Strategy Marketing, Sales, Communication & Media Structure & Strategies

[Lockhart Road]

The vanilla thread was the turning point of last season.

When the club found out about the thread to be precise.

You are not wrong methinks ... that thread created a debate the degree of which tribey had not anticipated and in which I for one participated (on Kochie's side I admit).
It was that debate and the length & serious PAFC intent of the thread that came to the attention of the media guys at the Club, not simply the protest that initiated the thread. Things quickly went upstairs.
Hail BigFooty and on-line democracy!
Kochie now admits, as I have indicated elsewhere, that he reads BigFooty. Not with his own eyes perhaps, but so long as he gets the message. He also quietly acknowledges his role in the Farris Bros. fiasco in Round 2, the subject of another powerful BF thread this year.
Long may this connection continue for the overall good of our Club.

 

[SgtSchulz]

You are not wrong methinks ... that thread created a debate the degree of which tribey had not anticipated and in which I for one participated (on Kochie's side I admit).
It was that debate and the length & serious PAFC intent of the thread that came to the attention of the media guys at the Club, not simply the protest that initiated the thread. Things quickly went upstairs.
Hail BigFooty and on-line democracy!
Kochie now admits, as I have indicated elsewhere, that he reads BigFooty. Not with his own eyes perhaps, but so long as he gets the message. He also quietly acknowledges his role in the Farris Bros. fiasco in Round 2, the subject of another powerful BF thread this year.
Long may this connection continue for the overall good of our Club.

To be fair to Kochie the club probably would've been relegated to Siberia if he didn't come along.

 

[SgtSchulz]

 

[PAFC04]

KOCH TALKS PAFC MARKETING STRATEGY

I digested Tom Richardson's respectable, and respectful, piece in today's InDaily a couple of times before deciding to post this commentary in this thread rather than others to which it also applies. The article has earlier been quoted elsewhere.

http://indaily.com.au/sport/football/2015/10/30/port-are-the-afls-biggest-disappointment-says-koch/

The title, though honest, only gives a lead to a small part of the article, which is largely about the marketing strategy the Club adopted in 2013 and has since adapted to a progressively changing situation with commendable success. Koch says PAFC's off-field performance, contrary to on-field in 2015, has been a 'stunning success'... with the club turning its first profit in almost a decade.'
('Profit'. Lovely word. 'Over-expectation'. Awful word. Can apply to profit as much as on-field performance.)

Here are a few excerpts:

A regular email missive sent directly to members from CEO Keith Thomas is “single-handedly our biggest marketing tool”, Koch said.
“Because it says to our members, ‘Hey, I’m being thought of first’…that human touch, the common touch that, hey, we care for you.”

Great to read the Chairman giving credit where it's most due: not just to his CEO but to our CEO. KT is the single most effective factor in making David Koch a far better president than he would otherwise be. The longer this pairing remains intact, the better and stronger will be the Port Adelaide Football Club.

And he wasn’t shy about offering advice to policymakers about how to entice business to bolster the flailing state economy.
“You grow a pair and ask what ‘Would it take to get you to move to Adelaide?’”

Remember a year or more ago Koch talking up the redevelopment of the Port Adelaide area, turning it into a commercial /entertainment / prime or -semi-prime residential hub with its own tramline, flavour, culture, and Alberton Oval and the Port Club as its bullseye? The man has more than just vision, he has wide-angle vision. There are not enough like him, however, on site. Such people go east, or overseas.

“We were irrelevant in Victoria…part of our KPIs and goal-setting was we wanted to become a national brand ... the AFL had conducted research that suggested the Power are now, indeed, “everyone’s ‘other’ team, if you like…we were the highest in terms of that response”.
He said that was due in part to deliberately courting exposure: “It was just us going to FoxFooty and saying ‘What do you want? What would it take to get you to give us more coverage?’”

http://indaily.com.au/sport/football/2015/10/30/port-are-the-afls-biggest-disappointment-says-koch/

I too believe that the Port precinct has the potential to become something similar to what Glenelg has to offer..... build it, and they will come...... I do believe there is a proposal to put a floating hotel/casino ... I would suggest to move Habourtown to the Port......

