30,000 members here we come
. Hey we might make a profit this year
.
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Business booms at Tigerland
1:50:42 PM Thu 27 January, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal
The excitement generated by Terry Wallace's appointment as coach is translating into a big membership boost for Richmond providing the Tigers with some much-needed extra revenue.
After the disastrous 2004 season in which the club not only finished on the bottom but also declared a financial loss of just under $2.2 million, the Tigers are riding a wave of optimism just weeks before they kick off the Wizard Home Loans Cup against Collingwood on February 18.
Richmond chief executive said the appointment of Wallace, who lifted the Western Bulldogs from 15th to a preliminary final in his first full season in charge back in 1997, had been well-received by Tigers' fans.
Wright said the Tigers' ticketed membership was already up five per cent on this time last year while non-ticketed membership - packages that admit to less than five games a season - were up 11 per cent.
And reserved seat sales for home games were also up five per cent compared to 2004.
Wright said the result was even more pleasing considering the Tigers released their membership packages much later this year.
"We went on the market five weeks later but in three weeks we had caught last year's figures," he told Sportal.
"We are very pleased, our membership is strong and with our Wizard Cup game against Collingwood coming up we expect to ramp it up even further."
The Tigers' had just over 27,000 members last year and will be hoping to push that number up towards 30,000 in 2005.
Wright said the club's major sponsors such as the Transport Accident Commission, Motorola and Connex had also re-signed with the club while Silvertop Taxis have just signed on as an additional sponsor.
And as part of that deal, the Tigers will wear a silver jumper during the Wizard Cup.
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=183497
