Membership Prices

[iigrover]

Whoever wasn't expecting a price hike this year is incredibly naive.

Annie, that statement is either deliberately mischievous or incredibly naive. The hike in ticket prices goes way, way beyond the typical annual increases that have occurred in the past. I?m being slugged an extra $105 this year - that's a joke!

I sit on the wing. I used to feel sorry for the people who sat on the same level as I in the Churchill (behind the goal posts) who paid the same price as me for their seat - it just wasn't fair.

When I first started attending Swans games I too sat practically behind the goals. Year after year, I ticketed the box on my ticket renewal form requesting a better seat. After twelve years of loyal membership and annually signing up new members I was rewarded with a good seat on the wing.

So unlike you, I dont feel sorry for the people who sit behind the goal. I was one of them once and through my loyal membership after many years I earned the right to have better seats - that's fair! Now the club wants to trade away my loyalty.

[laughingnome]

Members from 15 years ago (and more) have had the privilege of choosing the seats they want to sit in, simply because the SCG was 80% empty. Those who got their reserved seating got to choose where it is they had it, and I think it's a slap in the face to now give no regard for that. I for one liked my seats, and if the club thought about giving something back to members they should have thought about long-standing members keeping their seats at a continued price, regardless of the "class" they have been put in. I don't mind price rises, but to pay 50% more for the privilege is biting the hand that feeds you.

[AnnieH]

Annie, that statement is either deliberately mischievous or incredibly naive. The hike in ticket prices goes way, way beyond the typical annual increases that have occurred in the past. I?m being slugged an extra $105 this year - that's a joke!

When I first started attending Swans games I too sat practically behind the goals. Year after year, I ticketed the box on my ticket renewal form requesting a better seat. After twelve years of loyal membership and annually signing up new members I was rewarded with a good seat on the wing.

So unlike you, I dont feel sorry for the people who sit behind the goal. I was one of them once and through my loyal membership after many years I earned the right to have better seats - that's fair! Now the club wants to trade away my loyalty.

Busted. I like to stir the pot!! Seriously, I love my swannies and pretty much don't care how much they raise the prices (well, almost not care). I understand that it takes a lot of moolah to run a club, and that it's the members who supply most of that moolah. I only buy AFL branded merchandise so that a percentage of that money I spend goes back to the club. I rarely go to "other" games (except for Canberra and the away dawkers game) because I know that the money that I spend to buy a ticket goes into the coffers of the "opposition" (and we all know I like to put my money where my mouth is).

Wow .. to get my good seat on the wing, all I had to do was make a phone call (albeit years ago). Same thing when we wanted to change our seats at ANZ from the nose-bleeds to somewhere a lot closer to the action. The club are very accommodating when it comes to seat changes - moving one, two or three people is relatively easy ... moving 10 is considerably harder. The girls there do try their very best to accommodate.

Under what circumstances have you been slugged an extra $105?? Eg. your old "gold" seats are now "platinum" ... ?

I do feel sorry for the people who pay the same amount of money that I do and get a crap seat. Seriously, the club is right, that's not fair. I'm sorry if you can't see that.

[SwansFan1972]

I'm sure you don't care about the price Annie, you won your membership this year didn't you?

"I'll pay what she's paying" apologies to Meg Ryan ...

[givekidsakick]

Members from 15 years ago (and more) have had the privilege of choosing the seats they want to sit in, simply because the SCG was 80% empty. Those who got their reserved seating got to choose where it is they had it, and I think it's a slap in the face to now give no regard for that.

It isn't true that we got to choose our seats even if they are regarded as "good" seats. As season ticket holders we used to sit wherever we liked in the stand (there was a crossover fee from concourse} depending on how early you came. We used to sit in the northern end of the O'Reilly...and it was about the time that they stopped the kick to kick that we were forced to take & pay for reserved seating with individually numbered seating...no more freedom of movement.
And as for Annies comment that it is naive to not to expect price rises....no one really argues about rising ticket prices just the present outrageous 25% grab.
Further, just got off the phone with Amy Dale of the Tele and she said the club talked about some seats going up and price drops for the bronze....what a joke...2 small seating areas versus thousands of seats.
Its time for Colless and the oligarchy to go....

[AnnieH]

I'm sure you don't care about the price Annie, you won your membership this year didn't you?

"I'll pay what she's paying" apologies to Meg Ryan ...

Yes, but I'm thinking of buying another.

[hammo]

Membership is one source of revenue for the club but TV rights and corporate sponsorships would outweigh that amount.

