2021 Membership Thread

Still haven't received an email from the club to anyone in our family and yet my neighbour received theirs on Thursday.

This is becoming a bit to much of a regular occurrence the hit and miss information we receive from the club. It's essential that changes as big as this are communicated thoroughly.

We have seats together that are on different accounts including for young children, a bit of a concern if they try to split us.
 

cecil

Club Legend
Feb 28, 2010
2,090
2,686
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Just got my email. Hmmm I don't like when they try to fool members. I'll break it down in simple terms. I'm silver level 1 seating.

FY19 Memberships cost = $415 for 9 home games and 2 replacements games = $38 per game

FY20 membership cost = $275 + seat booking fee $90 = $365 for 9 homes games an 1 bonus game = $38 per game.

There is no saving, just shifty messaging which is a little disappointing. I'll still support the club yet please don't insult us.


My membership has been downgraded to a 9 game home membership and as a result I "save" $10 as my membership no longer covers away games or Ballarat. No idea how they have worked that out.

Then to rub insult they state because I kept my 2020 membership I get a "free" upgrade to include away games "at a value of $125."

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like some mental gymnastics have been had...
 
May 27, 2002
2,653
2,165
Torquay
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Bulldogs
Received an update from the club and the "melbourne away add on" is for all away games in melbourne, not just "a" game as my email read.

If you take this into account, then yes I think yes the club has done a good job and offered saving. I take back my original post.
 
Never received the first email. Just got the new one now that is a complete joke. Club will be getting many calls over this one I think

I still haven't received anything, although my son has received today's email.

I love how it starts "Recently you would have received communication regarding adjustments to membership in 2021 to contend with the possibility of COVID-19’s ongoing impact." er no !!

This is all making it so inconvenient, I have access to Lev 1 seats, but have to book from 4 weeks before the game at a $10 per seat. so for 2021 the ease of just rocking up to your seat is no more.

Even with the cap or scarf a limited number of 2021 items will be available through the Bulldog shop using a $20 voucher. So instead of receiving it in my pack I have to make the effort to organise them.

The free Melbourne away game/s add-on appears to be a great initiative though. In fact it looks too good to be true.
 

matey180

Draftee
Aug 15, 2016
12
40
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
My invoice is saying i paid 235 for 2020 not 225, is this a mistake or have i been scammed hahah
 

Golden_6

Brownlow Medallist
Aug 15, 2014
10,162
20,865
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
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Chicago Bulls
Looks all pretty rubbish to me. I’ll still purchase my normal membership + social club given I’m in a fortunate position to do so, but I fear a lot of people won’t be renewing next year.

The free away game initiate is a good concept but I get the feeling it will be completely useless. Crowds will still be heavily limited next year, so I doubt away teams will be getting any tickets available to them. I’m a general admin member and I’m concerned about my ability to get tickets to games next year. If there are crowds, I can’t see any more than 10,000 attending.
 
Oct 9, 2014
11,978
20,979
AFL Club
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Looks all pretty rubbish to me. I’ll still purchase my normal membership + social club given I’m in a fortunate position to do so, but I fear a lot of people won’t be renewing next year.

The free away game initiate is a good concept but I get the feeling it will be completely useless. Crowds will still be heavily limited next year, so I doubt away teams will be getting any tickets available to them. I’m a general admin member and I’m concerned about my ability to get tickets to games next year. If there are crowds, I can’t see any more than 10,000 attending.
Have there been any changes on social club mentioned?
 
Have there been any changes on social club mentioned?

This is all the information they had.

"Like the Silver membership in 2020, EJ Whitten Social Club access will be an optional add-on to the Silver 9 membership. EJ Whitten Social Club access provides a guaranteed ticket to the Toyota AFL Grand Final should the Western Bulldogs participate".
 

Mantis Toboggan

Premiership Player
Mar 24, 2018
3,814
8,520
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I like the away games addition - especially if we manage to pull Richmond, Collingwood, Melbourne at the G.

Not that wrapped with the bulldog shop voucher - given it would take me an hour to drive to the club.
Am I missing something? It sounds very much like it’s ONE away game...

‘As a renewing member who committed to the Club in 2020, you will also be upgraded to receive a FREE Melbourne away-game add-on for 2021 - an extra $125 in bonus value.’

Sounds also like you have to pay $10 per home game to reserve your seat.

And finally, if anyone can make sense of this sentence, I’d like to hear it:

‘EJ Whitten Social Club access will be included with your membership renewal as an add-on in 2021, not part of the core Gold 9 membership product.’

So is it ‘included’ or is it an ‘add-on’?
 
Sep 27, 2005
14,524
21,756
AFL Club
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Other Teams
Footscray
Social Club member for 20 years, same reserved seat at Etihad all that time. Donated the full $800 to the club this year in good faith after being reassured we would be looked after (and I know some people spend plenty more on memberships), but the latest offering from the club is absolute s***.

Understand there are plenty of unknowns about next year, but if this is the best they can offer as a ‘reward for loyalty’ then you can guarantee there will be many members thinking very hard about recommitting. Really poor.
 
Dec 21, 2005
23,638
14,964
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Am I missing something? It sounds very much like it’s ONE away game...

‘As a renewing member who committed to the Club in 2020, you will also be upgraded to receive a FREE Melbourne away-game add-on for 2021 - an extra $125 in bonus value.’

Sounds also like you have to pay $10 per home game to reserve your seat.

And finally, if anyone can make sense of this sentence, I’d like to hear it:

‘EJ Whitten Social Club access will be included with your membership renewal as an add-on in 2021, not part of the core Gold 9 membership product.’

