Richmond faces $1m hole after 5400 members fall off from last year (H-Sun)

[MADTIGER2010]

The Sun don't have the right figure. We had 21,000 members at the same time last year. We have 18,000 now, but we did start the membership campaign 2 weeks later than the year before. So it's no more than 3,000 difference and probably will be 1-2,000 difference in the end because of the later start to the campaign 

[Ramps]

Today is the 14th January

anyone think its abit early to be making these calls 

[smasha]

Today is the 14th January

anyone think its abit early to be making these calls 

Never too late for zieg HUN.

[1965]

The Sun don't have the right figure. We had 21,000 members at the same time last year. We have 18,000 now, but we did start the membership campaign 2 weeks later than the year before. So it's no more than 3,000 difference and probably will be 1-2,000 difference in the end because of the later start to the campaign 

Welcome to OER MT2010.

'65

[MADTIGER2010]

The Sun don't have the right figure. We had 21,000 members at the same time last year. We have 18,000 now, but we did start the membership campaign 2 weeks later than the year before. So it's no more than 3,000 difference and probably will be 1-2,000 difference in the end because of the later start to the campaign 

Welcome to OER MT2010.

'65

Thanks bro
PROG ON 

[Mr Magic]

No Richo could be having an impact too..

[MADTIGER2010]

No Richo could be having an impact too..

It's ok. Damien Barret is just inflating the figures hehe. It's only 3,000 difference with 2 weeks less sales too 

[WilliamPowell]

This article is just another example of the crap that the press dish up.

Spot on Ekto. It's also an example of the delight the Hun in particular takes in sinking the boot into Richmond at every opportunity. So far this pre-season there's been just two articles about us.Troy Taylor's punch-up, and our membership shortfall. The suggestion of course being that we supporters are all just a fickle bunch of bandwagon jumpers.

Disagree this time round

These sort of articles at this time of year are (in part) generated by the Clubs to jolt people into action about membership

I don't think you can say this article is "stinking the boots in". It is an accurate description of where the numbers sit right now. If they wanted to stick the boots in they wouldn't have quoted the Benny Gale about the importance of members

Reality is at the moment we are down 5k on last year. Even allowing for the fact the renewals went out late that would account for part of the decline but not all of it.

I am all for sinking the boots in the media but in this case this needed to be put out there and it is accurate and balanced

Bottom line is we need people to sign up

 

[bojangles17]

agreed, will do more good than harm, couldn't buy publicity like that...back page of HS....the ebst thing we can do for our membership campaign is really show a bit v the Hawks in tassie, might underline that there is some quality amongst the ranks

[the claw]

this is the worst possible news.why because it leads to short cuts.

Don't really see the point here. Ben Cousins was arguably a short cut and he generated most of the extra numbers that have dropped off.
I can't see why anyone would be surprised by this reduction in numbers whatsoever. Particularly after last season's disaster.
Was always going to happen and I'd be amazed if the club hasn't taken this into consideration.

hmm cuz generated all those numbers did he. i think not. i know the fact we got cousins an awful lot of people thought we were finals bound. an awful lot of people. the drop in numbers is because the penny has dropped and people now realise  we are no where near finals.
the point being made is for 27 yrs we have as a club bowed to things like this before, we know  those in charge have  trading away top picks  for mature players  because the bottom line is a bit shaky atm lets not see them do it again..

no more b/s the club should be openly saying we have a very young and immature list and our ladder position is likely to be low.
 they should be saying  l the onus for this club is to find and play young players who in time will get us to finals, ladder position means jack atm.
if our footy club is aiming at finals they are truly delusional. the list still needs another large cull.
 roughly 40 % of those player we took this yr will fail  but hey the membership numbers are down lets trade some early picks get a big name  give the supporters some false hope and get the numbers back up. i can see it coming a mile away.

[bojangles17]

geez , you sound like that boofhead by same name on PRE...who's under any illusions we are finals bound after adding 14 new faces in 2010, axing every 200+ player on our list bar Cuz...get a grip before you post partner...sounds like you put the same broken record on Track 1...Todays gripe

[the claw]

geez , you sound like that boofhead by same name on PRE...who's under any illusions we are finals bound after adding 14 new faces in 2010, axing every 200+ player on our list bar Cuz...get a grip before you post partner...sounds like you put the same broken record on Track 1...Todays gripe

clearly supporters arent. but the the point being made is to get the numbers up the club may take short cuts. the club has an horrific  history of doing just that when the bottom line is  is in trouble. this drop in membership numbers  can be a bad thing if it puts pressure on the club to get membership numbers up and thus take short cuts or break from what ever new processes are in place.

[one-eyed]

Tigers facing AFL membership shortfall
January 15, 2010
The Age

AFL club Richmond are facing a massive cash shortfall approaching $1 million due to their membership numbers being way down on last year.

The Tigers are almost 5,000 members short on their figures from last year, when the recruitment of Ben Cousins provided a membership surge before the Tigers endured a wretched 2009 and finished 15th.

Richmond's membership is currently 18,620, whereas 23,500 fans had signed up a year ago.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale was hopeful fans would renew their memberships in what looms as a new era for the club.

The Tigers will be led this year by new coach Damien Hardwick, while veteran players Matthew Richardson, Joel Bowden, Nathan Brown and Kane Johnson all departed last year.

Richmond said their membership shortfall was not too much of a concern given the spike caused by Cousins' signing was hard to match and that the club had started its membership drive a fortnight later than from the previous year.

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-sport/tigers-facing-afl-membership-shortfall-20100114-m9y3.html

[yellowandback]

I'd say willy p is on the money but how effective is this approach. People won't sign up because they are fed up with the poor running of the club. A newspaper article won't change many peoples opinion. It's a waste of newspaper print and casts our image in a poor light. We would probably sign up more members by having some players ring up lapsed members.

[wayne]

clearly supporters arent. but the the point being made is to get the numbers up the club may take short cuts. the club has an horrific  history of doing just that when the bottom line is  is in trouble.

You'd really hope that they aren't that stupid and weren't budgeting on the same numbers after a 15th place in 2009.