2016 Memberships - Forced Upsell

[Hawthorn United]

Gee there's a whinge fest going on here!
The club is obviously only selling stuff to people who want to buy: basic economics, supply & demand, no demand means no sales.
Don't like the merchandise? Well don't buy it then! If no one pays their cash, and merchandise doesn't sell, the club will stop marketing it.

I actually didn't mind the Power rangers top; I didn't buy it because I had just bought one of the training tops.


Bill Clinton said it well: "If things don't go your way, just keep complaining until your dreams come true".

That's become the point of this thread. Merchandising hasn't sold enough this year, so they're jacking up the price of membership to make up for it.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I noticed a few people on Facebook posted that their Silver membership went up about $30-40.

That's close to 10x the rate of inflation.

The Cryptkeeper, I think this shows that everything you said was wrong.

Copping a price increase is one thing. Being forced to upgrade (which comes with a major price hike) to the next level of membership just to keep the same seat that many loyal (a word that the club doesn't seem to understand) members have paid for every year, many for a decade or more through the good times and the bad, is quite another. Further to this, the club's shameful justification of this reallocation of seats coupled with the rather pathetic add-ons that they offer to con you into thinking you are getting greater value are just insulting. Many members get nothing more with the supposed membership upgrades than they did before, yet the club is happily filling it's coffers at our expense. The club can spare me the "Inside The Huddle" bullshit. It isn't an add-on, it is simply access that comes at yet another extra cost.

And to think that many of us supported the club during the lean years. Now we have to accommodate every Johnnycomelately bandwagon jumper with deep pockets who will run for the hills once this era of success is over. To those people I say, rot in hell.

It is all just proof that no good deed goes unpunished. The HFC membership department can go and f*** themselves.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Gee there's a whinge fest going on here!
The club is obviously only selling stuff to people who want to buy: basic economics, supply & demand, no demand means no sales.
Don't like the merchandise? Well don't buy it then! If no one pays their cash, and merchandise doesn't sell, the club will stop marketing it.

I actually didn't mind the Power rangers top; I didn't buy it because I had just bought one of the training tops.


Bill Clinton said it well: "If things don't go your way, just keep complaining until your dreams come true".

Bullshit Davo23

You're a ripper mate so don't take this personally but on this one you are missing the point completely. The club, like any business has internal revenue targets to hit. If merchandise doesn't do this then they will hit these targets by any means necessary. The first issue is the price hikes to membership, which I think we can acknowledge, everybody is copping. The second, and most salient problem is the utter contempt with which the club is treating its longest standing members.

Why is my seat, the same one that I have had for a decade, that I voluntarily upgraded to when the club was struggling, up for reallocation if I don't upgrade from Gold to Kennedy Club? Remember, this was the same seat that has been allocated as a Gold Membership seat every season up until last season. This is the same seat that I sit in surrounded by many of the same people (less now, thanks to the thieves in our membership department) who I have enjoyed watching football with for years. Now the club has a supply issue and because it can cash in on extra membership needs due to recent on-field success, it has essentially thrown the top levels of membership open to the highest bidder(s). So the non-loyal, bandwagon supporter is now afforded the opportunity to come in and compete for a seat (and the priority finals access that goes with it) at the expense of a loyal member who doesn't have deep pockets and is stretched to breaking point by the stupid cost of priority membership now. Yet those supporters are the ones who have been propping the club up whilst Johnnycomelately with long arms and deep pockets has been on the slopes during the lean years. As far as I am concerned, the bandwagon supporters can join the f***ing queue. I have friends who couldn't afford the upgrade for the whole family, people who had been in the same seats for years and in their place I now see newbies (not kids, mind you, these are middle aged people) with one year membership scarves. Nobody has been able to explain to me the equity in that.

In my opinion the HFC has a lot to answer for about the way it has treated it's most loyal members.

 

[Gunstall555]

After years of not getting QLD games they now get rid of the game in your home state with the 3 game membership? Have to buy a 5 game membership now to get a general admin ticket in your home state (maybe they did it last year and I didn't notice because of how pissed I was at another year of not getting a QLD game - I know partly the AFLs fault). I might just buy the Hawks insider (digital access membership) again this year and pay the $25 bucks for general admin if we are lucky enough to finally get a game at the GABBA. Really not a fan of the 2016 membership packages at all, they are certainly reaching with the price movements. My package last year was $90 and now is $110. I don't care about the 20 bucks, I don't care about the $73 even between the 3 & 5 game interstate memberships, it just would be nice if they gave us long suffering QLD fans some value for money as far as match attendance goes anyway, they have more than provided on field over the years.

Love my hawks, just feel a bit dirty about the 2016 packages and am worried we will lose members as a result. Especially if the rebuild begins in the next year or two.

