Club email sent out today from Benny Gale:
Dear Members,
Richmond Football Club has had to work exceptionally hard to ensure its survival in the past, and we again find ourselves in a position of having to fight for our future.
Thanks to the magnificent support of our members, the Club had built a position of financial strength that underpinned the recent on-field success we have all enjoyed.
But this current public health crisis, and the indefinite suspension of the 2020 AFL season and early conclusion of the AFLW season, threatens to erode much of that hard work. The impact of the current crisis on the game is enormous; the impact on your Club is no less significant. We are facing a very real challenge.
Australians are suffering and staff at our Club are not immune. Many wonderful staff members were this week stood down across our entire business while others are working on reduced hours. We feel for all of them, as each has made a significant contribution to this Club. This week has been incredibly hard for so many.
It goes without saying that retention of our membership revenues will be critical to this Club’s capacity to fight through this crisis. Our membership is our greatest strength and we need you now more than ever.
We have been amazed by the response of so many members that have pledged to stand firm with us during this time. Indeed, we have even had some members make donations to the Club beyond their membership to assist us in navigating through this period.
We built this Club together and we will keep it strong together.
Equally, we understand some members, due to a change in circumstances, have many questions regarding their membership. We will continue to service our members as best we can and continue to work diligently through a range of options for you as the year unfolds. Many other questions members may have, are answered on our Frequently Asked Questions page on the Club website.
The one question we can’t answer right now, is if, and when, we will have a season. That is something that can only play out in the fullness of time. It remains the AFL’s intention to play the remaining 144 games plus finals of the AFL Premiership season this year and, while the season is on hold until 30th May, we will continue to review the situation.
At this stage we are unable to determine what the impact will be on club memberships, however we are considering a range of options for our members and will communicate further when the position becomes clearer.
So where does this leave the business right now?
Those staff remaining are committed to driving the business through these difficult times – we owe that to our members and supporters, corporate partners, coterie groups and our colleagues that won’t be with us during the coming weeks. We want them back working alongside us to ensure this Club thrives into the future and remains one our members are proud to call theirs.
So, we are open for business. Our membership team is available to take your calls, our on-line retail business remains open and our digital team will deliver our fans content that keeps them updated and engaged. Our community team continues its work with the Indigenous and Islamic communities.
Our strategy to diversify revenue streams independent of football has never been more important. The Richmond Institute of Sports Leadership continues to educate its students and our Aligned Leisure business will build for the future despite the current interruption in its services.
We will keep moving forward to keep your Club as strong as we possibly can.
Finally, the most important priority right now is your health and wellbeing. Please take on board the health advice being provided to keep yourselves – and the broader community – as healthy as possible during this difficult period.
We look forward to the day we can once again sit together and support the mighty Tigers.
Brendon Gale
Chief Executive Officer
Richmond Football Club
