Your Involvement with the Club

[Bron]

It depends on your perspective, I guess.

I see it far less as a "service" and more of a "club". To me, a club is something that I can participate in and feel part of. This is the key differentiator.

For services (or products) I may happily spend a heap of money on various things, but in my mind it is clearly a transaction. I get value (services rendered, products) for the $$ that I spend. I may have some brand loyalty, but it's not much of an emotional experience.

In being part of a club, I have quite different expectations. I want to feel part of it. To me, this means knowing the people who are involved (fans, players, people who do things at the Club) and doing what I can to help. This is why I do daggy things like handing out pies at the night for the fans and writing encouragement to the players and much more fun things like going to all the functions that I can. I really enjoy the interaction with others that comes from being involved with various groups, e.g. RWO, Redbacks, SSI. As a result of these things, I always see someone I know at any function that I go to and that contributes to me feeling part of the Club. I have a number of pretty close friends and a wider group of new friends and acquaintances thanks to the Club.

Most people I know are aware of my commitment to the Swans and it's always a topic of conversation. I know of several people who have got interested and joined the club as a result of my enthusiasm. Also, many people always check results so that they can chat with me. In my business, when I do presentations or facilitate workshops, it's always a bit of an ice breaker.

Whatever the Redback membership is (neither I nor my husband can recall how much it is) it is money well spent and we never question the amount. It gives us our tickets to the game, tickets to the Guernsey presentation (which this year gave us the fabulous opportunity to meet Charles Edmondson, a truly inspirational man) and the Redbacks cocktail party which is specifically for Redback/player interaction (and as a result mix and chat with most of the players and actually feel that I'm not just another face in the crowd).

I have absolutely wonderful memories from my involvement with the Club .... Plugger's 1300, Luffy's last game, Kel & Dunk's last game (and the Choose Roos night), last year's B&F, meeting some bird in the Alex and deciding to go away to the Port Final the next weekend with her on the spur of the moment, the Port final last year (the weekend with Liz & Swannette as well as the game itself and the "after match"), giving a young player some encouragement (that was not much for us to do yet he still mentions it to us a few years later and always makes a point of coming to talk to us when he sees us) and our recent weekend in Melbourne.

It's draping my cats in red and white and making them watch the game.

There's been talk about life and death on here the last month or so, with the various passings of people. I said in the Wally tribute thread that no-one is gone whilst there are the memories. It is our memories and emotions that make us who we are and enrich our lives. For me, being able to feel that I am involved is why I am such a passionate Swans supporter. That's why, when my phone rings, I put off answering as long as I can so that I can hear that daggy song again - it brings a smile to my face and brings those memories and emotions to the fore.

OK, you asked the question on a night I was feeling mellow and just on my first glass of red ....... hope you don't mind the essay!

[CureTheSane]

I am a member.

I usually go to 60% of the games.
Sometimes I take my kids, sometimes I don't.

I go to fucntions sometimes (uaually with the kids)

I email the club sometimes, usually with regards to the stupid situation we have with the TV rights issues, and sometimes due to the fact that unless you have Fox Footy, you cannot hear or see the game live in Victoria.

I don't want members to be able to vote candidates to the board.
I resent the fact that some supporters consider themselves to me more important or more valuable than me.

I never go to the official site, because it's not really a Swans site, it's a Telstra regulated site.
Essendon are the only club with the balls to be their own entity.
I post here at RWO daily.
I came here to obtain Swans news without having to scour the net or buy papers. I hang around now for some of the insightful and differing opinions.

I wear Red and White to the games, and I don't cry if we lose.

It's a game of football.
It is my entertainment, not my way of life.

I hope we win a flag in my lifetime

[BAM_BAM]

WOW!

if I was able to quote enter response, quote enter response etc (yeah still learning this internet thing) I think almost all of you have answered this question for me.

I have not missed a home game since becomming a member and have travelled interstate a few times too. We've also been to a few functions that the club's held. Pricey? Yes! So I limit what I can go to, so I can also travel to see them play. Hubby makes sure of that, not sharing the same passion as I do (we share our loves so we get the best of both worlds)

I'm not sure that with the information I have at present I would feel trusted enough to elect a board member. Perhaps my down fall is not finding out enough about the club, but I also don"t want that responsiblity. I have enough in my life to worry about.

Though if I had the option to vote I would make sure it counted. Like I will in 6 weeks time.

Being a member of The Swans has opened up my world to the AFL that much more, although not as much as being a meber of RWO.

By belonging to to RWO I've met many people. Some who I am now honoured to call friends. Some of those have become very close friends and that I would not swap for anything. Even those of you I have not met but see post often are friends in that funny interent way.