 

[PNess]

I remember Andrew Newbold after the GF last year letting supporters know "we will never take you for granted". Feels like I'm looking back at a politician's broken promise.

 

[HFC Official]

Hope HFC Official has a good read, then presents this thread to the board.

No matter how we do on the field (though that's important), there's no point having a successful club if the supporters are treated like cash cow outsiders.

Hi Bayer_,

We appreciate all the feedback that the BigFooty Community provide in all aspects of the club and are certainly aware of all the feedback here. We've purposely stayed out of commenting in this thread as it's a place for you all to discuss membership with each other.

If someone has a direct questions for us about membership, they're certainly welcome to ask us a question in the official thread and we'll respond as best as possible.

Our membership team can also be contacted directly at 1300 042 957 or by emailing membership@hawthornfc.com.au if anyone wants to provide any feedback to them directly.

Thanks,
HFC Official

 

[Paul Kersey]

Concerns can be aired at the AGM. You have an opportunity to question the board then.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Big Hotdog]

Bullshit Davo23

You're a ripper mate so don't take this personally but on this one you are missing the point completely. The club, like any business has internal revenue targets to hit. If merchandise doesn't do this then they will hit these targets by any means necessary. The first issue is the price hikes to membership, which I think we can acknowledge, everybody is copping. The second, and most salient problem is the utter contempt with which the club is treating its longest standing members.

Why is my seat, the same one that I have had for a decade, that I voluntarily upgraded to when the club was struggling, up for reallocation if I don't upgrade from Gold to Kennedy Club? Remember, this was the same seat that has been allocated as a Gold Membership seat every season up until last season. This is the same seat that I sit in surrounded by many of the same people (less now, thanks to the thieves in our membership department) who I have enjoyed watching football with for years. Now the club has a supply issue and because it can cash in on extra membership needs due to recent on-field success, it has essentially thrown the top levels of membership open to the highest bidder(s). So the non-loyal, bandwagon supporter is now afforded the opportunity to come in and compete for a seat (and the priority finals access that goes with it) at the expense of a loyal member who doesn't have deep pockets and is stretched to breaking point by the stupid cost of priority membership now. Yet those supporters are the ones who have been propping the club up whilst Johnnycomelately with long arms and deep pockets has been on the slopes during the lean years. As far as I am concerned, the bandwagon supporters can join the f***ing queue. I have friends who couldn't afford the upgrade for the whole family, people who had been in the same seats for years and in their place I now see newbies (not kids, mind you, these are middle aged people) with one year membership scarves. Nobody has been able to explain to me the equity in that.

In my opinion the HFC has a lot to answer for about the way it has treated it's most loyal members.

To add further to your post you really build bonds with the people you have sat with for a long time. I have watched kids grow into adults and had other family's keeping an eye on our kids and even family members pass on. It is sad when you find out that they can no longer afford to sit with you anymore.
Loyalty is not being valued.

 

[Hawthorn United]

Gave the membership department a call to downgrade my membership. Got the invoice for Kennedy Club in the mail last night so thought I better get onto it now before they start deducting from my credit card.

Craig Willis is the voice reading out the options. Press 1 for automated renewel. Press 2 to speak to a membership consultant.

Thought he'd have better things to do!

 

[savagelunchbox]

Hi Bayer_,

We appreciate all the feedback that the BigFooty Community provide in all aspects of the club and are certainly aware of all the feedback here. We've purposely stayed out of commenting in this thread as it's a place for you all to discuss membership with each other.

If someone has a direct questions for us about membership, they're certainly welcome to ask us a question in the official thread and we'll respond as best as possible.

Our membership team can also be contacted directly at 1300 042 957 or by emailing membership@hawthornfc.com.au if anyone wants to provide any feedback to them directly.

Thanks,
HFC Official

They only answer the questions Newbold and co. have told them the PR response to.

I asked for a breakdown of what my membership is used for and a financial analysis of why there is a need for a rise when they have made a $6.5m profit over the past two years and stand to reach that again.

They refused to answer or get someone who knew the answer to answer. Shock horror, I know.

 

[Hawthorn United]

Just to add, better off emailing them if you want to downgrade from Priority One, as they want it in writing.

 

[The Lemon]

Thought he'd have better things to do!

They've forced him to upgrade from Gold to KC.

Guys gotta make the difference up somehow!

 

[hebog]

Hope HFC Official has a good read, then presents this thread to the board.

No matter how we do on the field (though that's important), there's no point having a successful club if the supporters are treated like cash cow outsiders.

That is exactly how I feel now and when they upgraded our seats to kennedy two years ago. It is no longer 'us' but them and me.

