The Real Membership Numbers

[Boxhead_31]

Interesting article in The Age today showing the true valve from membership
"AFL figures obtained by Fairfax Media show a massive gulf in membership earnings between the Perth clubs, Collingwood and the rest during 2013, while infant club Greater Western Sydney technically made a loss on membership of $400,000 as a result of extra "fan development" costs.

West Coast earned a staggering $16 million in net membership revenue (what clubs made once costs were subtracted) compared to Collingwood’s $10.4 million and the game’s rising financial power, Fremantle ($10.2 million). Adelaide ($7.6 million) and Geelong ($7.1 million) were fourth and fifth, ahead of closely bunched Victorian powers Hawthorn ($6.3 million), Richmond ($6.3 million), Essendon ($6.1 million) and Carlton ($6 million)."



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...r-your-club-20140506-zr5tt.html#ixzz30zZPCBfL

Put's a new light on the "Big 4" theory

 

[invinciBlues]

It'd be interesting to see a breakdown of Home/Home&away memberships compared with Reduced game membership. I might've glossed over it in article though

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Need to factor in gate receipts to put those figures in their proper financial context.

 

[Lensen]

Giants going beautifully

 

[Lensen]

Wait how are GWS incurring a $400k loss? How much does it take to administer 10000 3 game members?

 

[Boxhead_31]

Wait how are GWS incurring a $400k loss? How much does it take to administer 10000 3 game members?

Mail drops, advertising etc?

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Need to factor in gate receipts to put those figures in their proper financial context.

Yes and no.

They are membership figures - so gate receipts are largely irrelevant. However as an overall income from supporters - sure gate receipts are crucial.

What this highlights is how much my club has us by the balls. It also highlights that "the cost of football" in Melbourne is a pittance compared to WA.

I pay $100 a year to sit and wait. That would get me a 5 game membership with some of the melbourne clubs.

But hey - I get a Rick the Rock sticker...

The only thing I will say is both WC & Freo pay multi-millions each year to community football, something no other club has to do.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I loathe playing at Etihad with the fire of a thousand suns.

 

[The King!]

Wait how are GWS incurring a $400k loss? How much does it take to administer 10000 3 game members?

might apply for head of membership, i could turn that loss back to a 300k loss easily if they want

 

[Engimal]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

 

[The King!]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

concession rate

 

[Engimal]

concession rate

Meaning what exactly, in this case?

 

[ManWithNoName]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

I imagine Collingwood would sell a lot of 3 game memberships, while West Coast with the massive demand for memberships could make everyone sign up for a full 11 game membership.

 

[The King!]

Meaning what exactly, in this case?

Probably have more concession rate member and make less for the same amount of members?, my swans membership used to be 25 buck less when i was a student for instance, its one possibility

 

[cammo78]

The North Melbourne breakdown is particularly interesting.

For all the bleating about record membership - as expected, the "increase" is purely driven by three-game Hobart members.

 

[Papa G]

I imagine Collingwood would sell a lot of 3 game memberships, while West Coast with the massive demand for memberships could make everyone sign up for a full 11 game membership.

West Coast have massively higher costing memberships is one reason.

2nd reason: Collingwood offer a 3 game membership and you get a guernsey for $120. After the guernsey and the postage costs, what do you think the net revenue from that would be?

 

[The Falcon Strike]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

Mind blown

 

[Kram]

Kind of makes a mockery of Vic club shitfights over membership numbers, they don't really mean shit.

 

[Bender571]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

WC have more full members and would probably be charging a lot more due to supply and demand issues of Subi. The first graphic in the OP doesn't seem to include the members on a waiting list, but that would likely be included in the Net revenue graphic.

I think the interesting comparison from those graphics is the Pies and Hawks. Hawks seem to have more home members, similar home and away and reduced member yet only get about 60% of the Pies net revenue.

 

[nameless]

Maybe we can use that $16m to find someone to help us kick straight...that'd be a nice start.

 

[Skyhooks78]

I think the discrepancy in revenue streams particularly with Hawthorn vs Collingwood or Richmond for instance is due to the fact Hawthorn has the highest junior membership numbers by quite a number vs all other clubs due to recent success, Buddy - Cyril factor etc with kids.
From memory it was around 17,000 with the next highest being around 10,000.
Someone might find this data and post here as im sure i have read it on big Footy somewhere.

 

[Hawkk]

Put's a new light on the "Big 4" theory

That's cool? But how so???

If you're going to go down the membership revenue road, surely total revenue is the more pertinent measure?

 

[The_Reaper]

What's the reasoning for Collingwood selling more memberships than West Coast but making less money? Do West Coast charge more or do Collingwood charge less? Or is it that either one offers a more expensive/less expensive type of membership that is very popular?

West Coast charge more and either have season membership of 0 game waiting list membership.

No 1 or three game packages etc

 

[Hawkk]

WC have more full members and would probably be charging a lot more due to supply and demand issues of Subi. The first graphic in the OP doesn't seem to include the members on a waiting list, but that would likely be included in the Net revenue graphic.

I think the interesting comparison from those graphics is the Pies and Hawks. Hawks seem to have more home members, similar home and away and reduced member yet only get about 60% of the Pies net revenue.

Assuming the clubs have similar numbers of interstate members, it would come down to how the AFL define 'home game' and 'reduced game' membership.

Hawthorn had 8,700 Tasmanian based members last year (4 games) with the remainder of 'home game' membership being 7 game MCG membership.

7 game + 4 game memberships together would probably yield half what an 11 game Collingwood, Richmond or Carlton membership

 

[Hawkk]

As a side note, do GWS have any members that aren't on reduced memberships?