Lapsed Members

[10 FLAGS]

One thing the club should look at IMHO is what to do with members who allow there memberships to lapse but who come back into the fold. For example when you purchase a membership now it says for example that you have been a consecutive member for say 5 years but what happens if you have been a member over your life for say 12 years or 15 years. I understand these things are difficult but I think if the club has the computer records they should offer members who have held members over a number of years but for one reason or another became lapsed over a  year or two to buy out the lapsed period.

This would allow those members to accrue better membership benefits but also provide an opportunity for the club to make some money. I think a one-off fee of say $200 or maybe $50 a year for every lapsed year of membership would be fair.

Members would go onto a better level of membership and the club would make some extra money.

In order to give it more cred maybe revenues made from this could go debt reduction.

[bushranger]

Maybe if a member has done that, and have been away for a couple of years.
They could bring them back to their last year of consecutive membership.
So if they were a member for like me, 6 years now, but I failed for the last 2 years which, if I kept it up they would have been at 8 years consecutive.
Just bring it back to the 6 years again. I personally think this could work and it would be that little more of an insentive to rejoin.

[Infamy]

I think it would be pretty simple, offer to make up your missing years of consecutive membership by simply back paying for a non-ticketed membership of those missed years. Would work out to be about $75 a year.
I think there should be a limit though, maybe 2-3 years max

[mightytiges]

Like it Ramps and it's a practical idea as well. I think the buy-out amount should be at least on par with a standard membership otherwise it becomes pretty cheap at $50 to regain your consecutive years of membership. The club also re-gains the amount 'loss' from the year the supporter wasn't a member.

[Smokey]

Like it Ramps and it's a practical idea as well. I think the buy-out amount should be at least on par with a standard membership otherwise it becomes pretty cheap at $50 to regain your consecutive years of membership. The club also re-gains the amount 'loss' from the year the supporter wasn't a member.

Agree with all these posts.  I'm in this boat and would gladly pay for the years I was forced to miss to 'reclaim' my consecutive years.

[10 FLAGS]

To continue to flesh out this idea: Some further thoughts

To buyout your lapsed years you need to be fully paid up in 2011 or whenever the program starts

You can only buyout enough years to achieve Gold Member status which is 10 years consecutive.

Your ability to buyout lapsed years is only applicable from the time of your last lapse- for example if you lapsed in say 2002 and you had a previous lapse say in 1991 - you can only buyout your lapsed period from 2002. For previous lapses it'll just be bad luck.

Lapsed Membership Years 1 ~ 2 = $100
Lapsed Membership Years 2 ~ 5 = $200
Lapsed Membership Years 5 ~ 9 = $300
Lapsed Membership Years 9 ~ 12=$500 (but you have to stay on Gold Level and the maximum no of years should not exceed say 12 years.

As I said maybe all funds from this could go towards an account which goes towards debt reduction of the clubs debt.

[Damo]

This happened to me, and the club was fantastic in there assistance.

I am a Gold AFL Member - club Support Richmond.

I have spent most of the last 3 years living in the Philippines and one of those years I actually took an AFL absentee membership. This resulted in nothing going to Richmond and my sequence breaking well into double figures.

The club and I came to a fair agreement. I signed my 1yo daughter and my wife up to the social club and bought them 3 game memberships. The club was happy to keep my sequence going.

They are willing to work with you if you are willing to work with them.

[10 FLAGS]

This happened to me, and the club was fantastic in there assistance.

I am a Gold AFL Member - club Support Richmond.

I have spent most of the last 3 years living in the Philippines and one of those years I actually took an AFL absentee membership. This resulted in nothing going to Richmond and my sequence breaking well into double figures.

The club and I came to a fair agreement. I signed my 1yo daughter and my wife up to the social club and bought them 3 game memberships. The club was happy to keep my sequence going.

They are willing to work with you if you are willing to work with them.

They should make an official policy so that the supporters can be properly recognised. I think this is a good idea in general, maybe my points about how it could work need to be further investigated, but the general philosophy of it would be a winner with the club supporters.

