AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

That's absolute B/S mate!!

He didn't say we would have as many as them, he said we would have more than we do.

There is absolutely no question that if we had Collingwood's exposure we would have significantly more members/fans.

[LostDoggy]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

A large proportion of our members are from the West who cannot afford to fork out money for a membership.
Collingwood has members all around the state as well as country.

Hi Desi -- I think this is becoming less true all the time. I'm sure most of us are aware that the western melbourne corridor is BY FAR the fastest growing area in Australia, outstripping any growth up in the Gold Coast (that the AFL are trying to cash in on) by quite a long way.

Collingwood's brand is a national one, and has been for a while, which allows them to leverage it, and Eddie has done that well, but even then the brand itself was in pretty backward shape when he came in. I still think that it is still largely a 'traditional' or 'historical' brand, although their damn win last year would have done a lot to help along the 'modernisation' of the brand that Eddie has been working on for near a decade now.

Historical brands are all well and good, and we shouldn't mortgage our tradition any more than we absolutely have to, but we really need to get any chip off our shoulder about being only a 'working class' club. Collingwood was a working class club too, and embraces that heritage, but also links itself with premium brands like Lexus and the like, and has a massive corporate following.

Despite the great work of our board, it sometimes seems that there are a lot of us that don't want to embrace the new identity of Melbourne's west and let ourselves become a premium brand associated with high-value ventures and individuals in the area, INCLUDING the new rich, the skilled immigrant etc., and as a result, these new people don't embrace the Dogs. The blocked Bulldogs Hilton venture doesn't help, but I don't think there has been enough groundwork done with the community to convince them that the Bulldogs brand stands for something new and sexy and high-value while staying true to our proud heritage. We have sometimes let the new be hijacked by our love for the old, and this is fine, but then we can't complain that we don't grow -- we HAVE to get into the 'repackaged' areas like Edgewater etc.

With our new headquarters, iconic brand, professionalism and on-field success there is no reason we shouldn't be able to grow our club over the next 20 years into a behemoth -- stories like this happen to clubs around the world all the time, if we don't translate our geographic monopoly into some sort of off-field momentum and become one of the powerbrokers of the league we would have missed a massive opportunity. (And we have to work towards not having to compare ourselves with the Melbournes and North Melbournes of the world, clubs that have no real growth prospects and have to focus on survival.)

And good broadcasting arrangements will help. The AFL can bleat all it wants about Collingwoods' pulling power, it has to ask itself if it wants to be short-sighted and just bankroll the growth of one club for short term TV rights gains at the expense of every other club, or help build a range of strong brands for the long term. Well, we know what the 'visionaries' at AFL house's track record with long-term thinking is, if their reactionary rule changing is anything to go by.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

Saying that exposure will not make much of a difference is like saying McDonalds commercials don't make kids want happy meals. Whilst we are obviously focused on resigning our 35,000 existing members, the club will ultimately want to grow the brand as much as possible and that is where we face a disadvantage.

It is also comes down to how you market yourself, If the AFL is not giving you a leg up you need to generate things yourself. What is happening to our guys down at Bulldog land.

Things we can control is allowing Aker to do handstands - Every kid wanted to be like Aker and it was the last thing that was shown on every TV news production.

We could also target a Nick Natanui or a Liam Jarrah type that your kids get so pumped about.

In addition to this we could stand our ground on a few issues and drag the outcome out just to get news paper and TV share. A little like Collingwood's Jumper saga. this would need to be measured as we still need AFL support.

[LostDoggy]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

Hi Desi -- I think this is becoming less true all the time. I'm sure most of us are aware that the western melbourne corridor is BY FAR the fastest growing area in Australia, outstripping any growth up in the Gold Coast (that the AFL are trying to cash in on) by quite a long way.

Collingwood's brand is a national one, and has been for a while, which allows them to leverage it, and Eddie has done that well, but even then the brand itself was in pretty backward shape when he came in. I still think that it is still largely a 'traditional' or 'historical' brand, although their damn win last year would have done a lot to help along the 'modernisation' of the brand that Eddie has been working on for near a decade now.