Get the tram happening like it was suppose to.... would be a very good start.....

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I too believe that the Port precinct has the potential to become something similar to what Glenelg has to offer..... build it, and they will come...... I do believe there is a proposal to put a floating hotel/casino ... I would suggest to move Habourtown to the Port......

Get the tram happening like it was suppose to.... would be a very good start.....

Until both Incitec Pivot fertilizer plant and Adelaide Brighton Cement plant move the Port area development wont go ahead as fast or as much as it should. The government almost 2 years ago said they will buy the plant and Incitec said they would move the fertilizer plant but nothing has happened. From a couple of days ago.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/fertiliser-plant-port-adelaide-yet-to-move/6897500

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Nah, ideally we'd be the team everyone likes to watch, EXCEPT when they are playing us, as our exciting style of play (rather then Hawhthorn's precise kick snooze fest) is having their no. 1 side being cut apart.

Higher TV ratings and more sponsorship dollar is a must have these days. The problem of 2015 is Koch forgetting that it's secondary to appealing to those who support Port firstly and not having it interfere with our success on-field (the infamous debacle of throwing our home showdown this year to placate an Adelaide side, who then didn't even acknowledge it). As long as it doesn't interfere with the primary goals, everyone's second team I'm happy with.

I'm not that convinced by being the team everyone likes to watch. We were that a couple of years ago. This past season it was the Bulldogs. And what has either club won between them? Zero. Meanwhile Hawthorn keep winning premierships and have everyone's respect.

We need to get harder and play Port Adelaide football. As tribey so eloquently pointed out we don't need to soft-shoe shuffle around the feelings of other clubs. If Kochie and co are kept apprised of the feelings of supporters on this site then that should be clear to them by now.

Back in the 1970s Glenelg prided themselves on being a high scoring attractive to watch team. But which team had the league's respect? No one would admit to Port being their second team but they all wanted to be us.

 

[Lockhart Road]

I too believe that the Port precinct has the potential to become something similar to what Glenelg has to offer..... build it, and they will come...... I do believe there is a proposal to put a floating hotel/casino ... I would suggest to move Habourtown to the Port......

Get the tram happening like it was suppose to.... would be a very good start.....

Until both Incitec Pivot fertilizer plant and Adelaide Bright Cement plant move the Port area development wont go ahead as fast or as much as it should. The government almost 2 years ago said the will buy the plant and Incitec said they would move the fertilizer plant but nothing has happened. From a couple of days ago.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/fertiliser-plant-port-adelaide-yet-to-move/6897500

Calling Li Ka Shing & Cheung Kong and other Chinese investors buying up the Land of Oz ... here is the perfect project for you to show your stuff, and prove that you can put more back in than you take out.
Separate thread beckons, but not quite yet.

Edit: As things stand, Susan Close - State Minister for Education etc. and Member for Port Adelaide - will be travelling with the Aboriginal Academy (SAASTA) lads on their tour to HK and China.

 

[Jim Dixon]

Remember a year or more ago Koch talking up the redevelopment of the Port Adelaide area, turning it into a commercial /entertainment / prime or -semi-prime residential hub with its own tramline, flavour, culture, and Alberton Oval and the Port Club as its bullseye? The man has more than just vision, he has wide-angle vision. There are not enough like him, however, on site. Such people go east, or overseas.

It's the SANFL Old Boys Net that run SA, and there's no "Port Adelaide" to ginger things up and make them work harder. The sporting effect is the SA cricket team which has won four fifths of three eights squared since anyone can remember.

There's Stephen Rowes all over Adelaide, in key positions. They just don't draw attention to themselves, but their Stupidity clogs up the economy and society.

The thing I like about Kochie, KT and Ken is that they try things, and if they make mistakes they shrug, say 'oops, that's a mistake' and try again. The moment we have people in charge afraid of making mistakes we decline.

