ANZAC day for gfc

[thejester]

new peeps to the game????

when you expand a market you are no longer just getting your "my family bleeds that way" followers. that's pretty naive to think that you can rely on fans from the traditional sources. those two teams are made to feel special and so, their fans.

popularity breeds popularity breeds popularity. and you better believe it's a game of dollars and cents.

Give me a break. For starters, who are these 'new peeps'? Immigrants? South Africans? Japanese? Tourists? Who? I live in a Hall of Residence. Each semester, we get about half a dozen to a dozen American exchange students, and we convert them to the glorious game. Know how many support Essendon or the Pies? None. Nada. Zip. Know how many support teams because they play 'maqruee events'? None. Nada. Zip. They follow the teams that we hammer into them, or tell them are good (the Saints are popular). There's straight up anecdotal evidence of 'new peeps' and how they acquire teams.

On a broader scale...do you honestly think the 'marquee game' will convert more supporters? It's only one game, it goes for the same length of time. Someone in the US is far more likely (what, a 7/8 chance?) to stumble upon a normal game than the Anzac match. And given that football-wise this years Anzac Day clash wasn't actually all that crash hot, and they're probably going to be ignorant of the hype around it, they're just as likely to watch the high-intensity, down-to-the-wire Carlton/Brisbane game and pick up one of them instead. To do to AFL what Man Utd did to soccer in Japan, Essendon invited Japanese players to train with them and is (IIRC) releasing their spectator mag there in Japanese, while Sheedy also promotes footy in the US and has initiatives like Dreamtime at the 'G. That's what it takes to crack new markets and convert the 'new peeps', not one 'marquee game' whose signifigance stems from a cultural event that is virtually unknown outside of Australia.

 

[jim boy]

I think you miss the definiation of 'new peeps'. Mature age spectators to the game are basically inconsequential bandwagoners. If they haven't started following footy as a kid, then its rare that they become anything but a bandwagoner.

Its the kids that are the key to real long term health of a supporter base. Do you have kids, have you any idea of how fickle they can be? Do you have any idea of the schoolyard peer group pressures? You're basically keeping your head in the sand if you don't think that access to marquee games doesn't have a knock-on affect to the school yard natter before and after matches? And its not about opening the flood gates, its about slowly building your advantage. But once you fall behind, it is extremely difficult to catch up.

Someone mentioned North earlier and about how success in the late ninetiew didn't equate to membership. What a load of poppy-****, very few ever switch allegiances once they leave primary school. And its those primary school kids where you get hit. Its years before the effect comes through, but the effect is real and its there.

 

[thejester]

I think you miss the definiation of 'new peeps'. Mature age spectators to the game are basically inconsequential bandwagoners. If they haven't started following footy as a kid, then its rare that they become anything but a bandwagoner.

Its the kids that are the key to real long term health of a supporter base. Do you have kids, have you any idea of how fickle they can be? Do you have any idea of the schoolyard peer group pressures? You're basically keeping your head in the sand if you don't think that access to marquee games doesn't have a knock-on affect to the school yard natter before and after matches? And its not about opening the flood gates, its about slowly building your advantage. But once you fall behind, it is extremely difficult to catch up.

Do I have kids? No. Was I one? Yes. I was 7 in 1995. One of my earliest memories is Dad making it clear that I was not an Essendon or St Kilda or Footscray supporter, I was a Cats fan. I don't ever remember being pressurred, even growing up in Melbourne, to ditch the Cats, and I sure as hell don't remember sitting down to watch the Anzac Day match and thinking 'damn I'm going to follow Collingwood/Essendon'. Didn't even occur to me to change sides after '92, '94 and '95. I stick by my estimate that the vast majority of kids will follow a team that's chosen for them...they won't watch a marquee match and go 'Well I'm following Collingwood/Essendon now'. If those kids do exist - and to be fair, I can think of at least one I know - they must make up a tiny minority.

Someone mentioned North earlier and about how success in the late ninetiew didn't equate to membership. What a load of poppy-****, very few ever switch allegiances once they leave primary school. And its those primary school kids where you get hit. Its years before the effect comes through, but the effect is real and its there.

That's the point, mate. Even when North were absolutely dominating, their position changed very little. Why? Because the overwhelming supporter base of a club is born into it, and is not influenced by wins/losses. People and kids weren't going to change sides because one was winning and the other was losing. Footballing loyalty runs deeper than that.

 

[TheTimeCometh]

Do I have kids? No. Was I one? Yes.

hmmm..so you were once a kid you say?

 

[TheTimeCometh]

if indeed, as you suggest jester, that the supporter base is somewhat capped already by existing numbers then at least 6 clubs are f'k'd no matter what eventuates. should i breed more then? you could take up the slack too. carn catterz - let's breed!


What about the idea then that the existing loyalty is embraced and further enhanced by playing these games - is that a possibility? y'know fence sitting fans of marquee teams are tipped over the edge?

 

[Just do something]

if indeed, as you suggest jester, that the supporter base is somewhat capped already by existing numbers then at least 6 clubs are f'k'd no matter what eventuates. should i breed more then? you could take up the slack too. carn catterz - let's breed!


What about the idea then that the existing loyalty is embraced and further enhanced by playing these games - is that a possibility? y'know fence sitting fans of marquee teams are tipped over the edge?

Its funny you say that Time Cometh as my wife comes out to me today while i was listining to another shit performance and mentions she may be pregnant. Now at the time i should be jumping out of my skin but all i can think about is why do we keep turning out therse rabble performances.Time for me to get a life outside of GFC i think.

For the reecord 1980 prelim i cried when we lost that game that was me as a cats supporter ever since.

 

[TheTimeCometh]

haha! priorities!!

don't put the cart before the horse justdosomething - babies first, a packed 'G second, with a flag not far behind.