Opinion Posts That Don't Deserve a Thread (Random Opinion or Questions)

[Arwib]

I don't think it's elitist to say that people not switching on the TV semi-regularly to tune into games aren't supporters that materially impact the club. I also never suggested that they need to buy a membership or attend every game. The mentality of some to suggest that this is the argument being put forward is quite disingenuous.

People who just tune into the GF because they live in NSW and loosely identify as Swans supporters does the club no material benefit. Like, cool, great for them that they enjoy watching one game every so often, and all power to them, but it's meaningless data for the Swans as an organisation unless there's a pathway to convert them into more serious and engaged supporters. Calling that perspective 'elitist' to in some way suggest that just watching the GF 'isn't enough' flies in the face of the whole point.

Can't say I was specifically addressing or criticising you, sorry if I gave that impression!

Would note though that it does help the club. Firstly it gets them revenue when they do each individually show up, secondly it means a steady stream of possible convertees into more serious fandom which no other club has access to. More concretely though, it also helps Sydney have the highest sponsorship revenue in the league. The sheer number of possible eyeballs on Sydney's uniform and games and promotional stuff is attractive to advertisers even if the raw memberships aren't as high as some clubs.

I would also point to our instantly having the highest AFLW crowds and memberships in the league, as another indicator of that potential conversion thing. We are quite likely pulling in serious fans there, who were among the many many people who only ever very casually cared about the men's team.

 

[SM]

Can't say I was specifically addressing or criticising you, sorry if I gave that impression!

Who were you calling elitist then, out of interest? As I don't think anyone has made the point you seem to be arguing against, it's still a flawed one, regardless of whether you were directing it at me or not.

The entire rebuttal to the Swans' "We have the most supporters in Australia" argument is "So what?" If those supporters aren't switching on the TV every so often, buying a beanie every so often, or going to a game every so often, and there's no pathway to get them engaged to do so, then we could have 50 million supporters on a survey and it'd mean just as much.

 

[caesar88]

Sorry I have to pull you up on this - membership figures from 2023 have us as the 10th placed team for membership, just below Adelaide and above Port. Considering SA is a footy state and NSW traditionally don't buy memberships, that's not bloody bad and we've come a long way this century.

To be fair though, Adelaide & Port fans genuinely hate their clubs.

 

[Arwib]

Who were you calling elitist then, out of interest? As I don't think anyone has made the point you seem to be arguing against, it's still a flawed one, regardless of whether you were directing it at me or not.

The entire rebuttal to the Swans' "We have the most supporters in Australia" argument is "So what?" If those supporters aren't switching on the TV every so often, buying a beanie every so often, or going to a game every so often, and there's no pathway to get them engaged to do so, then we could have 50 million supporters on a survey and it'd mean just as much.

Dismissive Victorians

 

[Arwib]

Also given he's promoting the big showpiece event coming up, talking about all those legions of casuals is important to justify it, because that's who we are trying to grab with all the special events.

 

[SM]

Dismissive Victorians

Are you sure? Or are they maybe making the same broader point that I'm trying to make?

 

[SM]

Also given he's promoting the big showpiece event coming up, talking about all those legions of casuals is important to justify it, because that's who we are trying to grab with all the special events.

The notion we're trying to grab them is precisely why it isn't elitist to want more engaged supporters.

 

[Jewelsbon]

Not memberships, membership conversion. We're dead last.

Sydney Swans are the most widely supported AFL club ahead of Collingwood, Brisbane and West Coast - Roy Morgan Research

www.roymorgan.com

EDIT: Sorry you were responding to a different point, but I'd say in a competition of 18, to be 10th makes us 'one of the lower' bases does it not?

Gotta be honest, I've got no idea what membership conversion is. Sounds to me like it's converting casual fans into members and if so, considering we've roughly doubled our membership in the past 10 years I would have thought that's a pretty good conversation rate.

As far as us at 10th being "one of the lower bases", yes it is just in the bottom half of the club lists, but considering we are above five teams from traditional states and three of those being Victorian clubs, personally I think we are doing very well and most certainly on the right track.
NRL would kill to have the membership numbers we have.

 

[caesar88]

Gotta be honest, I've got no idea what membership conversion is. Sounds to me like it's converting casual fans into members and if so, considering we've roughly doubled our membership in the past 10 years I would have thought that's a pretty good conversation rate.

As far as us at 10th being "one of the lower bases", yes it is just in the bottom half of the club lists, but considering we are above five teams from traditional states and three of those being Victorian clubs, personally I think we are doing very well and most certainly on the right track.
NRL would kill to have the membership numbers we have.