[mightytiges]

That's great to hear Damo.

Ramps, IMO I think 10 years would be stretching it a touch. That's a long time to not be a club member and in some ways rewards the wealthy bandwagoner who can jump on board when we are finally winning. I'd reckon 5 or perhaps 6 years would be a fair limit. That should be long enough to cover someone who genuinely has hit a financial rough patch or say a uni student living away from home on not much until they get their degree and a job.

[10 FLAGS]

Thats fair enough MT. I just put up some basic ideas, hopefully someone from the club takes all these things into account and then we see some sort of action.

Whether its a 10 year period or say 6 years maximum then thats for the club to decide. If you go with say 6 years maximum then they should just charge the $79 a year 3 game membership for every year required-that would then take the 6 year charge to $474 all up to buyout 6 years and thats not a bad amount at all.

1 year lapse- $79
2 year lapse- $158
3 year lapse- $237
4 year lapse- $316
5 year lapse- $395
6 year lapse- $474

Financially it really works for the club and supporters who need say 3years+ get a real benefit but of course they pay for the priviledge.  

[WilliamPowell]

I am pretty sure that as part of the members survey this year one of the questions they asked was about lapsed members and should they be allowed to "pick up where they left off" with regard to consecutive of membership. IIRC the feedback was an overwhelming NO people didn't think it was fair hence why they haven't done it this season

Having said that I like your idea Ramps. Personally I would actually drop the $$ back a bit because for a lot of people $79 is a lot. Maybe $50 per lapsed year with a maximum of 4 years. Anything longer than that I reckon is bordering on unfair to those who have renewed year after year.

[10 FLAGS]

Ive had a look at the different membership categories, I actually dont see alot of difference between the categories especially between bronze and gold.

[Smokey]

I am pretty sure that as part of the members survey this year one of the questions they asked was about lapsed members and should they be allowed to "pick up where they left off" with regard to consecutive of membership. IIRC the feedback was an overwhelming NO people didn't think it was fair hence why they haven't done it this season

Having said that I like your idea Ramps. Personally I would actually drop the $$ back a bit because for a lot of people $79 is a lot. Maybe $50 per lapsed year with a maximum of 4 years. Anything longer than that I reckon is bordering on unfair to those who have renewed year after year.

IIRC WP it wasn't "overwhelming".  I remember reading the results/feedback from Benny Gale (I think it was) and this one was fairly close.  Reason it sticks in my mind is that I was keen for something in this area to be implemented.  Might have to go back over some old topics and see if I can dig it up.  Of course, all subject to me being completely wrong.     But on the topic, I think Ramps idea has a lot of merit and the club doesn't miss out on money which at the end of the day is the net result of being a member each year.  I don't see how it could be a problem if you were allowed a one-off opportunity to 'buy back' a couple of years missed for whatever reason.

[Dogga]

I got my first membership as a 12 year old in 87. The only two years I have missed since then are 1995 and 2000 due to military service.

Maybe they should recognize the total number of years of membership rather than consecutive.

Anyway, it doesn't bother me too much as being a passionate paid up member of this great club is enough for me.

[mightytiges]

Have you tried ringing the Club Dogga? Military service is a reasonable excuse you would think so you may be able to negotiate a deal so all your years as a member count as one.

Thats fair enough MT. I just put up some basic ideas, hopefully someone from the club takes all these things into account and then we see some sort of action.

Whether its a 10 year period or say 6 years maximum then thats for the club to decide. If you go with say 6 years maximum then they should just charge the $79 a year 3 game membership for every year required-that would then take the 6 year charge to $474 all up to buyout 6 years and thats not a bad amount at all.

1 year lapse- $79
2 year lapse- $158
3 year lapse- $237
4 year lapse- $316
5 year lapse- $395
6 year lapse- $474

Financially it really works for the club and supporters who need say 3years+ get a real benefit but of course they pay for the priviledge.  

A win-win situation