Permanent annual derby against Roos in Canberra

[undy]

Originally posted by jixygirl
It is disappointing that I might not be able to see Sydney play against North Melbourne in Melbourne, especially seeing that I couldn't travel to Canberra to see the game. I guess it's all part of barracking for an interstate team when you can only go to 5 games a year in the town you live in.

...and that's only if you live in Melbourne - if you lived in any other town you would have between 0 and 2 chances to see your interstate team. You do have it fairly good down there.

Just like to say how good it is that the Swans have such a following in Melbourne - for the players it must make the crowd at the 5,6 or 7 games down there not so intimidating.

Have fun tomorrow, wish I was there.

[BAM_BAM]

Originally posted by undy

Just like to say how good it is that the Swans have such a following in Melbourne - for the players it must make the crowd at the 5,6 or 7 games down there not so intimidating.

Have fun tomorrow, wish I was there.

I agree. On both counts

[Charlie]

Originally posted by undy
...and that's only if you live in Melbourne - if you lived in any other town you would have between 0 and 2 chances to see your interstate team. You do have it fairly good down there.

Just like to say how good it is that the Swans have such a following in Melbourne - for the players it must make the crowd at the 5,6 or 7 games down there not so intimidating.

Have fun tomorrow, wish I was there.

I'm asking for 7 games (don't know why you included 7 in your second paragraph... we haven't had seven for about 5 years now) every second year, with 6 in alternate years. Out of 10 games outside Sydney, if you worked it out on a percentage of club's home games to home cities, we'd end up with SEVEN! I'm only asking for a fair number based on the number of teams here.

To compare us to Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane is silly. There wouldn't be a tenth of the number of Swans fans in Adelaide that there are in Melbourne.

[undy]

Originally posted by Charlie
To compare us to Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane is silly. There wouldn't be a tenth of the number of Swans fans in Adelaide that there are in Melbourne.

That's your comparison, not mine.

Its a fact that fans of inter-state teams who live in Melbourne get to see their team more often than such fans in other cities and towns. I was in Melbourne for a year and I really appreciated that.

[scurrilous]

Originally posted by Angelic Upstart
The northern members need to realise that Adelaide, Brisbane, Freo and Port Adelaide all get more matches in Melbourne even though their Victorian supporter base is smaller and ties with Melbourne are a lot weaker than our club's. The northern members also need to realise that the perception down here is that the club couldn't care less about how many games it's Melbourne members get to see - all they're concerned about is which deal offers them the best financial advantage. Perhaps they believe they can take our loyalty and continued support for granted. But as Charlie and others are warning, they do that at their peril.

ROFLMAO Great reply Angel! My thoughts exactly.

I mean really this issue is such a joke. The club needs to look after the Melbourne supporter base which constitutes nearly a quarter of the total Sydney membership (guestimate only). It's really almost laughable. Take away the melb members and sydney is fighting a membership deathknell with the likes of the Doggies. Oh the humility.

[SXP]

Even Roosy is supporting our plea for more games in Melbourne. Check this article:

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=106753

[cos789]

Melbourne based supporters are missing the point .If you want more Melbourne games then make it financially impossible to ignore by supporting the Melbourne games .The only reason there is a Sydney is because of the lack for South Melbourne .The only reason the Kangas are playing outside of Melbourne is because of the lack of support for North Melbourne .This is the time to show support not withdraw support !

[liz]

Originally posted by cos789
Melbourne based supporters are missing the point .If you want more Melbourne games then make it financially impossible to ignore by supporting the Melbourne games .The only reason there is a Sydney is because of the lack for South Melbourne .The only reason the Kangas are playing outside of Melbourne is because of the lack of support for North Melbourne .This is the time to show support not withdraw support !

Fantastic response Cos!

[Damien]

Originally posted by lizz
Fantastic response Cos!

Second that motion!

[scurrilous]

Actually it's a very uneducated response which I thought Lizz would be able to comprehend a bit better.

I will reiterate...
Take away the melb members and sydney is fighting a membership deathknell with the likes of the Doggies. Oh the humility.

[liz]

On the contrary Scurrilous - read it again, it makes perfect sense.

In many ways you're fighting with the wrong people. Many (most even?) Sydney based supporters are very proud of the Melbourne-based tradition of the Swans and love the fact that we have such a strong supporter base in Melbourne. Nor do we deny the value of the Melbourne supporter base to the club. It would be fantastic if we got to play at least 6 games a year there.

But you won't get what you want by withdrawing your support. You lose "your" club and the AFL is vindicated and will no longer have any pressure to recognise the Swans heritage in your city.

Demand what you want by turning up to the few games in droves. Write to the AFL in numbers and tell them you want the chance to see your team play live. Tell the Swans what you think about the proposed shift of a Collingwood game to Sydney. But don't just go away and sulk!

[robbieando]

quote:
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Originally posted by cos789
Melbourne based supporters are missing the point .If you want more Melbourne games then make it financially impossible to ignore by supporting the Melbourne games .The only reason there is a Sydney is because of the lack for South Melbourne .The only reason the Kangas are playing outside of Melbourne is because of the lack of support for North Melbourne .This is the time to show support not withdraw support !
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Fantastic response Cos!

We do support the Melbourne games and we still make up a quarter of this clubs membership and that number could be even higher if membership equaled value for money, which it doesn't when all you get for paying an extra $40 is a bumper sticker and keyring.

To say the Swans moved North because of a lack of support is an insult to people like my father, who fought to save us going North. The club moved North because a lack of finance and the refusal of the then VFL to hand over ground development money owed to us.

Our average crowds and members were solid despite what you might think, it came down to poor club management which still effects this club today - but there is no talk of moving the club is there????

Stop thinking we are meaningless because we let our club move North

[Charlie]

Originally posted by cos789
Melbourne based supporters are missing the point .If you want more Melbourne games then make it financially impossible to ignore by supporting the Melbourne games .The only reason there is a Sydney is because of the lack for South Melbourne .The only reason the Kangas are playing outside of Melbourne is because of the lack of support for North Melbourne .This is the time to show support not withdraw support !

You're completely missing the point, and so are Liz and Damien.

We've been going to the games for 20 years. But the number of games each year just keeps going down... and down... and down.

There's a point where you just say "a membership gets me nowhere." Just what exactly does a Melbourne membership get you? You know how much it saves me? Approximately $3. Big deal.

[Gunn]

Originally posted by footyhead
Well I think that even if a third of the melbourne supporters left tommoroow (and they won't - Blood is thicker than water ), it would not really affect the club.
I can understand that you guys are upset, but it doesn't rally matter cos the club's future is in Sydney, it is a growing presence in Sydney ( and maybe even brisbane and canberra too ) that will enable the club to get more sponsorship and membership dollars, not melbourne. It's just a fact of life for us melbourne bred supportors.
Stop winging and forget about threatening the club with your rehtoric, it wont work.

As I have said elsewhere I am not going to threaten the club with my rhetoric. I shall just not give them any more money.

[footyhead]

LOOK I REALLY DO SYMPATHISE WITH YOU GUYS IN MELBOURNE, BUT i LIVE IN AMERICA AND i FIND IT A BIT TOUGH AS WELL.