Over 4000 memberships in 1 week ...

[Oh When the Saints]

Reports from the club today that over 4,000 memberships have been sold in the last seven days.

They are still processing forms ... at this stage we have 18,000 members, but it could hit 20k by the time they have gone through all the applications ...

Our membership sales have only been open 5 weeks ...


That's a amazing effort.


Well done Saints fans

 

[sauce_head]

Reports from the club today that over 4,000 memberships have been sold in the last seven days.

They are still processing forms ... at this stage we have 18,000 members, but it could hit 20k by the time they have gone through all the applications ...

Our membership sales have only been open 5 weeks ...


That's a amazing effort.


Well done Saints fans

Great work! Love the Christmas rush.

I am buying a Kangas one as well this year, out of support for them staying in Melbourne.

 

[35Harvs]

excellent news!
good on ya saucehead

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Great work! Love the Christmas rush.

I am buying a Kangas one as well this year, out of support for them staying in Melbourne.

Yeah me too dude. Try to do something to help them out!!!! Especially after Burkey and Brett Cook destroyed Corey McKernan's shoulder in the 97 prelim!!!!

 

[YackTalk]

I bought my saints membership last week. But i refuse to buy a kangas membership. The game is better off with at least one less team in Melbourne.

 

[mick13]

Me and my dad are being Saints members for the first time this year, well next year. We signed up on Thursday night. Anyone know when we should hear back from the club? And how? I'm assuming we'll get a letter sometime, but not sure when.

 

[sauce_head]

I bought my saints membership last week. But i refuse to buy a kangas membership. The game is better off with at least one less team in Melbourne.

A fair opinion. But in mine, it will just serve to make the stronger clubs stronger and alienate the weak. The AFL can afford to keep its tradition, especailly when a club is playing so well as the Kangas. Probably the best footy to watch after the Cats.

 

[Sainters08]

well done guys..

Go Sainters!

 

[sammm]

Me and my dad are being Saints members for the first time this year, well next year. We signed up on Thursday night. Anyone know when we should hear back from the club? And how? I'm assuming we'll get a letter sometime, but not sure when.

in early february the memberships come out. i assume then you'll get the prexmas bonus.

 

[McCrann]

A fair opinion. But in mine, it will just serve to make the stronger clubs stronger and alienate the weak. The AFL can afford to keep its tradition, especailly when a club is playing so well as the Kangas. Probably the best footy to watch after the Cats.

Why?

Since when was St. Kilda ever a strong club? Do you seriously think supporters of Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Interstate sides think St. Kilda is a strong club?

I doubt it. Have you ever been down to Moorabbin and seen the facilities our players have to train in?

Absolutely pathetic for a team playing in an elite competition like the AFL. Rivalling Arden St. as the worst in the League.

And yet you are sending extra funding the way of the Kangaroos when St. Kilda are absolutely crying out for more funding and investment to put into the football team!

Are you aware that one of the reasons we've suffered so many injuries in recent years (which IMO definitely cost us a flag in 2004, and probably 2005 as well) is because we haven't been able to afford to have a settled, stable medical team to treat the players? Nor the facilities for the medical team to treat the players in for rehabilitation etc. etc.?

And, just in case you weren't aware, St. Kilda have been playing VFA/VFL/AFL since 1877-2007 (130 years+) How many VFA/VFL/AFL Flags has the team won?

I'll give you the answer: 1 (Surprise, surprise - 1966 - I missed it, I didn't arrive on this planet for another 15 years or so)

Compared to North Melbourne (who also joined the VFA in 1877 as Hotham)

How many flags do you think North Melbourne has won since 1877?

The answer: 10

VFA - (1903, 1904, 1910, 1914, 1915, 1918)
VFL - (1975, 1977)
AFL - (1996, 1999)

Ok, so 6 of those were in the VFA - but back in the early part of this century the VFL & VFA were great rivals - almost equal in status. Almost. So they were still Premierships and they were still celebrated heartily.

That is 10 years in which North Melbourne have been able to celebrate how great they were

compared to

Only 1 for us Saints supporters.

And yet you are donating money to this club when our own club that so craves success - and so lacks money to upgrade facilities properly that we've had to shunt ourselves off down the coast to Frankston.

Amazing.

Also, don't you realise that if you by a North Melbourne membership this year and never again - it just means you're giving them false hope and when you start getting the letters from the Kangaroos for 2009, 2010, 2011 etc. memberships you're basically just ensuring that they'll be wasting their money as well as complaining about how so many former members have decided not to renew!

Yeah, because they were supporters of other clubs making a misleading charity donation! Does nothing for the Kangaroos long-term for charity memberships - it merely gives them false hope.