 

[charcolechaddy]

You are not wrong methinks ... that thread created a debate the degree of which tribey had not anticipated and in which I for one participated (on Kochie's side I admit).
It was that debate and the length & serious PAFC intent of the thread that came to the attention of the media guys at the Club, not simply the protest that initiated the thread. Things quickly went upstairs.
Hail BigFooty and on-line democracy!
Kochie now admits, as I have indicated elsewhere, that he reads BigFooty. Not with his own eyes perhaps, but so long as he gets the message. He also quietly acknowledges his role in the Farris Bros. fiasco in Round 2, the subject of another powerful BF thread this year.
Long may this connection continue for the overall good of our Club.

This is what was wrong with the club during the dark days. we will always be a club that listens to its people, the rightful owners of its destiny , its members.

 

[raptalia]

Until both Incitec Pivot fertilizer plant and Adelaide Brighton Cement plant move the Port area development wont go ahead as fast or as much as it should. The government almost 2 years ago said they will buy the plant and Incitec said they would move the fertilizer plant but nothing has happened. From a couple of days ago.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/fertiliser-plant-port-adelaide-yet-to-move/6897500

I too believe that the Port precinct has the potential to become something similar to what Glenelg has to offer..... build it, and they will come...... I do believe there is a proposal to put a floating hotel/casino ... I would suggest to move Habourtown to the Port......

Get the tram happening like it was suppose to.... would be a very good start.....

As I have posted numerous times the problem with redeveloping the Port is overcoming the mistakes that were made many years ago. As a lad I can remember walking around the Black Diamond Corner and shopping at G&J Coles, Rhodes Emporium, Collett's and Shaw's Menswear, Ezywalkins, Radio Rentals, David Murrays, Clarksons etc. On top of that you had Dudley Foster's Garage, the Black & White Fish Cafe, the Ozone and Odeon picture theatres, a vibrant Post Office and several bank branches. Most importantly the train ran into the heart of the Port. The shopping precinct was moved to the Port Canal area almost 1.5 km away and consequently the heart of the Port died.

It is not rocket science and something needs to be done to bring people back into the Port. Some fast food outlets, picture theatres even a service station would help. Moving Pivot and Adelaide Brighton must also happen.

As you post years back the tram was supposed to run to the Port but that ideas seems to have been permanently pigeon holed. The problem was that the tram was going to divert to the existing train corridor and run to Semaphore rather than go down the middle of the Port Road. Obviously a cost cutting measure. A lot of the Port's problem occurred twenty years ago when the impetus was there but the Local Member, who shall remain nameless, had other priorities. Perhaps more dynamic political leadership would not have seen the development that was happening stall. The State Government needed to legislate to prevent absentee landlords sitting on property for years without developing it. That did not happen.

Last time I was in the Port the Old Customs House was finally being renovated but I have heard nothing lately. Hopefully the renovations are complete and it is being used for something worthwhile.

 

[TeeKray]

I don't want to be everyone's second team. I'd rather be loathed and successful like Hawthorn are now.

Loathed and successful being the two key words. Under a previous coach in our AFL journey we were loathed but not overly successful. Win enough premierships and you won't be everyone's second team for very long.

 

[SgtSchulz]

Why don't we resurrect the Railway museum line as a weekend run. IN the long run I expect thousands of people to live around dock one and the vacant area around Birkenhead and Glanville.

I really like trains.

#TootTootMothergooses

 

[VineValerian]

As I have posted numerous times the problem with redeveloping the Port is overcoming the mistakes that were made many years ago. As a lad I can remember walking around the Black Diamond Corner and shopping at G&J Coles, Rhodes Emporium, Collett's and Shaw's Menswear, Ezywalkins, Radio Rentals, David Murrays, Clarksons etc. On top of that you had Dudley Foster's Garage, the Black & White Fish Cafe, the Ozone and Odeon picture theatres, a vibrant Post Office and several bank branches. Most importantly the train ran into the heart of the Port. The shopping precinct was moved to the Port Canal area almost 1.5 km away and consequently the heart of the Port died.

It is not rocket science and something needs to be done to bring people back into the Port. Some fast food outlets, picture theatres even a service station would help. Moving Pivot and Adelaide Brighton must also happen.

