Membership 2012 - Roar Pride, Roar Passion, Roar Power

[Dubstep Dookie]

Hawthorn on the other hand are just a medium sized club with a massive membership bandwagon and no soul.

They play the system well, that's all. They have a huge amount of 3 game memberships and other low earning options which, while they still count as a 'membership', they don't draw in anywhere near the same finances we do from our memberships. Smoke and mirrors....

Good observations. All on the money 

[tony_montana]

Hawthorn on the other hand are just a medium sized club with a massive membership bandwagon and no soul.

They play the system well, that's all. They have a huge amount of 3 game memberships and other low earning options which, while they still count as a 'membership', they don't draw in anywhere near the same finances we do from our memberships. Smoke and mirrors....

Very true Stripes, but i'll bet they find it a hell of a lot easier to sell their brand to potential sponsors when dangling a 55k membership carrot.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Maybe so but at the end of 2004 they were no different than us. Bottom two overrated poor list and requiring a full rebuild.
They planned their list more thoughtfully than us and are reaping the rewards now in terms of on field success sponsorship dollars and the Waverley Park deal.
If we happen to be successful on field at the same time as them or at a time when they are an on field basket case then they will envy the support we have on our books in the stands and in the corporate world.
Hawthorn have found a loophole in the system where their Tasmanian deal allows the draw to offer them a Tassie game against a lower drawing Vic Club(s) like Nought and interste minnows and power clubs ie W Coast where it really is a true away game for the Eagles b/c of the travel and the infrequency they play at York Park as opposed to going to Etihad or the G and hence a continual opportunity to gain maximum premiership points from their Tassie venture.
Furthermore 5 game Tassie memberships to AFL starved Tasmanians is a wonderful ploy to get them on board also.
A break up in relations or non renewal of a contract in Tassie will ensure Hawthorn lose at least 10K memberships.

This is what weak sides do off field to change the public perception and make them seem like strong sides and hope the on field success carries on to maintain this perceived success.
Hawthorn have always been a small club and have this perceived big club status merely b/c their success in the 80's and 90's have translated to some support from those kids who supported them in this golden era, as opposed to Nought who in the 90's had Carey and co and has not translated to anything for that charcterless footy club.
Hawthorn home of the souless.
Nought home of the characterless.

[Smokey]

Hawthorn have always been a small club and have this perceived big club status merely b/c their success in the 80's and 90's have translated to some support from those kids who supported them in this golden era,

You speak with good insight Tucker, they were an absolute nothing club with zero historical success and support when I was a kid.  I still don't subscribe to the theory that they have a large supporter base, just that they sell their memberships very very well.

[one-eyed]

Club Membership tallies

                     25/02/2012       25/02/2011

Collingwood       55,000               53,861              +1,139
West Coast       50,000                   -                          -
Hawthorn          48,706               45,089              +3,617
Adelaide            41,637                   -                          -
Essendon          39,858               39,184              +  674
Richmond          35,743              34,505               +1,238
Carlton              33,783              30,256              +3,527
Geelong             31,544              28,692              +2,852
Port Adelaide      27,242              26,920              +  342
St Kilda              26,568              31,281              -4,713
Melbourne          24,874              25,643              -  769
North Melb.        22,982              18,645             +4,337
W.Bulldogs         21,700              22,503              -  803
Sydney              20,442              21,379              -  937
Brisbane            14,426              15,837              -1,411
Gold Coast          9,593              10,822              -1,229
GWS                   5,521                  -                        -

Fremantle -           N/A               37,000                   -

AFL members - 51,961              51,510             +  451

[yellowandback]

Hawthorn have always been a small club and have this perceived big club status merely b/c their success in the 80's and 90's have translated to some support from those kids who supported them in this golden era,

You speak with good insight Tucker, they were an absolute nothing club with zero historical success and support when I was a kid.  I still don't subscribe to the theory that they have a large supporter base, just that they sell their memberships very very well.

You are both spot on. I went to a presentation by the Hawks in the mid 90s where they had studied the model of the Green Bay Packers to try an adapt that model for themselves.

They are just a very well run, professional club.

[Damo]

Hawthorn count fingers and toes.

Wasn't our membership income bigger than theirs last year?

[Phil Mrakov]

Hawthorn count fingers and toes.

Wasn't our membership income bigger than theirs last year?

Yes it sure was

[smasha]

Hawthorn have always been a small club and have this perceived big club status merely b/c their success in the 80's and 90's have translated to some support from those kids who supported them in this golden era,

You speak with good insight Tucker, they were an absolute nothing club with zero historical success and support when I was a kid.  I still don't subscribe to the theory that they have a large supporter base, just that they sell their memberships very very well.

You are both spot on. I went to a presentation by the Hawks in the mid 90s where they had studied the model of the Green Bay Packers to try an adapt that model for themselves.

They are just a very well run, professional club.

No they're not.
They have won more premierships and won a flag just 4 years ago ffs.

We are doing pretty bloody good with 30 years of no success and if we had the success ONFIELD of the Hawks,then we 'd have way more members than they have.

I think our membership department should be congratulated.

Like that we are going to India and trying different things.

All we need is onfield success.

P.S. I reckon if Richmond didn't have a cult hero like Richo for kids to look up too,then the club would be in a worse position regarding memberships.

Richo has had more influence on Richmond than he knows.

[Eat_em_Alive]

P.S. I reckon if Richmond didn't have a cult hero like Richo for kids to look up too,then the club would be in a worse position regarding memberships.

Richo has had more influence on Richmond than he knows.

This..



edited to correct quote

[Willy]

true dat, Smasha.

[bojangles17]

RICHMOND members are bloody L E G E N D S   

[Eat_em_Alive]

RICHMOND members are bloody L E G E N D S   

Agree with that Bo-man 

[10 FLAGS]

Melbournes membership numbers are interesting because they are spending money like its going out of fashion but their membership is down. They wouldnt want to have a couple of bad years IMHO.

[Loui Tufga]

They wouldnt want to have a couple of bad years IMHO.

It's on the cards