 

[Hawthorn United]

I was browsing the 2016 packages and noticed Tassie Gold is the same price as Gold in Melbourne. So 4 games for $429.

 

[cyrilicious]

first they removed the Lindsay Hassett room from gold members on Level One.
Now we can get access to this if we upgrade to Kennedy Club

So we're basically getting the same thing two years ago for a price hike of $200..

Thanks HFC

/rant

 

[blue harvest]

Should just let people keep their current seats and only charge Kennedy price for new entrants to that seating area.

Also what if a whole pile of people refuse to upgrade, so stay at Gold and are sent down to level 1. Do the club have many existing Kennedy members on level 1 who are waiting for a level 2 seat? Or do they sell a new Kennedy membership thus increasing the number of members with a GF guarantee? I know there used to be some sort of cap (something like 7,000) on guaranteed GF ticket memberships, are they increasing this cap? If so are they telling Silver members about this - because it would be reducing their chances of a GF ticket? Good luck getting answers from them. They don't even provide a break down of what happened in the GF ballot. Freo provided details from their ballot in 2013 but the Hawks prefer to keep their members in the dark on such issues.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Without it we would have four more home games in Melbourne and our seats would be better value. How many more people will change to AFL membership now?
There are two reasons people have paid the price hike, is to keep their reserved seat and to get a Grand Final ticket.
For many people this is a lot of money. Those who make these decisions are probably paid greatly in excess of the average wage.

I will never ever buy an afl membership.

 

[Bayer_]

I will never ever buy an afl membership.

While I understand the element of conscientious objection, AFL membership shits all over any HFC membership for value and GF access. Even at Silver level a GF ticket is nearly assured.

 

[Crankyhawk]

I had a chat to Jeremy from Hawthorn's membership department yesterday.

He told me that the increase in membership prices are being increased because the projected financial gain from the new merchandise was not reach, in fact didn't even come close, so as a result, to reach that projected total, they're having to find the money from other means. The only other means is through the membership.

This is what happens when you have financial experts running the club, who don't have any interaction with the people, the fans, who play a pivotal role in it's financial success.

As a result, what The Cryptkeeper is saying is unfortunately true. Of course the club will never publicly admit to this...

Or the merch (clash jumper) is not selling.

 

[Crankyhawk]

While I understand the element of conscientious objection, AFL membership shits all over any HFC membership for value and GF access. Even at Silver level a GF ticket is nearly assured.

Yes, I know this (although I think no chance if it was 2 vic clubs in GF). But that's what the afl want, all the vicclub members to have afl only, then the clubs are dependent on the central body. Then the culling and relocation starts.

 

[Bayer_]

Yes, I know this (although I think no chance if it was 2 vic clubs in GF). But that's what the afl want, all the vicclub members to have afl only, then the clubs are dependent on the central body. Then the culling and relocation starts.

Good points. Though IMO only the presence of larger Vic clubs (Collingwood or Essendon) would likely mean no silver GF tickets.

I guess it's up to the club to stop bleeding the fans dry if they want their independence. Then again, we won't be a target for relocation anytime soon.

 

[Hawkk]

Should just let people keep their current seats and only charge Kennedy price for new entrants to that seating area.

Also what if a whole pile of people refuse to upgrade, so stay at Gold and are sent down to level 1. Do the club have many existing Kennedy members on level 1 who are waiting for a level 2 seat? Or do they sell a new Kennedy membership thus increasing the number of members with a GF guarantee? I know there used to be some sort of cap (something like 7,000) on guaranteed GF ticket memberships, are they increasing this cap? If so are they telling Silver members about this - because it would be reducing their chances of a GF ticket? Good luck getting answers from them. They don't even provide a break down of what happened in the GF ballot. Freo provided details from their ballot in 2013 but the Hawks prefer to keep their members in the dark on such issues.

The GF ballot breakdown is available from the ticketmaster website the Monday of GF week...

 

[Big Hotdog]

S

Good points. Though IMO only the presence of larger Vic clubs (Collingwood or Essendon) would likely mean no silver GF tickets.

I guess it's up to the club to stop bleeding the fans dry if they want their independence. Then again, we won't be a target for relocation anytime soon.

Silver membership is more than competitive with the price I pay for our family Kennedy Club and offers a lot more. Will definitely look it over.

Sat at the back of the Q deck for last years grand final. Great game - shit view for a premium membership.
Brother in Law bought a scalped ticked for $400 and sat level 1 afl members.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Or the merch (clash jumper) is not selling.

That's what I was saying.

 

[blue harvest]

The GF ballot breakdown is available from the ticketmaster website the Monday of GF week...

I meant the break down of how many members applied, how many priority 1 people there are, how many silver members were successful etc. Hawks don't publish this info.