.
But IMO, this was pretty bloody average. The club can, and IMO should, be better then that.
That sucks, hopefully the club can sort something out.