As you post years back the tram was supposed to run to the Port but that ideas seems to have been permanently pigeon holed. The problem was that the tram was going to divert to the existing train corridor and run to Semaphore rather than go down the middle of the Port Road. Obviously a cost cutting measure. A lot of the Port's problem occurred twenty years ago when the impetus was there but the Local Member, who shall remain nameless, had other priorities. Perhaps more dynamic political leadership would not have seen the development that was happening stall. The State Government needed to legislate to prevent absentee landlords sitting on property for years without developing it. That did not happen.

Last time I was in the Port the Old Customs House was finally being renovated but I have heard nothing lately. Hopefully the renovations are complete and it is being used for something worthwhile.

To assist this, how about a tram spur from when the current rail line crosses the Commercial Rd bridge near the Port Canal shops, scoots down The Minories or something, onto St Vincent St and takes you into Black Diamond territory, near the wharves, museums, etc, the "redeveloped" hub, and then back down Commercial Rd to the spur junction? Could be a "15 minutes between services" type of thing.

needs mega bucks though.

 

[SgtSchulz]

We should have a "Port Adelaide the place thread".

 

[SgtSchulz]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

We should have a "Port Adelaide the place thread".

There is a thread on the Black Diamond Corner board started 4 years ago.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/development-around-the-port.798491/

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Don't forget the aircraft museum too. North Adelaide premiership ruckman Daryl Webb works there as a volunteer. Nice guy unlike his fearsome on-field reputation.

 

[Smithy7]

To assist this, how about a tram spur from when the current rail line crosses the Commercial Rd bridge near the Port Canal shops, scoots down The Minories or something, onto St Vincent St and takes you into Black Diamond territory, near the wharves, museums, etc, the "redeveloped" hub, and then back down Commercial Rd to the spur junction? Could be a "15 minutes between services" type of thing.
needs mega bucks though.

They did have trams on St Vincent street years ago. Lines went from Semaphore, Largs Bay, Rosewater and Albert Park

 

[Lockhart Road]

Here is the link to 'Kochie's Vision for Port Adelaide.'

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...s-silicon-valley/story-e6frg6n6-1226970160675

As it's 16-months old, here it is in full:

Port Adelaide Football Club boss David Koch wants the area to be Australia’s ‘Silicon Valley’

• by: DUANE SCHULTZ PORTSIDE MESSENGER
• From: Sunday Mail (SA)
• June 28, 2014
• 

The Port Admiral Hotel, which has been closed for years. Picture: Tait Schmaal. But can the area become like this ... Source: News Corp Australia

TECHNOLOGY giants Google, Apple and Microsoft should be lured to Port Adelaide to drive new investment and transform the area into Australia’s ‘Silicon Valley’, according to Port Adelaide Football Club president David Koch.

Mr Koch has called on the State Government to headhunt one of the world's global tech firms to establish a base at the Port which he said would create jobs, drive property investment, and give the area’s struggling economy a much-needed boost.

TELL US: What can be done to rejuvenate the Port?

Mr Koch said the Port must look at new investment and said he would be going “hell for leather” to get companies such as Google, Apple and Microsoft to set up a base at the Port.

“There are elements of what we are doing at Port Adelaide Football Club which can be done on a regional scale,” Koch told the Sunday Mail ahead of Sunday’s Showdown.

... the gleaming reality that is Silicon Valley, California.

“But we need a big blockbuster idea (and) there is no reason why Port Adelaide cannot become like a Silicon Valley.

“You can have the best bars, cafes, shops and restaurants you like, but you need something that will create jobs and get people to live, work and play in the area.

“Everything else will come — housing, restaurants, retail and property.”

His comments come as the Port, an economy defined by empty shopfronts and boarded up buildings, is reeling from the closure of Penrice’s chemical plant at Osborne with the loss of 95 jobs.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of the area’s national defence contracts, which employ thousands of people in and around Port Adelaide.

Mr Koch, who grew up on the Le Fevre Peninsula, said what made US cities such as San Francisco and Boston attractive places to do business were government tax breaks and concessions to help start-up companies flourish.

“Boston has global industry (and) history, which is a tourist asset, and high-class education pairing learning with industry,” he said.

“We need to wire-up Port Adelaide to make it the best area to cater for technology companies.”