If the club is to survive in Melbourne - good luck to them - but it has to be done on the backs of their own supporters otherwise they just get the wrong idea.

And can you answer me one question - why didn't you just go down to the Saints clothing shops and buy some new scarves for the family? New bomber jackets?

That's exactly what I do when I have some extra money to spread around the AFL - I make sure it ends up with the Saints - might even buy an extra membership and give it to a wavering friend who supports the club - but one thing I'll never do (as long as I have to witness the appaling conditions our club exists under) is donate money to a competitor.

NO WAY.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Why?

Since when was St. Kilda ever a strong club? Do you seriously think supporters of Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Interstate sides think St. Kilda is a strong club?

I doubt it. Have you ever been down to Moorabbin and seen the facilities our players have to train in?

Absolutely pathetic for a team playing in an elite competition like the AFL. Rivalling Arden St. as the worst in the League.

And yet you are sending extra funding the way of the Kangaroos when St. Kilda are absolutely crying out for more funding and investment to put into the football team!

Are you aware that one of the reasons we've suffered so many injuries in recent years (which IMO definitely cost us a flag in 2004, and probably 2005 as well) is because we haven't been able to afford to have a settled, stable medical team to treat the players? Nor the facilities for the medical team to treat the players in for rehabilitation etc. etc.?

And, just in case you weren't aware, St. Kilda have been playing VFA/VFL/AFL since 1877-2007 (130 years+) How many VFA/VFL/AFL Flags has the team won?

I'll give you the answer: 1 (Surprise, surprise - 1966 - I missed it, I didn't arrive on this planet for another 15 years or so)

Compared to North Melbourne (who also joined the VFA in 1877 as Hotham)

How many flags do you think North Melbourne has won since 1877?

The answer: 10

VFA - (1903, 1904, 1910, 1914, 1915, 1918)
VFL - (1975, 1977)
AFL - (1996, 1999)

Ok, so 6 of those were in the VFA - but back in the early part of this century the VFL & VFA were great rivals - almost equal in status. Almost. So they were still Premierships and they were still celebrated heartily.

That is 10 years in which North Melbourne have been able to celebrate how great they were

compared to

Only 1 for us Saints supporters.

And yet you are donating money to this club when our own club that so craves success - and so lacks money to upgrade facilities properly that we've had to shunt ourselves off down the coast to Frankston.

Amazing.

Also, don't you realise that if you by a North Melbourne membership this year and never again - it just means you're giving them false hope and when you start getting the letters from the Kangaroos for 2009, 2010, 2011 etc. memberships you're basically just ensuring that they'll be wasting their money as well as complaining about how so many former members have decided not to renew!

Yeah, because they were supporters of other clubs making a misleading charity donation! Does nothing for the Kangaroos long-term for charity memberships - it merely gives them false hope.

If the club is to survive in Melbourne - good luck to them - but it has to be done on the backs of their own supporters otherwise they just get the wrong idea.

And can you answer me one question - why didn't you just go down to the Saints clothing shops and buy some new scarves for the family? New bomber jackets?

That's exactly what I do when I have some extra money to spread around the AFL - I make sure it ends up with the Saints - might even buy an extra membership and give it to a wavering friend who supports the club - but one thing I'll never do (as long as I have to witness the appaling conditions our club exists under) is donate money to a competitor.

NO WAY.

You seem to have a short memory buddy. A lot of opposition supporters chipped in during the SOS (Save Our Saints) campaign. If you don't want to contribute fair enough, but don't belittle other Saints fans who actually care for the game and the Victorian teams who participate in it. Most of us on this board are all members so don't dare have a go at us in regards to contributing money towards the club. Pull your head in.

 

[McCrann]

You seem to have a short memory buddy. A lot of opposition supporters chipped in during the SOS (Save Our Saints) campaign. If you don't want to contribute fair enough, but don't belittle other Saints fans who actually care for the game and the Victorian teams who participate in it. Most of us on this board are all members so don't dare have a go at us in regards to contributing money towards the club. Pull your head in.

I do remember that, of course I do. We were lucky, and we (and I) are eternally grateful to any and all opposition supporters who dipped into their pockets and gave some hard earned to us.

But, that is not the point?

How much money did generous Fitzroy supporters donate to us for instance? Is that something they should have done? Surely their own club needed all the money it could get to retain its best players in the early 1990s?

As it was, Fitzroy kept having too little money and so all the great players it had left the club and you and I and everyone is well aware of what happened to them - but by then they had hardly a decent player left anyway - Chris Johnson you are very much excused, Brad Boyd - you are also excused.

