2021 Membership Thread

[doggies ftw]

Can we hit 50 with a good run here? Would be great!

 

[Dale4captain]

Can we hit 50 with a good run here? Would be great!

If we win 3 out of the next 5, you'd hope 50k is our absolute floor.

 

[Jeff 1975]

A pretty miserable package really. Member card which is good, car sticker and a lanyard.

More packaging than contents!!

I'm OK with it... really!

KM

Same here
Membership card, car sticker, pin and a lanyard
Looks like I have to trawl though my emails

I prefer a full mail out

 

[Roondog]

Only now have we hit 40K. Sorry if I seem to be insensitive or rude but our supporters that can afford it are a bit slack.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Only now have we hit 40K. Sorry if I seem to be insensitive or rude but our supporters that can afford it are a bit slack.

Well, it’s quickest we have obtained that amount and that’s with covid as a consideration. It’s not bad. Even last year the 38k before round one was a record. (we just didn’t go any further due to no games here).

Maybe you could argue 2019 was a bit low but we left our run very late I guess.

 

[CarnTheScray]

We usually gain 10k members throughout the season anyway and end with mid to high 40,000s.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Flash Sale | Western Bulldogs

am.ticketmaster.com

 

[BallaratBulldog]

For what it’s worth, the CEO future member access email mentions we are about to close in on 45,000.

 

[CarnTheScray]

“the value and flexibility offered within the model has no doubt been a key factor in helping us achieve our highest ever membership renewal rate at almost 90%, as we close in on 45,000 members for only the second time in our history.”

 

[Morris Major]

When I renewed my membership I specifically asked whether we'd get our old reserved seats back when capacity goes back to 100%, and they said yes.

Pretty disappointing backflip.

 

[CarnTheScray]

When I renewed my membership I specifically asked whether we'd get our old reserved seats back when capacity goes back to 100%, and they said yes.

Pretty disappointing backflip.

Capacity isn’t at 100% yet.

 

[Northernsoul74]

When I renewed my membership I specifically asked whether we'd get our old reserved seats back when capacity goes back to 100%, and they said yes.

Pretty disappointing backflip.

I don’t think it’s a backflip you sadly probably spoke to a membership team member who was confused.

 

[Timewillcome]

“the value and flexibility offered within the model has no doubt been a key factor in helping us achieve our highest ever membership renewal rate at almost 90%, as we close in on 45,000 members for only the second time in our history.”

Interesting point by the club but I'd say winning the first six games have probably had more of an influence.

 

[MYOB]

From the CEO

[TD valign="top"]

I hope you’ve enjoyed the start to this AFL season, which prior to Round 7 had been our Club’s most successful start to a season in 75 years. Despite the loss to the Tigers last week, we trust you’ve enjoyed watching the team put together some impressive wins. We’ve loved having our members and fans back at the footy and your energy and passion has been felt by all of us at the Club.

Earlier today the AFL announced that from Round 9, club members with a reserved seat entitlement will be able to return to their traditional reserved seat. Due to reduced venue capacities and contact tracing requirements, clubs have not yet been able to deliver this entitlement to members who have purchased a reserved seat as part of their 2021 package. As the last fortnight in Western Australia has also shown, the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 and its impact on crowds means this ever-present threat continues to loom.

As you know, our Club made a different decision at the end of last year to remove the reserved seat from our 2021 products given we could not guarantee the delivery of this benefit. With the changes made to our model in 2021, it is not possible for the Club to reassign members their traditional reserved seat for the balance of this AFL season.

In developing our model, we ultimately didn’t want you paying for a benefit we could not guarantee you’d receive, and particularly in context of the 2020 season where so many of you generously pledged your membership to the Club despite not being able to attend AFL matches. The model we implemented has meant rather than being charged these reserved seat fees upfront, Gold and Silver members only pay for games attended, and through a $10 stadium fee ($5 juniors) at the point of purchase.

Clubs across the industry have all taken different approaches to their membership models in 2021, which has seen a significant impact on membership revenue and yield and we have been no different. The impact on us is also attributable to the Club consciously pricing our key membership products more affordably than other Marvel Stadium tenant clubs to provide more value after the challenges of 2020.

At the same time, the value and flexibility offered within the model has no doubt been a key factor in helping us achieve our highest ever membership renewal rate at almost 90%, as we close in on 45,000 members for only the second time in our history. We’ve also welcomed over 10,000 new and returning members with many selecting products only available as a result of the changes made to the model.

