$75 Grand Final ticket guarantee

[FNM]

My gripe is contained in these words from the club's original official spiel:

"Members who secure a Grand Final Ticket Guarantee will be given the first right to renew the Guarantee each season. With a limited number available, you need to get in now so you don’t miss out on Richmond Grand Final action in years to come. You've supported the Tigers through some tough times - make sure you are there to celebrate the good times with us.  "

They certainly have to say a lot more than, we'll refund your money.
Reading that just makes you sick
Not everyone wants to join the social club 

[WilliamPowell]

Not sure if this helps or will inflame things but for interstaters

The membership brochure I have here in front of me says Social Club membership for Country/Interstate 5 is $295 and it includes Country/Interstate 5 Membership.

So by my maths the social club component is $171 as opposed to the full cost of $255 for people with "normal" memberships

I know this doesn't help you smokey but perhaps that is a better option for you than a "normal" m'ship + the GFTG

And BTW I think the club needs to address this ASAP ans start repairing some of the damage that's been caused

[Penelope]

i was going to take up the GFG this year, but couldnt. For the exact reasons you stated WP, I took up the social club membership at only about 100 bucks extra instead.

I don't think, though, that detracts from the fact that people took up an option they knew they were not going to use in the immediate future, in the hope that 4-5 years ( or whatever ) down the track they may get some return, only to effectively have the option removed for some and become more expensive for others

It's probably prudent now, to wait and see what the club does next week when the feedback from this registers with the powers that be.

[jackstar is back again]

received text from club yesterday and sent back a text saying yes. within 2 minutes i received a call from the club, within 5 mins my membership was upgraded to include the social club

[Smokey]

Not sure if this helps or will inflame things but for interstaters

The membership brochure I have here in front of me says Social Club membership for Country/Interstate 5 is $295 and it includes Country/Interstate 5 Membership.

So by my maths the social club component is $171 as opposed to the full cost of $255 for people with "normal" memberships

I know this doesn't help you smokey but perhaps that is a better option for you than a "normal" m'ship + the GFTG

And BTW I think the club needs to address this ASAP ans start repairing some of the damage that's been caused

Thanks WP.  I wasn't aware of the Country/Interstate Social Club package, probably because I never had any interest or need in checking it out.  Ends up being $40 dearer than my current full membership + GFG.  So once I get over my anger at the sellout that has occurred, I guess my options are:

1.  Pay $40 more to upgrade and get much less game access (although it would resolve my issue with interstate game access) but keep my GFG, or
2.  Revert to my normal full membership and write my 'investment' in the GFG off, or
3.  Maintain the rage and tell the club to shove it all.

Still not sure which of these 3 I will do.  Bloody hell I'm angry with them.   

[WilliamPowell]

Still not sure which of these 3 I will do.  Bloody hell I'm angry with them.   

Believe it or not smokey but I really do know how you feel

I was fuming when I got a letter back in late Oct early Nov about the "changes" they were making to the membership/coterie group (= Player Club) I was in. I use the word "changes" very loosely BTW. I will admit I am still not happy about what they've done and yes I have spoken to them about my angst. 

Can I add that I actually do understand (may not agree but do understand) why they make these changes my issues has always been about the way they go about doing it.

It's like you feel a bit "blindsided" by it and surely that isn't the way you respect loyalty

It is fine (not the right word I know) to decide to change things but gee the way they implement the changes causes a lot of this 

[Smokey]

Still not sure which of these 3 I will do.  Bloody hell I'm angry with them.   

Believe it or not smokey but I really do know how you feel

I was fuming when I got a letter back in late Oct early Nov about the "changes" they were making to the membership/coterie group (= Player Club) I was in. I use the word "changes" very loosely BTW. I will admit I am still not happy about what they've done and yes I have spoken to them about my angst. 

Can I add that I actually do understand (may not agree but do understand) why they make these changes my issues has always been about the way they go about doing it.

It's like you feel a bit "blindsided" by it and surely that isn't the way you respect loyalty

It is fine (not the right word I know) to decide to change things but gee the way they implement the changes causes a lot of this 

Yep, pretty much sums it up WP.  I said last night that I could wear it if I knew the club's hand was forced in some way or they had a valid reason that they communicated freely to us but to keep taking our money for the guarantee while planning and moving behind the scenes to phase it out is not the way to win the hearts and minds of it's supporters.