The urgency for new industry in the Port has also arisen from a parliamentary report last month that found cancer rates in across the Le Fevre Peninsula were 36 per cent above the state average, largely due to the presence of heavy industry.

The State Government has developed a Port Adelaide Precinct Plan, which sets out a 20-year vision for the future development of the waterfront and town centre, including taller building heights, a new public marina along the length of the southern side of the Port River and a marine services precinct at Fletcher’s Slip.

It has predicted the plan would bring an extra 4000-8000 people to Port Adelaide, create 1500-2000 permanent jobs and 1000-1500 construction jobs and generate between $1 billion and $2 billion in investment.

A Government spokesman said luring a global company to SA was not on the agenda “at this time”

Yesterday Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell floated the idea of establishing a South Australian Fish Market at Port Adelaide, modelled on the successful Sydney Market, which trades more than 14,500 tonnes of national and international seafood each year.

Can tech giant Apple be lured to invest in Port Adelaide? Source: AFP

Mr Bignell, who visited the Sydney Fish Market on Saturday, said he wanted to work with the fishing industry and Port Adelaide-Enfield Council to discuss establishing a “central market by the sea”.

“What you have is a mix of retail, wholesale and restaurants (in Sydney). I’m very impressed with what I have seen,” Mr Bignell said.

“South Australia has some of the freshest seafood in the world and we should be making the most of promoting ourselves.”

Mr Bignell said a South Australian Fish Market at Port Adelaide would make the region a vibrant tourist destination.

“We are well served by the (Adelaide) Central Market but this could be something that will add to that,” he said.

The Torrens Island Fish Market at Gillman currently trades only on Sundays.

Business SA chief executive officer Nigel McBride has backed Koch’s calls to attract technology companies to Port Adelaide and said the Sate Government needed to put the region on the map.

Mr McBride has called for further cuts to the cost of doing business and said the Government needed to open the Port by building a tramline and upgrading the Outer Harbor train line.

“When combining all costs of doing business, including utility charges, South Australia is still the most expensive place to do business in Australia,” Mr McBride

“(Port Adelaide) can become another Fremantle, but to provide an example the cost of land tax for a $1 million site in SA is $9446 compared to $1680 in WA.

“It will not happen overnight but if the State Government works with business, Port Adelaide can become a thriving district for tourism and industry.”

Property Council of Australia acting director Lino Iacomella said a global employer paired with an extension of the tramline down Port Rd would provide certainty for developers looking to invest in Port Adelaide.

NEED TO SPEND MONEY TO UNLOCK THE PORT’S GREAT CHARM
By Duane Schultz

MONEY needs to be spent to turn Port Adelaide’s rich maritime history in to one of South Australia’s major tourism draw cards, cafe owner Steph Taylor says.

Ms Taylor has been running organic cafe Red Lime Shack in St Vincent St since 2012 and said foot traffic on the weekends was vital to the survival of her business.

DRAWCARD: Cafe owner Steph Taylor wants the Port to be the go-to place to unwind and explore on weekends. Picture: TAIT SCHMAAL Source: News Limited

She backed AFL club president and successful businessman David Koch’s bold vision to transition the Port from industry town to a technology hub as it would lure people to work, live and play in the area.

“We need to become a go to place to unwind and explore on the weekend,” said Ms Taylor, who also organisers the Sunday food market at Hart’s Mill.

“I value David’s comments and vision.”

Ms Taylor said the area’s disconnect from the city was a major stumbling block and extending the tram down Port Rd to Semaphore was needed.

The area also needed to be marketed along the same vein as the Barossa Valley and Flerieu Peninsula.

The State Government last week announced it was putting off its plan to extend the city’s tramline to the Le Fevre Peninsula for another four years.

“The tramline is a no brainer, we need it,” she said.

“What can be done immediately, which doesn’t require a lot of money, is to turn the Port into a cycling city.

“We’ve already got a bike loop path and we just need to attract the backpackers and cycling enthusiasts.”