I'd also add that if Sydney is as expensive as people claim it is, then that also puts us at a disadvantage compared to other clubs when it comes to supporters willing/being able to pay for memberships.

 

[Jimbo OZ]

I wonder how many of the 2million are proper fans

You'd have to check the number of visits to sydneyswans.com.au to ascertain proper fans.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Potatoes don't come from the sea

Actually ... they do.

Please see below the Sea Potato (also known as Echinocardium cordatum). It is common within Australian waters.

 

[SM]

Gotta be honest, I've got no idea what membership conversion is. Sounds to me like it's converting casual fans into members and if so, considering we've roughly doubled our membership in the past 10 years I would have thought that's a pretty good conversation rate.

As far as us at 10th being "one of the lower bases", yes it is just in the bottom half of the club lists, but considering we are above five teams from traditional states and three of those being Victorian clubs, personally I think we are doing very well and most certainly on the right track.
NRL would kill to have the membership numbers we have.

It's taking the total supporter base each club has and assessing what % of them are members.

We are doing well in pure member numbers, didn't mean I needed pulling up on saying we had one of the lower numbers, which we do.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Profile piece on the Swans website with Harry Cunningham, and it may trigger yet another BF debate:

What's your most controversial opinion?

"It's a potato scallop, not a potato cake."

This is hazza saying I’m a new south Welshman through and through - inspirational stuff - love it

 

[SM]

I'd also add that if Sydney is as expensive as people claim it is, then that also puts us at a disadvantage compared to other clubs when it comes to supporters willing/being able to pay for memberships.

All Swans games are available to watch on FTA.

Memberships also come in 3- and 5-game packages which also count to the members total.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I'd also add that if Sydney is as expensive as people claim it is, then that also puts us at a disadvantage compared to other clubs when it comes to supporters willing/being able to pay for memberships.

I used to be able to buy a potato scallop and a chocolate Moove in Sydney for 45c.

sigh

Now a scallop is $1+ and you can't even get a chocolate Moove.

I blame COLA.

 

[Arwib]

The notion we're trying to grab them is precisely why it isn't elitist to want more engaged supporters.

The folks dismissing them as not real fans, however. And the folks deriding the idea that Sydney even have a hell of a lot of fans.

 

[SM]

The folks dismissing them as not real fans, however. And the folks deriding the idea that Sydney even have a hell of a lot of fans.

This is going in circles. You acknowledge there's a motivation to convert casual fans into more serious fans.

 

[Donza]

Remember the swans have the biggest sponsorship agreement $ wise in the country for any sports team.

That's the pull of hundreds of thousands of "casual" fans

 

[Arwib]

This is going in circles. You acknowledge there's a motivation to convert casual fans into more serious fans.

Don't recall disputing this

 

[SM]

Don't recall disputing this

Glad we agree then.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Actually ... they do.

Please see below the Sea Potato (also known as Echinocardium cordatum). It is common within Australian waters.

View attachment 1914715

Looks pretty scallop shaped to me...

 

[Ed_Gein]

There is also a big range of user types:
Once or twice a year
Occasional
Regular
Addicts
With lots in between.
That last lot we don't want but the first couple for sure you can guarantee we have some. Would prefer none but that would be unrealistic.

We have a lot of addicts. Bedford, Horace, caeser, King, amongst others....

Oh drug users! Thought you meant posters on the Swans board for a moment.

 

[TheGoatBaron]

We have a lot of addicts. Bedford, Horace, caeser, King, amongst others....

Oh drug users! Thought you meant posters on the Swans board for a moment.

I'm the type that only comes back for bedford. The only sane one on Bigfooty.

 

[RubbaDuck]

Oh dear. You just do not get it.

As someone who has advised ABS, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Productivity Commission I know a bit about data.

Dear Uncle Horace, regardless of whatever advice you gave to whomever, you don't seem to grasp the difference between data and statistics.

Data is a simply the raw information from which statistics can be created or derived from analysis of the data. Statistics provide the interpretation and summary of data. Data has no opinion, no interpretation. If it's accurate or not.

I put the raw data out there showing goals kicked and behinds kicked. No-one is disputing the accuracy of the data. The only statistic I derived from that data was calculating the % of total scoring which resulted in a goal.

Folks are welcome to interpret the data any way they wish. Trying to put me down and blowing your little trumpet won't change the raw data.

 

[TheGoatBaron]