So in answer to the poll, I go to the games and what ever else I can afford.

[blinddog]

Myself - I go to every home game - the family comes to most (nite games at Stadium oZ generally they don't come along). I attend the aftermatch functions and have noticed over the past few years that we are shafted with the lack of players coming thru.

But one of the best parts (besides watching the Swans win) is seeing my "football family" the guys and gals I only see during the season and we share a beer a three after a game upstairs in the Noble Stand. For me that is what being a fan is all about and one of reasons I dislike Satdium Oz. Infact having the last game of the season there ruins it for me.

On top of that I try to go to a function every year or two and try to get to an interstate game each year.

[Bart]

Originally posted by CureTheSane
It's a game of football.
It is my entertainment, not my way of life.

Nail. Head. I used to hate when my wife would say to me "It's only a game" when I came home in the dumps when we lost. But you know, she was right (Yes Dear!). When I became a parent for the first time, it totally changed my attitude to everything. Now losses don't bother me much, in fact I don't make many Sunday games now, as I'd rather spend the day with my kids. (They're a little bit too small for the footy yet)

[Bart]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
But I think RWO has done that more than the club has. I far prefer informal get-togethers like our now infamous pizza gatherings in Carlton and Clarendon St than big fancy song and dance spectactles. I like to talk with other supporters and to meet new people with a love for the club like me. I love the adventures I get up to on away trips, and wouldn't miss them for anything.

I was very lucky and nabbed tickets to the Club Best and Fairest and Team of the Century functions last year because the club held some tickets back for Cheer Squad members.

They are never the sort of thing I would do on my own accord though. Because by the season's end I'm broke. And would rather invest in a flight to Melbourne or whereever to support my team than mingle with the hoypolloy in a dinner suit and bow-tie over cocktails.

Still each to their own. I DID enjoy the Best & Fairest last year though. Was a real hoot. And I nabbed a couple of other people's food and got very drunk on free champagne.

I'd like think I help the club out in other ways. I have paid $150 out of my own pocket to have SA and QLD-based flagsticks so that I can just bring all the Cheer Squad flags interstate in a laundrimat bag. (Lucky I got the WA Supporters Club to buy their own!) For the first time we have had a proper Cheer Squad at EVERY away match in Australia. Has been back-breaking at times, but I'd have to say it is definitely worth it.

I help make the banners for at least every Sunday home match. For Saturday night home matches banner making is held on the Friday during the day, so I can't go. But I have often spent all Saturday with as little as one other person making the things. An ardous task, but as long as people don't argue whilst making it, one that is OK in the end. Naturally I help with the banner on match day as well.

JF

But JF, why do you need a vote to achieve these things? It sounds to me that the club has been good to you, and has rewarded you for your extreme loyalty by inviting you to these functions when the rest of us would pay.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by CureTheSane
It's a game of football.
It is my entertainment, not my way of life.

What a sensible man!! This is spot on for me too - sport is simply entertainment to me.

I'm passionate about whether we win or lose, but I don't let it consume me.

I really enjoy football as a game and I like to watch us and also watch other sides. I'm interested in the game and how it is played. I have little interest in what the players are doing in their own time.

From my perspective there are far more important things in life than sport.

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

From my perspective there are far more important things in life than sport.

wash ur mouth out with soap! :P

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Bart
But JF, why do you need a vote to achieve these things? It sounds to me that the club has been good to you, and has rewarded you for your extreme loyalty by inviting you to these functions when the rest of us would pay.

Mate, I was stoked to have been so lucky to have received these things. But it is not as if I don't put in a lot of free labour for this club throughout the year. But again that was a bonus. And was very happily received. I do not expect such things as given.

How you can link this to the Swans getting member voting rights is beyond me! Again you are insinuating that I have sinister motives and am out to feather my own nest. As everyone who knows me knows, I'm not.

I don't know why I bother replying to your constant barbs, I tell you.

JF

[Bart]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Mate, I was stoked to have been so lucky to have received these things. But it is not as if I don't put in a lot of free labour for this club throughout the year. But again that was a bonus. And was very happily received. I do not expect such things as given.

How you can link this to the Swans getting member voting rights is beyond me! Again you are insinuating that I have sinister motives and am out to feather my own nest. As everyone who knows me knows, I'm not.

I don't know why I bother replying to your constant barbs, I tell you.

JF

Wasn't meant to be a barb or insinuate anything. I have never suggested once that anyone was trying to feather their own nest.

I'm just saying if it ain't broken don't fix it. People's responses in this email suggest there are many ways to get invloved beyond going to the matah if that's what people want. No offence meant at all.