While members have not been able to sit in their traditional reserved seat this year, the model enables other benefits we hope have provided some value to you, in addition to the reduced membership costs. This includes your ability to purchase member guest passes to attend the game with friends and family who are not members. Through our priority member on sale yesterday and ahead of Sunday’s game against Carlton, we were pleased to see more than 1600 Gold and Silver members take up the opportunity to purchase guest passes for family and friends. We plan to extend this guest pass benefit for the duration of the season and will confirm these details ahead of our next home game against St Kilda in Round 10.

We appreciate and acknowledge that some members have been challenged by the ticketing process which has been in place for all clubs this season. We’re encouraged by the fact that many of you have now adapted well to this change and the weekly on-sale process has become much easier. Along with the recent increase of transaction limits of 10 tickets, ticket on-sales from Round 9 will be blocked in groups of two rounds (eg. Round 9 and 10), so you can purchase tickets up to a fortnight in advance.

Our intent remains to provide a fixed reserved seat option for members from the 2022 season, and we look forward to providing this opportunity to you.
We are also exploring the possibility of providing members the opportunity to secure a fixed seat (not a member’s traditional reserved seat) for our final four Marvel Stadium home matches, beginning with our Round 16 match against North Melbourne. Further information will be communicated as details are confirmed.

We thank you for your ongoing support of the Club which is critical to assisting us to be as successful as we can both on and off the field. Your support means everything to us, and we remain grateful to the almost 45,000 members who have joined us on our journey in season 2021. We hope to see you at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon in full voice as we look to return to the winners’ list against Carlton.[/TD]

 

[NBates]

Capacity isn’t at 100% yet.

No, but there will be no returning to reserved seats regardless of whether it is or not.

 

[MYOB]

No, but there will be no returning to reserved seats regardless of whether it is or not.

No there will not be and I actually think the club made the correct decision from the start, as they had no idea when things would go back to "normal"

 

[Merlins Revenge]

What “Other benefits” have we received?

 

[footscray1973]

No, but there will be no returning to reserved seats regardless of whether it is or not.

For this year, right?

 

[footscray1973]

What “Other benefits” have we received?

Other than the recently allowed purchase of guest passes, which he mentions, there seems to be a dearth of "Other benefits". Unless he means charging silver members ridiculous amounts to purchase a seat at Mars Stadium. $55 for a child who is a silver member to sit in a seat, and in the small wind-swept stand at that. I know the club has its hands tied with some of this, and I don't object to parking reserved seats until next year, but the cost of paid-up members like myself to attend a "home" game is extraordinary. I'm happy to pay a cost to purchase a seat, seeing the AFL and clubs have managed to dilute over many years the 11 game home membership to a 9 game one, which is a whole separate discussion. But I recently went to the Mars game, using 3 silver social club memberships, and had to pay $59 + $55 + $55 as a one off to sit in seats. That is nothing short of gouging, and lies squarely at the feet of the club.

 

[MYOB]

For this year, right?

Yes, just for this year.
Next year you'll get the same seat you had previously

 

[Chicago1]

I've had my reserve seat for the footy every week, even last year, right in front of my TV or laptop. (I do miss my Silver Level 1 seat in row C, three rows from the ground. *sigh*)

 

[MYOB]

What “Other benefits” have we received?

$120 off the cost of membership
Free entry to away games

 

[footscray1973]

$120 off the cost of membership
Free entry to away games

$120 or $90? I got $90 off, which isn't a benefit, as I spend that money buying the seat back at each home game. Or am I missing something?

 

[MYOB]

$120 or $90? I got $90 off, which isn't a benefit, as I spend that money buying the seat back at each home game. Or am I missing something?

It's a benefit if you don't attend every game.

 

[MYOB]

In a world of uncertainty, the club had to make a decision as to whether they should prepare for the possibilty of return to reserve seats this year or not.

They decided to make the conservative decision that we would not return to reserve seats this year. To do that, they reduced the cost of the membership and included away games for no extra cost.

Is it a pain in the arse having to buy seats each week ($10 for home, $0 for away) - damn right it is.

One of the benefits of having a membership, whether it be GA or reserved seat, is being able to walk up, scan your card, and not have to deal with incompetent ticket agency.

In a covid world, that is not possible, and there have been some stuff ups along the way, including Round 1 where I had abig issue with the clubs communication. But they have learnt from that and the process has got easier each week, as everyone learns from the previous weeks mistakes.

Would I love to be in the same seat every week - sure
Am I just happy to be able to watch my team live each week. - absolutely

Let's get through the year and back to some form of normality next year. And to who ever ends up in my seat next to the race, make the most of it, because I'll be coming for it in 2022,