Was it right for Fitzroy supporters to donate money to St. Kilda for SOS? For Footscray in their troubles?

I don't know - but I do know Fitzroy supporters who would have been filthy to see Fitzroy members propping up other struggling clubs.

Ok, maybe I was a bit strong - I am sure most on this board are paid up St. Kilda members. I just don't agree with members of a struggling club, like ours - again - have you been to Moorabbin? - We are struggling - propping up another club.

Supporters of Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Geelong (who I would call the 5 Strong Melbourne clubs) (all Interstate Clubs as well)- I can forgive those members being extra charitable - hell, give us much money as you want to any other club - including ours.

But St. Kilda, I think we were bottom 2 last year for all of profit, revenue, football club spending - really important indicators. I have no doubt if we were putting as much money into our players as Essedon and Collingwood were into their players and conditioning staff, coaches etc. over the past few years we would have snared a Premiership.

As it is, it is our penury and lack of resources that condemned us to terrible injury tolls, and accompanying terrible injury management and rehabilitiation practices left us unable to properly manage injuries and arrive at Preliminary Final weekends in better shape to march straight on to the Grand Final.

Make no mistake - it was completely our financial deficit that in the end cost us a chance in 2004, 2005.

I'm sorry, but it still bites that the best team for 2 years didn't win a flag because we couldn't rehabilitate our players properly and we were ultimately denied a decent shot in at least 1 of these years.

 

[ChrisFooty]

I still have my membership to buy. Prob will buy it in a couple of weeks, too much expenses currently.

I would never buy a north melbourne membership. Instead, if i was going to buy two membership, i would spend all on St.kilda (they need the memberships)

 

[sauce_head]

Why?

Since when was St. Kilda ever a strong club? Do you seriously think supporters of Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Interstate sides think St. Kilda is a strong club?

I doubt it. Have you ever been down to Moorabbin and seen the facilities our players have to train in?

Absolutely pathetic for a team playing in an elite competition like the AFL. Rivalling Arden St. as the worst in the League.

And yet you are sending extra funding the way of the Kangaroos when St. Kilda are absolutely crying out for more funding and investment to put into the football team!

Are you aware that one of the reasons we've suffered so many injuries in recent years (which IMO definitely cost us a flag in 2004, and probably 2005 as well) is because we haven't been able to afford to have a settled, stable medical team to treat the players? Nor the facilities for the medical team to treat the players in for rehabilitation etc. etc.?

And, just in case you weren't aware, St. Kilda have been playing VFA/VFL/AFL since 1877-2007 (130 years+) How many VFA/VFL/AFL Flags has the team won?

I'll give you the answer: 1 (Surprise, surprise - 1966 - I missed it, I didn't arrive on this planet for another 15 years or so)

Compared to North Melbourne (who also joined the VFA in 1877 as Hotham)

How many flags do you think North Melbourne has won since 1877?

The answer: 10

VFA - (1903, 1904, 1910, 1914, 1915, 1918)
VFL - (1975, 1977)
AFL - (1996, 1999)

Ok, so 6 of those were in the VFA - but back in the early part of this century the VFL & VFA were great rivals - almost equal in status. Almost. So they were still Premierships and they were still celebrated heartily.

That is 10 years in which North Melbourne have been able to celebrate how great they were

compared to

Only 1 for us Saints supporters.

And yet you are donating money to this club when our own club that so craves success - and so lacks money to upgrade facilities properly that we've had to shunt ourselves off down the coast to Frankston.

Amazing.

Also, don't you realise that if you by a North Melbourne membership this year and never again - it just means you're giving them false hope and when you start getting the letters from the Kangaroos for 2009, 2010, 2011 etc. memberships you're basically just ensuring that they'll be wasting their money as well as complaining about how so many former members have decided not to renew!

Yeah, because they were supporters of other clubs making a misleading charity donation! Does nothing for the Kangaroos long-term for charity memberships - it merely gives them false hope.

If the club is to survive in Melbourne - good luck to them - but it has to be done on the backs of their own supporters otherwise they just get the wrong idea.

And can you answer me one question - why didn't you just go down to the Saints clothing shops and buy some new scarves for the family? New bomber jackets?

That's exactly what I do when I have some extra money to spread around the AFL - I make sure it ends up with the Saints - might even buy an extra membership and give it to a wavering friend who supports the club - but one thing I'll never do (as long as I have to witness the appaling conditions our club exists under) is donate money to a competitor.

NO WAY.

Mate, I do not think StKilda are a strong club, which is why I am supporting another club that struggles.

