Fan Based Initiatives

[WA Lion]

I'm curious if there has ever been, or ever likely to be fan based initiatives for the benefit of the club.

We already have the Women of the Pride movement and The Lions Roar, but the Lions Roar appears more aimed at championing of Lions courses, representing fans and providing a voice.

The model I am more curious about is something akin to what happens with UK based financially less well-off soccer clubs in particular.

Fans club together, often called something like 'Lions Trust" or 'Twelfth Man' or something like that, and regularly organise and participate in fundraising functions and generally work to raise the profile of the club in their area and in general.

Quite often clubs welcome these initiatives as it tends to be a win-win. Fans feel more engaged and have greater ownership of their club and feel like they can contribute, while the club often enjoys greater membership and attendance numbers, plus a higher profile.

There is the odd case where these groups pay for an additional players wages (which wouldn't work with AFL salary cap obviously) but it wouldn't have to be limited to that. Could be fundraising for anything really.

Just curious if anything of that sort had occurred?

 

[POBT]

I guess coterie groups are the AFL's version of this?

 

[Ironmonger]

There is the odd case where these groups pay for an additional players wages

That happened in the A-league, actually. A Wellington Phoenix supporter group used to pool their funds to pay for a trial contract for a young New Zealander. In 2009 they funded Marco Rojas, who was so impressive he was offered a two year senior contract.

...then he buggered off to play for the Melbourne Victory as soon as that was over. They stopped paying for contracts shortly after that.

 

[WA Lion]

That happened in the A-league, actually. A Wellington Phoenix supporter group used to pool their funds to pay for a trial contract for a young New Zealander. In 2009 they funded Marco Rojas, who was so impressive he was offered a two year senior contract.

...then he buggered off to play for the Melbourne Victory as soon as that was over. They stopped paying for contracts shortly after that.

yeah happens in the UK also, bit awkward.

 

[Pacman82]

If you're involved in running a business there'd be plenty of ways to contribute to the club (tax incentives too). Social clubs & poker machines are other sources of revenue. Not sure how many BL owns..