While I expect people to disagree with me, whack me when I put on my clarity cap rather than my "whackety, whack, whack" cap I think there are a few areas where we can say the Club is elite
From my understanding of "corporate governance" our Club is elite in this area. Even the AFL have rated us excellent in this area and one of the best clubs in the comp. We were poor we are no in the top 3
Community programs and partnerships is another area where we are elite. Our Indigenous programs are considered some of the best in the country. The KGI has certain KPI's it must meet to continue to receive government funding and not only reaches those but exceeds them. Our partnership with the A&M Foundation again is considered one of the best in the AFL.
Our facilities since the re-development are elite. But the goal must be to continue to improve them and the only way to that is through generating more income.
I think despite that stupid Age article that suggested we were poor in sponsorship (amazing how you can twist something to create a story
) we are OK in that area, not elite but better than what was portrayed in that article. AFL figures state that for major partnership that is jumper and other on field (shorts, coaches, etc) we are not in the bottom 3rd far from it.
Up until ME Bank walked away we had one of the best ground naming rights deals in the comp. the problem is it still hasn't been replaced. While I understand the reasons behind it (eg not selling for the sake of it and wanting the best deal) it simply isn't a good look. Now we have Décor not renewing after just one 3 year term. Again, I understand why but 4 weeks out from our first televised pre-season game and we don't have a replacement isn't a great look.
As for the other categories
Membership and I only look at how they treat members and not the on field as they are 2 very different beasts - ask me say 3 years ago I would have said yes but in the last couple of season member "benefits" have gone backwards. They take our $$$ but give less and less back in return. Just the most basic of things for example eg the stickers we get they are putrid, they fade after a couple of months, they look cheap (granted they are but please), the members cap = cheap and nasty. That's what I mean by benefits. As for the coterie groups...well I can say for 2017 they appear to have got things back on track after taking away a number of things in 2016 but still charging more and then receiving a litany of complaints
VFL Program - been one of its harshest of critics, said from the beginning they got it wrong. Finally last year they seemed to have made an effort to get it right but 2017 will show how far they've come with that and how far they still have to go. A long way of being elite IMHO
Money Making (revenue raising via non core business) - took a big step forward in the establishing the Leisure centre business but again far too early to say it's a massive success. But a step forward. Irony for me is that they could have had all of this step up years ago under the deal they had out at Craigieburn; which despite people's sooking about it (especially distance) was an outstanding one put together by Steve Wirght and the management team of the time. Who knows how different things would have been revenue wise if the club had continued to embrace it after Wright left. But no they didn't & Benny Gale wanted outta there as soon as the initial deal was over and then guess what he signed a deal with Beaconsfield (Cardinnia Shire) that is practically the same hmmm... what was that about distance again
. But I digrese
Have said a number of times in the last 6-12 months there's been a massive disconnect between the Club and its members and supporters. Right that wrong and a lot of the areas (the off field) we are not elite will turn around very quickly
