MELBOURNE supporters have often been branded as ‘passive’ or ‘fair weather’, especially when it comes to membership.
The raw numbers tell a very different story though.
Statistics reveal that Melbourne supporters are actually the most likely in the AFL to purchase a membership with their club.
According to Morgan Research, Melbourne Football Club has around 200,000 supporters nationally.
In 2010, 17 per cent of those supporters purchased a membership with the Club.
The raw numbers tell a very different story though.
Statistics reveal that Melbourne supporters are actually the most likely in the AFL to purchase a membership with their club.
According to Morgan Research, Melbourne Football Club has around 200,000 supporters nationally.
In 2010, 17 per cent of those supporters purchased a membership with the Club.
Compare that to Collingwood and Essendon, who according to the same research, have about 750,000 supporters nationally yet only convert about six per cent of those to members.
This is a comforting statistic for our club, and our supporters should be congratulated for their financial support - however, it does illustrate what is, arguably, the number one challenge for our club.
There is a critical need for the Club to increase its supporter base, not just for membership potential but to appeal to sponsors, to fill stadiums on match days and to buy more merchandise. Almost every revenue opportunity the Club has could - and would - be enhanced by a larger supporter base.
The Club is blessed with the name of the city, but also cursed with the fact that there is not an obvious community for us to nurture our supporters from. Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton - in fact, all other Clubs - have all grown out of a suburb or community. Our club effectively grew out of a stadium.
The Club has not achieved the ultimate success - a premiership - since the 1960s.
This is a comforting statistic for our club, and our supporters should be congratulated for their financial support - however, it does illustrate what is, arguably, the number one challenge for our club.
There is a critical need for the Club to increase its supporter base, not just for membership potential but to appeal to sponsors, to fill stadiums on match days and to buy more merchandise. Almost every revenue opportunity the Club has could - and would - be enhanced by a larger supporter base.
The Club is blessed with the name of the city, but also cursed with the fact that there is not an obvious community for us to nurture our supporters from. Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton - in fact, all other Clubs - have all grown out of a suburb or community. Our club effectively grew out of a stadium.
The Club has not achieved the ultimate success - a premiership - since the 1960s.
Compare that to Essendon and Hawthorn, both of whom can lay claim to a flag in nearly every decade.
On field success is not the only ingredient involved in growing the supporter base, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
If there isn’t a parochial parent in the house urging a child to support a particular club and sometimes even if there is, kids’ default position tends to be to follow winners and champion players.
Stories exist of a disproportionate number of children turning up to Victorian based Auskick clinics in the early 2000s in Brisbane jumpers and, in the last couple of years, children who aren’t necessarily Hawthorn supporters have replied ‘Buddy Franklin’ when asked which club they support.
Hopefully, that will change to the likes of Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts and Tom Scully before too long.
Our club is determined to address the number of supporters we have, however, new supporters are hard to come by and starting with kids is very much a long term strategy.
Our team in the Community Department have a strong focus through their programs on 4-7 year olds through the ‘Kinder Kick’ program, and an increased presence at Auskick, especially in the City of Casey.
We continue to explore international student programs and those new to Victoria from other states and other countries.
We continue to offer four free junior memberships with every family membership that is purchased, and offer full paying MCC/MFC members the chance to nominate a junior member for free.
There are many strategies in place to grow our supporter base.
Hopefully, these strategies will be complemented by on field success in the near future.
In the short term, if you have children, make sure they support Melbourne.
And, if a new person arrives at your workplace or in your neighbourhood from overseas or interstate, get them on the Red and Blue bandwagon!
On field success is not the only ingredient involved in growing the supporter base, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
If there isn’t a parochial parent in the house urging a child to support a particular club and sometimes even if there is, kids’ default position tends to be to follow winners and champion players.
Stories exist of a disproportionate number of children turning up to Victorian based Auskick clinics in the early 2000s in Brisbane jumpers and, in the last couple of years, children who aren’t necessarily Hawthorn supporters have replied ‘Buddy Franklin’ when asked which club they support.
Hopefully, that will change to the likes of Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts and Tom Scully before too long.
Our club is determined to address the number of supporters we have, however, new supporters are hard to come by and starting with kids is very much a long term strategy.
Our team in the Community Department have a strong focus through their programs on 4-7 year olds through the ‘Kinder Kick’ program, and an increased presence at Auskick, especially in the City of Casey.
We continue to explore international student programs and those new to Victoria from other states and other countries.
We continue to offer four free junior memberships with every family membership that is purchased, and offer full paying MCC/MFC members the chance to nominate a junior member for free.
There are many strategies in place to grow our supporter base.
Hopefully, these strategies will be complemented by on field success in the near future.
In the short term, if you have children, make sure they support Melbourne.
And, if a new person arrives at your workplace or in your neighbourhood from overseas or interstate, get them on the Red and Blue bandwagon!