[Penelope]

With the letter posted by RFC_O, (assuming it is the one sent out to members) it does not clearly spell out what is going on. Only if you carefully read it can you work it out. Anyone giving it a cursory once over , which most people will with a renewal of such ( perhaps not any more  ), would probably not digest the implications of such.

I'd like to think that this is not a deliberate ploy. 

I really hope the club reconsiders it's position on this and makes some sort of offer of appeasement to those involved.

I suppose it highlights just how much improvement there still is to be had in the running of the club, despite the improvements we have already seen.

[mightytiges]

It's created distrust. What's to stop the Club changing the social club membership in years to come and remove the guaranteed Grand Final ticket if and when we reach 75k members say. If the AFL only allows 11k club members on GF day and there are more than 11k social club members what happens then. Does the club say bad luck you need some more expensive membership to get a GF ticket. It's like writing an open cheque. You don't know what's happening nor how much you'll end up paying. It doesn't create loyalty either. You might as well just be a bandwagoner, save up your dough and then wait until we start making finals before forking out for a membership that includes a GF ticket.

Anyway I wonder what Consumer Affairs would think of this?

[FNM]

Anyway I wonder what Consumer Affairs would think of this?

I wasn't going to call them, but then I've been thinking, why not?
Loyalty is a two-way street in my book!
I contacted the club on Twitter, and they referred me to the Bigfooty post.
No explanation, nothing, just the link
How appalling they have treated us!

[FNM]

It's created distrust. What's to stop the Club changing the social club membership in years to come and remove the guaranteed Grand Final ticket if and when we reach 75k members say.

This is why the GFG was a better one to manage.
Doesn't matter if you're rich, poor, interstaters or whatever, it was at a price most people can afford and they can set it at the numbers the AFL allocates the club for GF tickets
Also encourages people to buy their membership every year because as soon as you don't, you go off the list and someone takes your place.
Not everyone wants to go to the social club
And the social club members could still go there and get the benefits a social club provides, drink their beer, food, whatever and the club would still be making money out of their membership
But if they get more members than available tickets, what are they going to do then?
Come up with another bulllpoo scheme, no doubt, to rip you off  

[mightytiges]

It's created distrust. What's to stop the Club changing the social club membership in years to come and remove the guaranteed Grand Final ticket if and when we reach 75k members say.

This is why the GFG was a better one to manage.
Doesn't matter if you're rich, poor, interstaters or whatever, it was at a price most people can afford and they can set it at the numbers the AFL allocates the club for GF tickets
Also encourages people to buy their membership every year because as soon as you don't, you go off the list and someone takes your place.
Not everyone wants to go to the social club
And the social club members could still go there and get the benefits a social club provides, drink their beer, food, whatever and the club would still be making money out of their membership
But if they get more members than available tickets, what are they going to do then?
Come up with another bulllpoo scheme, no doubt, to rip you off  

If the number of Social club members ended up exceeding the club member GF allocation they'd probably introduce different levels of Social club membership. Like a gold social club membership (most expensive) gets you the GF guarantee plus all the rest while an ordinary one is just for the food, drink and aftermatch guests. That's the thing there's no knowing. The demand will be high so the Club can say stuff what we said and we'll now offer what brings in the most cash at the time.

[Francois Jackson]

This is the exact reason why i have 2 memberships. Double your chances gents i say

One a silver one soon to become a Full AFL member in 1-2 years and also a full RFC member for 11 years.

If it looked like we would make it i would upgrade my RFC membership pre season while at the same time having a great chance to get a grand final ticket with the AFL one.

My brother a keen Pies AFL member rolled up and grabbed a grand final with ease through a secluded ticketmaster store in our area.

No one is ever there so your pretty much guaranteed a ticket each and every time.

[Penelope]

Anyway I wonder what Consumer Affairs would think of this?

I wasn't going to call them, but then I've been thinking, why not?
Loyalty is a two-way street in my book!
I contacted the club on Twitter, and they referred me to the Bigfooty post.
No explanation, nothing, just the link
How appalling they have treated us!

When did you contact them via twitter FNM? It's RFC_O from the forums and all he is is a messenger. He doesnt make the decisions but is just a link between the supporters and those that do make the decisions.

Before you contact consumer affairs or such, wait and see if there is anything different from the club when they are all back at work?

Nothing is going to change between friday afternoon and monday morning.

[WilliamPowell]

You will find there wouild be cap on the Social Club

All the coterie memberships offer GF tickets as well.

So between the Coteries & Social Club there would be a cap to ensure they don't go over the limit that is allocated by the AFL