So is it ‘included’ or is it an ‘add-on’?
I read it as the free away game addon is an upgrade to being able to attend games as an away member.
 

joel_billo

Senior List
Dec 12, 2009
239
180
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Social Club member for 20 years, same reserved seat at Etihad all that time. Donated the full $800 to the club this year in good faith after being reassured we would be looked after (and I know some people spend plenty more on memberships), but the latest offering from the club is absolute s***.

Understand there are plenty of unknowns about next year, but if this is the best they can offer as a ‘reward for loyalty’ then you can guarantee there will be many members thinking very hard about recommitting. Really poor.
Agree, donated my $1300 memberships this year. Expected to be rewarded. Dons fans got signed jumpers by any player they chose. Im sure other clubs members were treated better too. We get this piss any upgrade/downgrade s**t.
 

Oliver G

Premium Platinum
May 14, 2009
3,367
8,592
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Pretty disappointing to be honest, especially since what they said in May...

Access members in a position to pledge their 2020 membership to the Club will be entitled to:
  • a Membership price freeze for 2021;
  • Free 2021 membership upgrade with further details included in your 2021 renewals;
  • a Commemorative member recognition fulfilment item in 2021;
  • Exclusive member content as AFL games resume;

We haven't or didn't hear anything on the last two. With crowds almost certainly to be restricted to around 10,000 for at least part of the season I see it very unlikely that we will be able to attend away games no matter who we play.

I wasn't expecting anything spectacular considering the circumstances but it seems as if there is no reward for loyalty which compared to what other clubs are doing is a bit stiff.
 

VogonProsthetnic

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 26, 2010
5,137
7,046
Beaufort
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Pretty disappointing to be honest, especially since what they said in May...



We haven't or didn't hear anything on the last two. With crowds almost certainly to be restricted to around 10,000 for at least part of the season I see it very unlikely that we will be able to attend away games no matter who we play.

I wasn't expecting anything spectacular considering the circumstances but it seems as if there is no reward for loyalty which compared to what other clubs are doing is a bit stiff.

Bit hard to blame the club when nobody has any idea what the rules are.

I would question whether playing in a big indoor stadium is a good idea.

A smaller outdoor venue would surely be safer than Etihad or the MCG.
 
Am I missing something? It sounds very much like it’s ONE away game...

‘As a renewing member who committed to the Club in 2020, you will also be upgraded to receive a FREE Melbourne away-game add-on for 2021 - an extra $125 in bonus value.’

Sounds also like you have to pay $10 per home game to reserve your seat.

And finally, if anyone can make sense of this sentence, I’d like to hear it:

‘EJ Whitten Social Club access will be included with your membership renewal as an add-on in 2021, not part of the core Gold 9 membership product.’

So is it ‘included’ or is it an ‘add-on’?

I take it that you receive a free add-on to Melbourne away games, otherwise $125 bonus value is a pretty expensive away game. This is what LondonBulldog clarified above. Although as previously mentioned if attendances are limited next year you might have difficulty using it for away games seeing with GA entry is subject to capacity.

I think you definitely have to pay $10 to reserve a seat not necessarily your seat. Obviously it would be $10 for each seat you reserve.

Your social club is an option, not part of your standard Gold package.

Meanwhile I still haven't received my information and will have to ring the club. Good luck getting through, can you imagine how many calls they'll have over the next few days with so many confusing/convoluted messages in the email.
 
Yeah, the upgraded to receive a FREE Melbourne away-game add-on needs to be clarified. It's got to be more than 1 away game surely? at that price ($125), but as mentioned how many away supporters will be allowed at a game? Maybe it's for a couple of the low attendance away games (gws, gold coast). That's assuming the season next year will still be seeing interstate teams come to Melb to play - who knows what will happen.

I'd say that the "flat fee of $10 ($5 for juniors) as part of a standard ticket booking process" will be charged each time you book a seat. So if you know you are going to attend all our Melbourne home games, you can book a seat for each game before the start of the season for a flat $10 fee. If you decide to go to another game outside of the ones you chose before the season (i.e. Ballarat, interstate, away game in melb), then you have to pay another $10 fee each time you go online to book....???

Not sure if I'm fussed about getting a 'reward' from the club or not, except a $20 merchandise voucher won't cover the price of anything at the bulldog shop (and you can buy the bulldog stuff online as well). I can understand why ppl might be peeved, but maybe feedback the club got was not to waste money on crap and give ppl the cheapest memberships they can.
 
I wonder if you can drop your reserved seat for 2021, but then come back to your usual seat in 2022?

(I like sitting with the intelligentsia in my current seat, not sure I want to mix with all the hoi polloi outside my comfort zone! :D )
I resemble that allegation Glaeken Oracle
 

random__hero

Norm Smith Medallist
May 25, 2014
5,000
3,589
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Blackhawks, SF Giants, 49ers, Jazz
Assuming the likely scenario that crowds are capped, how will they decide who gets to go?
Example - it’s our home game vs Geelong @ Marvel, crowd capped at 10k, there’s 7k available seats for ‘dogs members (the other 3k are for Geelong members, Medallion club, AFL members etc) how are those seats divvied up?
First in, best dressed?
Lottery?

& if it is a lottery style, if you ‘win’ tickets to say 3 home games are you then excluded for the remaining home games?
 
40,000 or so members
40 or so players and senior coaches etc
100 days in the hub = just ten thank you signed notes a day each or perhaps a 5 minute phone call to say thanks?

It's not rocket surgery to give fans, the vast majority doing it tough, a bit of a boost and a thank you note or similar?

With 2021 looking like only 1/4 to a third of members getting access to any game at best, maintaining our supporter base as much as we can. should be a high priority.
 
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