AFL supporters buying memberships despite thinner wallets by: Matt Windley
From: Herald Sun
February 06, 2012STOCK markets have crashed, banks have been bailed out, the euro and the American dollar have weakened and jobs are being cut left, right and centre.
And football clubs, likewise, are not immune to financial pressures.
Since 2008, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs have issued a call to arms in order to reduce - and ideally eliminate - debt and the need to make crippling interest payments to banks.
Essendon, too, has gone to its supporters to help fund the development of a state-of-the-art training facility at Tullamarine.
And yet despite the financial pressures many Australians are feeling at home in tough economic times, members of these clubs have responded in an overwhelmingly positive fashion.
Melbourne has eliminated its $4 million debt, Richmond has wiped half of its $6 million deficit, and the Bulldogs nearly a quarter of theirs ($5 million).
Essendon and North Melbourne have also raised significant funds - $500,000 and $400,000 respectively - in a short period.
But Kangaroos chief executive Eugene Arocca is not surprised.
"One thing that I've become aware of in relation to football is that it seems to be bulletproof to economic circumstances," Arocca said.
"In fact football itself, AFL/VFL, seems to thrive at times when there was adversity or when the economic conditions weren't ideal.
"You look at the 1920s and 1930s, during the Depression years ... in the case of the football you had the VFL entrenching itself as a major competition in Victoria.
"So I'm of a view that in tough economic times football has always been and will always be a fantastic outlet where you grab your family, wander down to the oval and enjoy the game.
"We had to put a few things in order before we embarked upon this campaign. I know other clubs have done theirs at different times, so we had to read the mood of our members.
"Yes, there was an element of 'this is a tough economic year', but so was 2009 and 2010 wasn't much easier. So from our point of view, the supporters and members just seem to defy all the other trends when it comes to putting money behind your club even when times are tough or looming tough in the near future.
"We backed our members and they've responded."
Richmond chief Brendon Gale said clubs had to be "very careful with the message you put out" when going cap in hand to members.
"We acknowledged that there are some that find their circumstances very challenging and we said at the time 'the most important thing you can do to support our football club is to renew or buy a membership'. And that's terrific," Gale said.
"But we also said: 'If you've taken care of all the necessary expenses of running a house and raising a family and you want to support your club to go the extra step then we'd love to receive your support'. So that's what it's about."
Gale said: "All things considered, it's going pretty well", a fact, he said, is "pleasantly surprising".
"We certainly don't take it for granted, that's for sure," he said.
"Football clubs mean so much to people. And if they really believe in the direction the club's going, history shows they'll support it. We're certainly encouraged with the response we've had so far."Essendon chief Ian Robson said no matter the donation size, the support of any fan willing to help their club in a time of need is heart warming.
"It's the first time really that I can research that the footy club ... has gone to the members in the way that we have," Robson said.
"For us it's slightly different because it's such a quantum leap in terms of the capacity of our facilities. (The fundraiser) is very targeted at helping us achieve this outcome in a manner that would, in an ideal world, position the club as having secured, built and delivered this facility to the football department debt-free.
"We've been really delighted at the response from the Essendon family."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-supporters-buying-memberships-despite-thinner-wallets/story-e6frf9jf-1226263180499