As was mentioned in a previous post, a lot of Victorian opposition supporters helped us out in our time of need, and i intend to help them out as well.

I have NEVER lapsed on my StKilda social club membership, even though I have lived out of the country for the last six years. In fact I have managed to make one match in that time, and I won't start on what I though of it (v Richmond 2003) because that is not the point.

Rather than donate money to the Kangas, I will buy a membership, and it will do more for them than cash can.

If we start losing the weakest clubs from our state, it makes the next weakest vulnerable. I hope you can understand that. Helping North helps us, but more importantly allows a great VFL/AFL history to remain in place. This does not reduce my love for the Saints, or my desire to ensure their survival.

See how much support we get when the AFL want six clubs in Victoria in 50 years if the like of North are gone...

 

[sauce_head]

Make no mistake - it was completely our financial deficit that in the end cost us a chance in 2004, 2005.

I'm sorry, but it still bites that the best team for 2 years didn't win a flag because we couldn't rehabilitate our players properly and we were ultimately denied a decent shot in at least 1 of these years.

I think we made profit those years and a lot of the major injuries that affected us were not preventable by player specific training plans.

I think the injury crisis is yet another convenient excuse for our failure to win a flag. It will be interesting to see how it pans out this coming season with more spent on the "football department". But it had better work as one thing is for sure; unless we get a premiership you will see actual financial deficits (not just perceived and extraordinary) and we may be asking North and other struggling club supporters for help sooner rather than later...

 

[Persevering Saint]

Are you suggesting that if we don't win a premiership this year our membership will drop and we'll struggle financially again? Mate, I think that's a tad bit harsh! I'm very confident about the coming year, and would be obviously disappointed if the boys couldn't hold up the cup in September, but hey, my loyalty would persevere, and as long as I can physically get to games, I'll be a member.

... BTW, family is paying for half our interstate memberships for Christmas, so we're buying them in the next day or so... LET'S GET IT ROLLIN'!

 

[McCrann]

Mate, I do not think StKilda are a strong club, which is why I am supporting another club that struggles.

As was mentioned in a previous post, a lot of Victorian opposition supporters helped us out in our time of need, and i intend to help them out as well.

I have NEVER lapsed on my StKilda social club membership, even though I have lived out of the country for the last six years. In fact I have managed to make one match in that time, and I won't start on what I though of it (v Richmond 2003) because that is not the point.

Rather than donate money to the Kangas, I will buy a membership, and it will do more for them than cash can.

If we start losing the weakest clubs from our state, it makes the next weakest vulnerable. I hope you can understand that. Helping North helps us, but more importantly allows a great VFL/AFL history to remain in place. This does not reduce my love for the Saints, or my desire to ensure their survival.

See how much support we get when the AFL want six clubs in Victoria in 50 years if the like of North are gone...

You have my full respect if you've bought a social club membership for six straight years despite only being to one game.

Complete respect.

Reading your post though, I guess we have a philosophical difference. I want to see the great Australian game grow around the country - eventually with 20 clubs. That means clubs in places like SE Queensland, Newcastle/Central Coast, West Sydney, Tasmania, perhaps even New Zealand and a new team in Perth.

If the game is to grow and remain paramount in this country I don't see that 10 clubs can survive in Melbourne - but I fully respect supporters of any club who fight like hell to keep their club here. Absolutely that is their right, and they should do it.

To be concise, if the competition did grow to 20 clubs, I think the ideal number of Victorian clubs would be 8 or 9 (depending on New Zealand).

AFL Australia Split circa 2025
VIC - 8/9 (-1 or -2)
WA - 3 (+Perth)
NSW - 3 (+ West Sydney & Newcastle/Central Coast)
SA - 2
QLD - 2 (+ Gold Coast)
Tasmania - 1 (If it can be financial only - up to the Tas. Gov.)
New Zealand - 0/1 (Depending on where the game is at)

In wishing for 20 clubs - which I believe can be structured properly if you go through my posts you'll find the relevant one - I am envisaging growth of the game without that meaning that any growth must be at the expense of a Victorian club - but that still doesn't mean 10 clubs can survive in the one market.

This is something that Soccer recognised when they scrapped the NSL - they had too many clubs in Sydney in particular, I think it was 4 or 5? They needed change, they bit the bullet - Soccer is a growth sport at the moment as a result.

I by no means want us to do that - but we have to be aware of what our competitors are willing to do to know what we're up against in growing our great Australian game.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

You have my full respect if you've bought a social club membership for six straight years despite only being to one game.

Complete respect.

