CHIEF executive Cameron Schwab looks at the club’s developments since rejoining Melbourne in 2008 and talks about the Demons now being ‘In the game’
It’s been almost two years since you rejoined Melbourne as chief executive. Where do you think the club’s now at since 2008?
CS: It’s an interesting phase because we’re coming out of one stage of our strategy. The first thing we talked about is that we had to become a competitive club in the competition again. That was across all dimensions and I know Dean [Bailey] talks about that as a football team - the notion of being competitive.
What have been the most important developments since you’ve been at the club?
CS: We saw stage one of our development … whether it was our membership, our attendances or the way our games were broadcast, the quality of our community programs or even the development of our community programs. We needed to get ourselves to the quality of an AFL club and measure it across those dimensions against any other AFL club. And our new facilities were part of that. The next stage and strategy that we’ve talked about is what we’ve called ‘In the game’.
Can you explain ‘In the game’?
CS: ‘In the game’ is half-time in a game of AFL football. You don’t want to be 10 goals down. And last weekend’s game was a bit of an example of that. We were more in the game than we looked. It took seven goals in a row to get us back in the game and that’s why Dean spoke openly about our starts.
Do you believe Melbourne is ‘In the game’ at the moment?
CS: We’re progressing to the next phases a bit quicker than what we thought. I believe we’re the fifth highest home ground attendances in the AFL, at this stage, which is terrific. It shows growth and we get numbers from a company called Repucom, which does all of our sponsorship analysis. We’re almost 150 per cent up from this time last year - that’s massive. So for Hankook, Kaspersky and Volvo and companies, who are part of our uniform - they’re receiving that benefit. That comes from improved team performance and is part of a proactive media campaign, working really closely with broadcasters. Our coach is prepared to make himself available and the playing group is prepared to make themselves available - to grow the club’s profile and therefore the profile of our sponsors. We’ve also got terrific community programs, which are now starting to build. So what does that actually mean? It means: we’re in the game as a club.
And do you think the side is also ‘In the game’?
CS: Most people would say our team is on track and we’re now at a stage where we can almost look forward at every level, knowing there is nothing that can stop us going to the next step.
How has the new AAMI Park facility helped Melbourne become ‘In the game’?
CS: Perhaps the last phase of that was going to our new training facilities. It would be very difficult for instance to put pressure on our new conditioning group to have world’s best practice when we’re operating at the Junction Oval - there’s too many contradictions for that to happen. So from that point of view, that was the last phase where we can now say yes we are.
You’re passionate about the club’s heritage. How important has heritage been in reinvigorating the club?
CS: The area that we started with is the heritage-related issues and by really working hard on the heritage, we’ll now be in a position to launch our new emblem, because it’s going to be very much related to that. The other areas that have been built on have been the AFL, the MCC and government, which is all very important.
Do you now believe long-term sustainability is realistic for the club?
CS: The most pleasing this at this stage is that we’ve made progress in all of the areas that are critical to building something, which can sustain itself over a long period of time.
It’s been almost two years since you rejoined Melbourne as chief executive. Where do you think the club’s now at since 2008?
CS: It’s an interesting phase because we’re coming out of one stage of our strategy. The first thing we talked about is that we had to become a competitive club in the competition again. That was across all dimensions and I know Dean [Bailey] talks about that as a football team - the notion of being competitive.
What have been the most important developments since you’ve been at the club?
CS: We saw stage one of our development … whether it was our membership, our attendances or the way our games were broadcast, the quality of our community programs or even the development of our community programs. We needed to get ourselves to the quality of an AFL club and measure it across those dimensions against any other AFL club. And our new facilities were part of that. The next stage and strategy that we’ve talked about is what we’ve called ‘In the game’.
Can you explain ‘In the game’?
CS: ‘In the game’ is half-time in a game of AFL football. You don’t want to be 10 goals down. And last weekend’s game was a bit of an example of that. We were more in the game than we looked. It took seven goals in a row to get us back in the game and that’s why Dean spoke openly about our starts.
Do you believe Melbourne is ‘In the game’ at the moment?
CS: We’re progressing to the next phases a bit quicker than what we thought. I believe we’re the fifth highest home ground attendances in the AFL, at this stage, which is terrific. It shows growth and we get numbers from a company called Repucom, which does all of our sponsorship analysis. We’re almost 150 per cent up from this time last year - that’s massive. So for Hankook, Kaspersky and Volvo and companies, who are part of our uniform - they’re receiving that benefit. That comes from improved team performance and is part of a proactive media campaign, working really closely with broadcasters. Our coach is prepared to make himself available and the playing group is prepared to make themselves available - to grow the club’s profile and therefore the profile of our sponsors. We’ve also got terrific community programs, which are now starting to build. So what does that actually mean? It means: we’re in the game as a club.
And do you think the side is also ‘In the game’?
CS: Most people would say our team is on track and we’re now at a stage where we can almost look forward at every level, knowing there is nothing that can stop us going to the next step.
How has the new AAMI Park facility helped Melbourne become ‘In the game’?
CS: Perhaps the last phase of that was going to our new training facilities. It would be very difficult for instance to put pressure on our new conditioning group to have world’s best practice when we’re operating at the Junction Oval - there’s too many contradictions for that to happen. So from that point of view, that was the last phase where we can now say yes we are.
You’re passionate about the club’s heritage. How important has heritage been in reinvigorating the club?
CS: The area that we started with is the heritage-related issues and by really working hard on the heritage, we’ll now be in a position to launch our new emblem, because it’s going to be very much related to that. The other areas that have been built on have been the AFL, the MCC and government, which is all very important.
Do you now believe long-term sustainability is realistic for the club?
CS: The most pleasing this at this stage is that we’ve made progress in all of the areas that are critical to building something, which can sustain itself over a long period of time.