Historical brands are all well and good, and we shouldn't mortgage our tradition any more than we absolutely have to, but we really need to get any chip off our shoulder about being only a 'working class' club. Collingwood was a working class club too, and embraces that heritage, but also links itself with premium brands like Lexus and the like, and has a massive corporate following.

Despite the great work of our board, it sometimes seems that there are a lot of us that don't want to embrace the new identity of Melbourne's west and let ourselves become a premium brand associated with high-value ventures and individuals in the area, INCLUDING the new rich, the skilled immigrant etc., and as a result, these new people don't embrace the Dogs. The blocked Bulldogs Hilton venture doesn't help, but I don't think there has been enough groundwork done with the community to convince them that the Bulldogs brand stands for something new and sexy and high-value while staying true to our proud heritage. We have sometimes let the new be hijacked by our love for the old, and this is fine, but then we can't complain that we don't grow -- we HAVE to get into the 'repackaged' areas like Edgewater etc.

With our new headquarters, iconic brand, professionalism and on-field success there is no reason we shouldn't be able to grow our club over the next 20 years into a behemoth -- stories like this happen to clubs around the world all the time, if we don't translate our geographic monopoly into some sort of off-field momentum and become one of the powerbrokers of the league we would have missed a massive opportunity. (And we have to work towards not having to compare ourselves with the Melbournes and North Melbournes of the world, clubs that have no real growth prospects and have to focus on survival.)

And good broadcasting arrangements will help. The AFL can bleat all it wants about Collingwoods' pulling power, it has to ask itself if it wants to be short-sighted and just bankroll the growth of one club for short term TV rights gains at the expense of every other club, or help build a range of strong brands for the long term. Well, we know what the 'visionaries' at AFL house's track record with long-term thinking is, if their reactionary rule changing is anything to go by.

Some excelllent observations amongst this, Lantern.

The move into Edgewater is a very calculated one by the club. "There's gold in them there hills!'' to borrow a line. Many people forget Edgewater was originally conceived as a walled community. Serious money as a neighbour never goes astray.

As much as it has caused much debate amongst the faithful, the fact cannot be denied that the Robodog logo is a marketing success. As pointed out in the 'Embracing The Past' thread by BornaScragger, immediate brand recognition.

I too believe that the current Board has done a marvellous job in addressing the historical debt. I also applaud the club as a whole for the many charitable and socially responsible contributions made willingly and enthusiastically. Go susie! The relationship with Vic Uni is one that gives the club unprecedented exposure to one of the largest campus's in the country.This will have it's positive returns but over a much longer timeframe.

For many years, there has been limited free-to-air broadcasting of Bulldog games. Factors for this are many and varied. From EddieFL to Demitriou's Drongoes, it is a hard, cold world of big business. Pay TV is not prolific either of lower income. But some do have make the call Bulldog membership to 11/17 games plus food/drink etc. or 365 days of multichannel entertainment with every Bulldog game from the comfort of your lounge with all the the food an drink you like 4 paces away in the kitchen. No brainer for some who I know.

Onfield success is one strategy but that has to include grand final appearances. Something not acheived in my lifetime thusfar.

Having marquee players also helps. As TheAdelaideConnection said, a Nic Nat or Liam Jarrah. I personally wanted us to draft Majak Daw this time last year. With the Horn of Africa now the largest growth community in the Maribyrnong/Brimbank municipalities, I still say opportunity lost.

As to the fixture this year, I do think that it has been rather kind. A couple of short recoveries after interstaters and a hell of a lot of twilighters but, all in all, the rest is fine.

[Remi Moses]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

He didn't say we would have as many as them, he said we would have more than we do.

There is absolutely no question that if we had Collingwood's exposure we would have significantly more members/fans.

We never will get the exposure they do so it's a mute point!
It's ironic that some here are saying after 3 top 4 finishes we'll have less members next season. Like it or not Bigger sporting franchises get more exposure,it's just a fact.

