Fellow game access members of AFL clubs. Have you been surprised/disappointed at the greed of clubs and players during this crisis?

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

A thread to document your experiences as a game access member with an AFL club this year.

I am a South Australian (it's parmi you campaigners) and have memberships with clubs there to get the football fix with family/friends.

In my view as a member of the Crows their conduct has been very questionable during this crisis.

One example would be sending an email giving 2 hours notice before a direct debit in late April despite the season having been postponed by over a month.

Today they took it to another level by sending an email to members implying that they would need to pledge 50% of their membership fees in 2020 to retain their reserved seats in 2021. For those with a couple of decent seats that cost may be over $400. What the email left out is potential options that could have only been found out by ringing to cancel your membership. It was an example of deception.

Have other clubs been this scummy? I have heard that many continue to take installments from members bank accounts.

What has your experience as a game access member been with your club during this crisis?

Have you been disappointed by the greed shown by the clubs and those employed by them?

 

[Freomaniac]

No I am not really. Players do want their faire share of the cash. Fair enough but there has to be a happy moderate view.

The salary cap has risen a fair bit because of the TV money. 13 million is the salary cap for each playing list. 18 clubs on 13 million is 234 milllion. That is a lot of cash.


The point is, I am more Angry on how the AFL has handled their TV rights money, Which is now the AFLs main source of income. Each year some clubs make millions in Profit. AFL is happy. Some clubs lose 2-3 million last year, The AFL bails them out. Fair enough.

Put it this way, You look at how much money the AFL has made in the last 5-10 years. Its a lot of cash isnt it?

My Point is Gill and his pack of dogs, hell even Andrew Demitriou and his pack of Dogs before him only cared about one thing: Making as much money as they can to Fill their pockets.

What was the AFLs current deal? 2.6 billion over 6 years. Now Imagine over the 5 years, 10% was stored away. thats 260 million saved over in that period.

Look at the 2012-17 AFL rights. That pulled in 1.25 billion over 6 years. Had the AFL board had any Brains and kept 10% of that cash stored in that 5-6 year period, thats 125 million in the AFL bank account. If it was 20% then it would of been 250 million saved up in that 6 year period from 2012-17.

But nah The AFL cared about stuffing the AFL TV money in their own pockets.


I know Hind sight is 20/20. Ironic, that its the Year 2020 now.

Had the AFL board knew something like this would happen, I am sure the AFL would of done something different.

Imagine if the AFL stored away 10% of the TV rights money in the last 10 years. That meant money in the bank and each AFL team wouldnt need to take pay cuts.

 

[MightyHawks]

No I am not really. Players do want their faire share of the cash. Fair enough but there has to be a happy moderate view.

The salary cap has risen a fair bit because of the TV money. 13 million is the salary cap for each playing list. 18 clubs on 13 million is 234 milllion. That is a lot of cash.


The point is, I am more Angry on how the AFL has handled their TV rights money, Which is now the AFLs main source of income. Each year some clubs make millions in Profit. AFL is happy. Some clubs lose 2-3 million last year, The AFL bails them out. Fair enough.

Put it this way, You look at how much money the AFL has made in the last 5-10 years. Its a lot of cash isnt it?

My Point is Gill and his pack of dogs, hell even Andrew Demitriou and his pack of Dogs before him only cared about one thing: Making as much money as they can to Fill their pockets.

What was the AFLs current deal? 2.6 billion over 6 years. Now Imagine over the 5 years, 10% was stored away. thats 260 million saved over in that period.

Look at the 2012-17 AFL rights. That pulled in 1.25 billion over 6 years. Had the AFL board had any Brains and kept 10% of that cash stored in that 5-6 year period, thats 125 million in the AFL bank account. If it was 20% then it would of been 250 million saved up in that 6 year period from 2012-17.

But nah The AFL cared about stuffing the AFL TV money in their own pockets.


I know Hind sight is 20/20. Ironic, that its the Year 2020 now.

Had the AFL board knew something like this would happen, I am sure the AFL would of done something different.

Imagine if the AFL stored away 10% of the TV rights money in the last 10 years. That meant money in the bank and each AFL team wouldnt need to take pay cuts.

$125m wouldn't help very much

Problem is bigger than that

 

[Ok Boomer]

Not really, for the most part I am happy how West Coast have handled things.

 

[Freomaniac]

Not really, for the most part I am happy how West Coast have handled things.

Because west coast were smart.

I still remember when the Eagles won the 2006 flag, they posted a profit of 5-6 million. Believe me, 5-6 million profit back in 2006 was not to be sneezed at.

If west coast was making 3-5 million a year in profits in the last 10-15 years, they were smart enough to save it or spent it on training facilities

 

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

Long story here - I just happened to hear Andrew Fagan last week on the radio and when pressed saying that there was an option of $60 and keeping your membership and privileges so when I received my 'pledge' email and couldn't see that option ANYWHERE - not even in the terms and conditions or FAQ is was furious. The email is written in a way to trick/deceive people into believing they have 3 options - 100%, 75% or 50% and then further down the page if you want to discuss or cancel your membership ($40 but lose your seat etc (no mention that for $20 more you can actually keep your seat etc)). After clicking through the call back pages (again ridiculous including asking why I wanted a call back - they sent the email!!). I ended up putting a very small message on facebook stating that there was actually a 4th option which was pay $60 and keep your seat. I instantly get a private message from someone asking if this true - they'd received their email etc and that's not what it said. I ended up calling the Crows (2 hours on hold to get through but I was at work so just had it on in the background) just to make sure that this option was 100% legit - yes gold, silver, bronze, season tickets - basically every level of membership has this option. I totally lost my sh** with them saying they were being duplicitous in their correspondence and I wondered if it was even lawful. Silence at the other end - how can they argue with the truth. I also sent a scathing email to the CEO and the their general email stating they were actually being deceitful and underhanded in the way they were handing this. Anyway over the weekend I start getting private messages from other people (mainly oldies) asking me again if this was true and they couldn't see it anywhere blah blah. One lady in particular told me they were battlers, didn't take holidays, go out to dinner etc but their one expense was buying 4 gold tickets for $1,600. She honestly thought her only option to keep her 4 seats was to pay $800 (50%). So this morning I get a call from the "Member Services Team Leader" talking in circles saying they need people to request a call to discuss people's financial positions etc - none of their bloody business!!! Again she kept catching herself out as to why nowhere in their email does it state that one option is to keep your membership and pay $60 - how the hell are people suppose to 'negotiate' with the Crows when we don't even have all the facts in front of us. I totally lost my sh** with her as well - so much so that when I hung up I contacted the ACCC. I have filled in their form, sent them the email and they'll contact me within 15 days. The only good thing that's come out of it was that I got a message this afternoon from one of the people who contacted me saying they had called the Crows and only had to wait for 45 minutes and paid the $60 per membership and got a $1,360 refund!! She also stated that it has taken a whole lot of pressure off them as 3 people in their household have lost their jobs or had hours cut and wanted to catch up with me next year at the footy for a beer!! She also said she has told quite a few friends who also had no idea and who are pensioners and wanted to pass their thanks onto me for my little Facebook paragraph. Sitting waiting for a call back from the Crows (which they also state could take quite while) while they are holding onto your $1,600 is ridiculous as well. If that doesn't prove that their email is totally unethical, dishonest and underhanded I don't know is. I've been appalled by the whole process and the fact they are basically tricking/deceiving people who can least afford it into 'pledging' money to prop up someone's enormous salary is morally corrupt. Rant over!!

Another poster describing an experience on the Crows board. The AFC have acted disgracefully through this.