2014 Membership Tally

[Murphy'sLore]

Eastdog, I'm sure finances are a genuine factor. Times are getting tighter and club membership is a luxury some feel they can't indulge.

[Eastdog]

Eastdog, I'm sure finances are a genuine factor. Times are getting tighter and club membership is a luxury some feel they can't indulge.

Do you think someday will get to the 40K mark. That would be great to see. We have gotten around 35K before so we are capable of that but would require 5K more to sign up.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Eastdog, I'm sure finances are a genuine factor. Times are getting tighter and club membership is a luxury some feel they can't indulge.

You can do a direct debit thing where you pay something like $5 a week? Might even be less, I'll stand corrected.

Either way, I don't think finance is the main reason.

[bulldogtragic]

You can do a direct debit thing where you pay something like $5 a week? Might even be less, I'll stand corrected.

Either way, I don't think finance is the main reason.

Do people say this about other clubs whose areas may be considered non-affluent? Collingwood and Richmond have lower socioeconomic factors in their eco-systems. Why are we the poor cousins? I hate people stereotyping us, have they tried to buy property around our heartland?

Sure there are people who struggle to get their memberships each year, but that as an excuse for why we are less than half the big clubs, really???

[Eastdog]

Do people say this about other clubs whose areas may be considered non-affluent? Collingwood and Richmond have lower socioeconomic factors in their eco-systems. Why are we the poor cousins? I hate people stereotyping us, have they tried to buy property around our heartland?

Sure there are people who struggle to get their memberships each year, but that as an excuse for why we are less than half the big clubs, really???

Yeah good post BT. When you put it like that then it really isn't an excuse. Would you say it's more like that people just give up.

[bornadog]

Yeah good post BT. When you put it like that then it really isn't an excuse. Would you say it's more like that people just give up.

People are sick and tired of not seeing the club in a GF, let alone a premiership. The last GF was in 1961, and most people have had a gut full. Only us diehards keep buying memberships.

[bulldogtragic]

People are sick and tired of not seeing the club in a GF, let alone a premiership. The last GF was in 1961, and most people have had a gut full. Only us diehards keep buying memberships.

Was at a neighbours the other night and they had about 8 young boys over with their son. 7 of them 'barrack' for a recent premier except for one lonely bulldog boy. His dad is trying to convince him not to lead a life of one of us tragics... Everyone loves a winner, and even more a premier as you say BAD.

[bornadog]

Was at a neighbours the other night and they had about 8 young boys over with their son. 7 of them 'barrack' for a recent premier except for one lonely bulldog boy. His dad is trying to convince him not to lead a life of one of us tragics... Everyone loves a winner, and even more a premier as you say BAD.

You know I hate that even more.

[Greystache]

People are sick and tired of not seeing the club in a GF, let alone a premiership. The last GF was in 1961, and most people have had a gut full. Only us diehards keep buying memberships.

Spot on.

If an independent observer looked at our club's lack of success over such an incredible length of time, and then saw we still can manage to sign up 30,000 paid members in a city of 4 million people that has 9 competing teams that have all been more successful, they would consider us a miracle.

I'm surprised there hasn't academic studies conducted to see if we have the most loyal support/unsuccessful history in world sport. We would be right up there.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Spot on.

If an independent observer looked at our club's lack of success over such an incredible length of time, and then saw we still can manage to sign up 30,000 paid members in a city of 4 million people that has 9 competing teams that have all been more successful, they would consider us a miracle.

I'm surprised there hasn't academic studies conducted to see if we have the most loyal support/unsuccessful history in world sport. We would be right up there.

Yep - all good points.

There's not many teams (that I can think of) that have delivered so little over such a length of time as us. Whilst it's frustrating for us diehards that more people don't sign up, reality is not everybody is a diehard, and 'general supporters' would rather spend their time and money on something that'll give back (joy/success etc) and not sit frustrated year after year at the overpriced footy with ridiculous time slots (4.40 games on Sunday).

[Murphy'sLore]

Spot on.

If an independent observer looked at our club's lack of success over such an incredible length of time, and then saw we still can manage to sign up 30,000 paid members in a city of 4 million people that has 9 competing teams that have all been more successful, they would consider us a miracle.

I'm surprised there hasn't academic studies conducted to see if we have the most loyal support/unsuccessful history in world sport. We would be right up there.

Totally agree, Stache. We should be congratulating ourselves on how high our membership is, considering our lack of success. It's astonishing we can scrape up 30,000-odd members really.

[Bulldog Joe]

Having attended the ANZAC game at the G, it highlights the value of exposure.

This is exposure that we just do not get and didn't get when we had good sides under Eade.

Essendon and Collingwood continue to get it even in unsuccesful periods. They also have better chances of recruiting free agents and retaining existing players because theycan get to play these games that are excluded from our playing list.

I estimate that it would be worth somewhere in the range of $4m annually just in increased membership and sponsorship.

It is absolutely unjust that this is allowed to continue.

Perhaps the clubs forced to pay the price for the ownership of Etihad, (without access to games like this) could be given an additional Salary Cap of maybe $1m annually, paid for by Collingwood and Essendon as their licence fee for ANZAC day.

[ledge]

We do get an equalisation fund but that doesn't get more members, neither would these two clubs giving us money.. It's about exposure in the end and getting more members.

[Eastdog]

We do get an equalisation fund but that doesn't get more members, neither would these two clubs giving us money.. It's about exposure in the end and getting more members.

Im not a big supporter of Good Friday footy but it would be great for a club like ours to get some of that exposure we are lacking.

[Eastdog]

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