[LostDoggy]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

We never will get the exposure they do so it's a mute point!
It's ironic that some here are saying after 3 top 4 finishes we'll have less members next season. Like it or not Bigger sporting franchises get more exposure,it's just a fact.

Well if exposure is games on FTA, blockbusters games, games on Friday/Saturday night ,etc then why not? Its suppose to be a fair and equal competition rather than the AFL first priority being to maximize their revenue.
We know we are compensated to some degree but I doubt that covers all the losses.

[GVGjr]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

We know we are compensated to some degree but I doubt that covers all the losses.

Its a very fair arrangement in my opinion and one that we desperately needed.
Currently if I had to choose between keeping the current equalization payments or getting a better FTA coverage (and the benefits that it brings) and backing our supporters and sponsors to cover the shortfall I would certainly keep the current arrangement.

Its not to say we cant get there but even if there as a gradual phasing out period of the current deal I don't think we could cover it.

[LostDoggy]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

Its a very fair arrangement in my opinion and one that we desperately needed.
Currently if I had to choose between keeping the current equalization payments or getting a better FTA coverage (and the benefits that it brings) and backing our supporters and sponsors to cover the shortfall I would certainly keep the current arrangement.

Its not to say we cant get there but even if there as a gradual phasing out period of the current deal I don't think we could cover it.

Not sure I think its fair and doubt I would take compensation over a better draw.
Does $1.7M? cover the losses incurred now and the loss of future earning (new members/supporters) whilst building our competition stronger?

Quoting SS from BF here

While I accept that what you say is probably right, I'll argue one point. We do not go 'cap in hand' to the AFL. We do not get the $1.7mil a year thanks to their generosity.

We get $1.7 mil a year as compensation.

Compensation for being screwed by being forced to play out of Telstra Dome.
Compensation for being screwed with fixturing.
Compensation for being screwed by the TV stations.

I'll give back the $1.7mil when we have the option to play our home games at either Telstra Dome or the MCG, whichever gives us the best deal.

When we no longer have to play a home game on Mother's Day. When 'bonus days' like Anzac Day and Queen's Birthday are split between all teams.

When Friday nights are evenly split over the entire competition rather than who the television stations think will deliver the best ratings.

In other words, when hell freezes over.

PS. A couple of years ago, Richmond commissioned Ernst & Young to put a dollar value on the benefits of these type of thing. They found Western Bulldogs were disadvantaged by up to $3.8 mil a year (compared to the AFL average) by things out of the clubs control.

Gee, we're nice blokes. Copping it up the arse so the AFL can get richer.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

Its a very fair arrangement in my opinion and one that we desperately needed.
Currently if I had to choose between keeping the current equalization payments or getting a better FTA coverage (and the benefits that it brings) and backing our supporters and sponsors to cover the shortfall I would certainly keep the current arrangement.

Its not to say we cant get there but even if there as a gradual phasing out period of the current deal I don't think we could cover it.

A few years back Richmond commissioned Ernst & Young to put a financial value on variations between the clubs of things outside the clubs control - fixture, TV and ground deals/signage etc.

Us and North were $3.2 mil and $3.9 mil below the AFL average (can't remember which way around, I think we were the $3.2).

Carlton (who were crap then) were exactlt neutral and West Coast were about $8 mil to the good.

[LostDoggy]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

Exactly -- compound that over ten, twenty years, and tell me that it doesn't make a difference.

[GVGjr]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

A few years back Richmond commissioned Ernst & Young to put a financial value on variations between the clubs of things outside the clubs control - fixture, TV and ground deals/signage etc.

Us and North were $3.2 mil and $3.9 mil below the AFL average (can't remember which way around, I think we were the $3.2).

Carlton (who were crap then) were exactlt neutral and West Coast were about $8 mil to the good.

If its such a bad deal then why have we accepted it? My guess is the transition wouldn't measure up.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

If its such a bad deal then why have we accepted it? My guess is the transition wouldn't measure up.

It's not like we have the choice. "Would you like the compensation deal or would you just rather Collingwood's draw?"