YOUNG FAMILY WANTS THE PORT TO THRIVE
By Hannibal Rossi

JADE and Ben Jones moved from Broken Hill to Exeter and have fallen in love with the area.
Mr Jones, 32, who took up a role as an environmental scientist with AGL at the Torrens Island power station in January and his wife moved to Exeter in December with sons Cooper, 2, and Lennox, nine months.

FAMILY FAVOURITE: Jade and Ben Jones, with Lennox and Cooper, have fallen in love with the Port. Picture: TOM HUNTLEY Source: News Limited

“Certainly we chose our home firstly for its proximity to my work but we’ve just fallen in love with the area,’’ he said.

“Semaphore Road with all its pubs, cafes and restaurants is great but we also love the character homes in the area.

“It’s got everything we need at our stage in life,’’ he said.

Mr Jones, said the Northern Expressway made it easy to get to his parents home at in the Barossa Valley.

“Having lived in Fremantle for eight years too, we can see the great potential of the Port to become a major attraction in the same way,’’ he said.

“I think it just needs a few more trendy eateries and pubs to get more people there.’’

Mrs Jones, 33, said she has enjoyed getting down to Semaphore Road by day and the Esplanade.

She has been impressed with the playground facilities, the Hart Street markets and the Green Monkeys play group for preschoolers.

“Everyone’s quite open and friendly round here, it’s a great lifestyle,’’ the stay-at-home mum said.

“I think if you get more food and drink options at the Port on the water, people will come and it will thrive.’’

 

[raptalia]

The problem I have with the new developments proposed for the Port is they lack class. The development around the Jervois Bridge is an eye sore and Hans Ehmann's Quest development is not much better. At least Hans is starting to work on some of the property he owns in the Port so I acknowledge that.

I guess the classic 'art deco' Harbours Board and Adelaide Steamship Company Buildings in Mc Laren Parade will be across the road from some hideous new age el cheepo architecture but I cannot have everything. I cringe every time I drive across the Jervois Bridge at Glanville and look at those elevated boxes and straight into someone's lounge room.

There is a fine line between cutting through the Heritage Act red tape while maintaining the historic character of the Port. That image of the Port Admiral Hotel is a classic example of how Heritage red tape has slowed development in the Port. The story I have is the the lessees wanted to redevelop the inside of the Port Admiral but were told they could not so they quit the lease and went down the road to the First Commercial. Maybe that is right maybe it isn't but I know that when the Central Buildings were redeveloped the developer wanted to use colorbond roof cladding but was told he could not as the original cladding was galvo.

On the subject of pubs in the Port I note the Lighthouse has changed hands. I believe Bob Barreau now has it. I used to enjoy their boutique brews and a chat with Jill. I suppose the boutique brew has gone ?

 

[SgtSchulz]

This is applicable.

 

[Lockhart Road]

We know we're on to something that is really working well - and hearty Xmas congrats to Daniel Norton and his Media Team - when Graham Cornes comes out and writes a piece like this:

Port Adelaide marching into future as Crows left behind
December 18, 2015 1:40pm
Graham Cornes

PORT is thrashing the Crows, and it’s got nothing to do with action on the field.

In the battle for the hearts and minds of the football public, particularly of those who are not yet aligned with their team, Port Adelaide has been streets ahead.
Whoever plans Port Adelaide’s public relations campaign is a genius, because in the daily news cycles in what is supposed to be the off-season, Port has dominated.
The Crows may be satisfied, perhaps complacent, that they are visible in the market place through their website and other forms of social media, but that is only preaching to the converted.

This is the time of year when football supporters think about renewing or, for the first time, purchasing memberships.
Who, of Adelaide’s two teams, has given you the most reason to be excited or optimistic about the future?

Every day this week there has been a good news story about Port. The re-signing of three star players could have been announced on the one day. Instead, three different announcements were spread over the week...

...Then followed the good news story of Erin Phillips ... She certainly can play — we’ve seen that in the Little Heroes charity games, but perhaps that announcement is a little premature...

...Then late in the week, Port announced a new edition of its pictorial history... The perfect Christmas present for a devoted... fan. It’s a big advantage the one club/two teams model has.

