Firstly they did a mock commentary of the 2014 Grand Final done by BT (and someone else I don't remember). Obviously it was meant to get the emotions stirring, but they did it with the players in the room and it felt a bit weird to me. If they were going to do it they should have done it without the players there. For the record they had Astbury taking a mark on the siren from Griffiths' kick and kicking the goal to win the flag. If it comes true, ask whoever wrote the script for the following week's tattslotto numbers.
I actually really enjoyed the mock commentary (they other caller was Tim Lane BTW with Rob Walls & Tony Shaw doing special comments). It was fun and it only put out there what we all dream will one day happen. Jack Riewoldt 108 goals for the season and Griffiths 56, plus my personal favourite "the veteran" Deledio
The players were standing close to our table and they enjoyed it too. I have no problem with it - I suppose it is about perception
Next was the donations process on the night. Having everyone stand up to show how much they were donating I thought wasn't great. Pretty much half the room sat down after the first round at $3k and almost everyone else after the $5k mark. This kinda reinforces my belief that they should have been offering more incentives for people to donate at certain increments. Those that donate $19k get the same as someone who donated $5k. The reason I didn't like this bidding process is two fold. Those bowing out early look bad and those still standing at the end are posing a bit. I have much more respect that donate large sums without needing to stand up in front of the crowd for acknowledgement. Perhaps this was done to try and pressure people into donating more, but I wonder if it had the opposite effect. There was also a bit of confusion on the bidding process in regards to whether it was on top of your existing donation (if you had one) or including it... I included it.
Standing up was voluntary or you could have sat down through the whole "bidding" thing so. I don't agree with those bowing out "early looking bad" I wasn't really paying much attention to be honest to who sat down when
and I reckon it was always going to be a case of more lower value donations than big ones.
I do agree there should have been more incentives. I mean $3k for a lapel pin. Personally I would guaranteed everyone in the room a copy of the photo that was taken with the players before we went upstairs. That would have been a massive flillip I think anyway
Also other than the existing incentives for donation levels, there was nothing on the night to try and get people to part with their money except for the old TAC jumper signed by 25 of the Richmond great and this went for $7000. I would have thought on a night which is trying to generate money that there would be a lot more things to try and generate donations than just this one big bidding process thorugh a keypad. Sure selling the future of the club is one thing, but I think more should have been done to try and give people more of a reason to part with their money. Something could have come up that people wanted more than the incentives that you already know you get for your donation.
They had 2 silent auction items down the back of the room. One was a round of golf with Richo & Jack and the other was a trip to a winery in SA all expenses paid. However, both had huge reserves on them and when I looked there wasn't one bid for wither. I was genuinely surprised there wasn't more on offer. COuld have generated some easy $$$ with a few more silent auction items with low reserves (day in the coaches box anyone)
I still think the club should be doing more to try and encourage more donations of the $500-3000 range. The handful of big donations are great, but it only would take 1500 donations of $2000 to wipe out the remaining $3 million.
Agree
Oh and one last point, other than the players I felt like I was by far the youngest in the room. Very old crowd there, but I guess that is to be expected.
Steady on I thought I was one of the youngest in the room. Actually I didn't think the crowd was that old; what I was surprised about was there wasn't many ladies there last night.... Seems the blokes left the partners at home at a 2 x $3k I am not surprised