Reading your post though, I guess we have a philosophical difference. I want to see the great Australian game grow around the country - eventually with 20 clubs. That means clubs in places like SE Queensland, Newcastle/Central Coast, West Sydney, Tasmania, perhaps even New Zealand and a new team in Perth.

If the game is to grow and remain paramount in this country I don't see that 10 clubs can survive in Melbourne - but I fully respect supporters of any club who fight like hell to keep their club here. Absolutely that is their right, and they should do it.

To be concise, if the competition did grow to 20 clubs, I think the ideal number of Victorian clubs would be 8 or 9 (depending on New Zealand).

AFL Australia Split circa 2025
VIC - 8/9 (-1 or -2)
WA - 3 (+Perth)
NSW - 3 (+ West Sydney & Newcastle/Central Coast)
SA - 2
QLD - 2 (+ Gold Coast)
Tasmania - 1 (If it can be financial only - up to the Tas. Gov.)
New Zealand - 0/1 (Depending on where the game is at)

In wishing for 20 clubs - which I believe can be structured properly if you go through my posts you'll find the relevant one - I am envisaging growth of the game without that meaning that any growth must be at the expense of a Victorian club - but that still doesn't mean 10 clubs can survive in the one market.

This is something that Soccer recognised when they scrapped the NSL - they had too many clubs in Sydney in particular, I think it was 4 or 5? They needed change, they bit the bullet - Soccer is a growth sport at the moment as a result.

I by no means want us to do that - but we have to be aware of what our competitors are willing to do to know what we're up against in growing our great Australian game.

So you'd rather bin the Roos and have a team based in NZ??????

 

[birdmanptr]

You seem to have a short memory buddy. A lot of opposition supporters chipped in during the SOS (Save Our Saints) campaign. If you don't want to contribute fair enough, but don't belittle other Saints fans who actually care for the game and the Victorian teams who participate in it. Most of us on this board are all members so don't dare have a go at us in regards to contributing money towards the club. Pull your head in.

Huge difference between putting money into the club and buying a membership as it was pointed out in a previous thread

.Also, don't you realise that if you by a North Melbourne membership this year and never again - it just means you're giving them false hope and when you start getting the letters from the Kangaroos for 2009, 2010, 2011 etc. memberships you're basically just ensuring that they'll be wasting their money as well as complaining about how so many former members have decided not to renew!

I am all for people helping out the Kangaroos BUT you dont put a bandaid on a cut that needs stiches

 

[chapmanmagic35]

I agree with McCrann.

If you are going to buy a North Melbourne membership, it is nigh on useless for them unless you purchase one of the next twenty years.

 

[ChrisFooty]

You have my full respect if you've bought a social club membership for six straight years despite only being to one game.

Complete respect.

Reading your post though, I guess we have a philosophical difference. I want to see the great Australian game grow around the country - eventually with 20 clubs. That means clubs in places like SE Queensland, Newcastle/Central Coast, West Sydney, Tasmania, perhaps even New Zealand and a new team in Perth.
.

If you think by 2025 the AFL will even be considering introducing a team in Newcastle/Central Coast and New Zealand, you are going to be in for a very big shock. Even in the year 2125, still no chance.

Tasmania and Perth are much more realistic. Of course, the AFL will fund both the Gold Coast and Western Sydney (although i do not beleive they will be financially viable) The AFL will have it's hands full propping up these two clubs, as well as possible stablising effects on the Swans and Lions.

 

[ChrisFooty]

I agree with McCrann.

If you are going to buy a North Melbourne membership, it is nigh on useless for them unless you purchase one of the next twenty years.

I totally agree here. I would never buy a membership of another AFL club. If i was ever going to purchase more than one AFL membership, i would spend it all on St.kilda. They need the money as well.

 

[Kildonan]

I bought a Bulldogs membership when they made their big appeal.

I like to think I helped them, it was gift though, not a marriage - I wasn't committing to any repeat purchases. I hoped that with the money they got, they could more effectively target their supporters and convert their latent support into more memberships.

I don't know if it helped - but they still exist - that's a good sign.

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

I bought a Bulldogs membership when they made their big appeal.

I like to think I helped them, it was gift though, not a marriage - I wasn't committing to any repeat purchases. I hoped that with the money they got, they could more effectively target their supporters and convert their latent support into more memberships.

I don't know if it helped - but they still exist - that's a good sign.

Exactly my way of thinking. You are helping them out and providing immediate funds for them to work something out.

 

[sammm]

I totally agree here. I would never buy a membership of another AFL club. If i was ever going to purchase more than one AFL membership, i would spend it all on St.kilda. They need the money as well.

i agree with you!

i would spend my extra money on my club. not another club.