Not that long ago, the allegiances of South Australian football supporters, were roughly divided 60 per cent Crows, 30 per cent Port and 10 per cent other AFL teams. ... The gap has narrowed.
Adelaide may not know it but it has a real battle to maintain its position as the most popular team in the state. A lot of Port’s revived popularity has to do with the “match-day experience” that its fans look forward to.

...Port has shrugged (off) any paranoia about media campaigns to discredit them.
It makes its players, coaches, chief executive and chairman readily accessible to the media — they dominate media coverage.
This has to impact on the undecided fan.

Conversely, the Crows have given the perception of a siege mentality. For instance, Adelaide has yet to give The Advertiser approval for new coach Don Pyke to sit down with one of its football journalists.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I don't know if this is relevant at all to any potential Port marketing strategies, but its a great video I first saw 6 months ago about the age of digital disruption and how is changing the way we buy and are delivered goods and services. As I wrote earlier today, Malcolm tells us digital disruption is our friend, if we are agile and smart enough to take advantage of it! I hope we stay at the forefront of delivering footy services via our digital paltforms.

 

[Lockhart Road]

The Footy Cold War in SA

And a cold war it is, fought by two different clubs in two very different styles. AFC publicly and primitively gets at PAFC on this, that and the other. PAFC turn the other cheek, preferring to let professionalism, marketing nous and the engaging casualness of our CEO land the punches, so to speak.

AFC have a board member pronounced Rishooto who used to be a bit of a player and who now has regular media gigs, particularly on an SA radio station which he uses as a blunt instrument to flay PAFC in redneck fashion. He owns a pub, lives partly on alcohol income and yet criticises PAFC for the club's role in creating and expanding the Game Day Village. He sits on the board of the football club that maintains it caters to 'all' South Australians - which would include, logically, educated South Australians - and yet he projects himself, thus his club, as being uneducated.

PAFC have a president who co-hosts a national TV show. He comes across as being reasonably educated and can talk on a wide variety of subjects. Perhaps the subject he is least proficient in is football, on field. At first he used to sound off on topics affecting PAFC, such as the Oval deal, the destructive attitude of the SANFL towards his club, but at no stage has he - correct me if I am wrong here - used the media to accuse the AFC of wrongdoing or of anything wrong at all. Our president nowadays tends to keep his trap shut. Sometimes he errs, such as when he accused Essendon of 'hoodwinking' us on Monfries; he quickly went quiet, having received I assume a shhhhhh in his ear from KT.

PAFC uses the media quite differently than its opposition in this footy cold war.

Both clubs have ambassadors. AFC's most prominent ambassadors are on the radio or in the press. They follow the same cold war strategy as their elected board member Rishooto. They sound rude, uneducated, even... stupid. They relentlessly attack PAFC at any opportunity. When there is no opportunity they invent one.

PAFC do not concern themselves with appointing ambassadors and positioning them on radio or in the fourth estate. They appoint ambassadors quietly and choose personages who can actually do something positive for not only the Port Adelaide Football Club but for the community in a broader sense. Example: the Premier. He is a PAFC ambassador. He does his ambassadorial stuff differently. He quietly introduces PAFC to Chinese billionaires.

What has prompted me to compose this post is a question that has been in my mind for a while. The question concerns our newest generation. The children. Kids are better educated today than ever before. Kids are better equipped today to work out when they are being taken for a ride by a voice on the radio or a so-called scribe on a webpage. Kids don't listen to Rowe and his ilk, kids don't read the websites the AFC ambassadors pollute. But they hear what their parents say. As they grow older they analyse their parents' reasoning. If they have a brain they will come to their own decision.

I'm enjoying this cold war because PAFC are winning it. We are employing a strategy that outsmarts the opposition because it follows a simple rule: Treat the marketplace as if you recognise, sincerely recognise, that it knows more than you do ... and never overlook the children.

 

[Needs Gravy]

Agree Lockhart Road, enjoyed the line about the Chinese billionaires. I was concerned that KT and Kochie amongst others would move on after a few years but there appears to be many fronts we are fighting, enough to hopefully keep these two and their teams busy for a few more years yet. On ambassadors why any club would think Chris Pine and Kym Dillion would be a good choice is beyond me