The priority for the club should be to maintain the membership base, not take measures which could force many to walk away, particularly in the current environment of an economic downturn, years of less successful on-field performances and a second Sydney team.

In saying that I don't think I am affected personally by this (SCG memebrs reserve) but some of the increases to seem unreasonable.

[desredandwhite]

So that it's easier to visualise.. I have saved a copy of the SCG map with the affected areas. Red means prices have gone up. Green means prices have gone down. Grey indicates new stand or SCG Members'. What this map can't report on of course is how many "season ticket" holders there are, who are getting smacked harder than the rest of us.

Obviously I am not privy to the club's membership records, but you would think that they would have done their research on the number of affected people and made the changes accordingly.

Well, at least I hope so.

Anyway, it's going to be awesome - I'll have so much more space to myself up in the O'Reilly

[AussieAnge]

Just had a look at sydneyswans.com and the club has posted a poll in the following terms :
"Will you be part of the red and white family in 2009? Have you renewed your 2009 Sydney Swans membership yet?"
They then offer the following alternatives for you to choose from as your answers :
0 Yes definitely.
0 I'm just about to.
0 Not yet.

Colless & The Baron are still trying to colour the issue and not put a genuine set of alternative answers eg 0 NO!
Nor seek the views of the membership as to why people will not renew or what they actually feel about the issue. The poll is just another example of their bull@@@@ surveys.

Most surverys are a waste of time and effort. They can be tailored to give the responses you want.
I wonder if the club will contact non-renewing members to seek their opinions as to why they haven't renewed. I remember a few years back (prior to smart pay) the club enlisted the players to chase up the late renewers. A friend got a call from someone (think it may have been Frosty) to see if he was going to renew and he said he was waiting until Magic called to ask him.

[AnnieH]

Thanks for that Des ... makes it a whole lot clearer.

OK, I've gone through my Swans treasure chest and have pulled out as many of my old membership packs as I can find. This is how my prices have gone up over the years ...

The whole time I've been a member, my package has been "full club reserved" + premiership (when it came available). My reserved seat at the SGC is right on the 50m in the top deck of the Brewongle and at ANZ I sit behind the interchange.

1998 - $199 (11 games)
1999 - $239 (11 games)
2000 - $282 (12 games)
2001 - $308 (13 games)
2002 - $272 (13 games)
2003 - $317 (12 games)
2004 - $400 (12 games - premiership club)
2005 - $425 (11 games - premiership club)
2006 - $435 (12 games - premiership club)
2007 - Can't find the paperwork - I did Auto Smart Pay
2008 - I think it was about $485 (premiership club)
2009 - $545 (11 games - premiership club)

You can see why I expected a price rise. I factor it in every year, year after year after year.

If the guy who sits next to me doesn't pick up his membership for next year, I'll be picking it up for him (and probably trying to arrange with the club to include both seats in a platinum "family" package and get even better value for my money - I can take 2 x N&N's and an adult with me for every game).

[Cheer Squad]

1998 - $199 (11 games)
1999 - $239 (11 games)
2000 - $282 (12 games)
2001 - $308 (13 games)
2002 - $272 (13 games)
2003 - $317 (12 games)
2004 - $400 (12 games - premiership club)
2005 - $425 (11 games - premiership club)
2006 - $435 (12 games - premiership club)
2007 - Can't find the paperwork - I did Auto Smart Pay
2008 - I think it was about $485 (premiership club)
2009 - $545 (11 games - premiership club)

Premiership Club was introduced at the end of season 2004. What perfect timing for 2005!

[desredandwhite]

Premiership Club was introduced at the end of season 2004. What perfect timing for 2005!

Nope, it was the end of 2003. They brought it in because they got in a big panic when we unexpectedly got that home prelim after beating Port.

[pinkemu]

1998 - $199 (11 games)
1999 - $239 (11 games)
2000 - $282 (12 games)
2001 - $308 (13 games)
2002 - $272 (13 games)
2003 - $317 (12 games)
2004 - $400 (12 games - premiership club)
2005 - $425 (11 games - premiership club)
2006 - $435 (12 games - premiership club)
2007 - Can't find the paperwork - I did Auto Smart Pay
2008 - I think it was about $485 (premiership club)
2009 - $545 (11 games - premiership club)

You can see why I expected a price rise. I factor it in every year, year after year after year.

If the guy who sits next to me doesn't pick up his membership for next year, I'll be picking it up for him (and probably trying to arrange with the club to include both seats in a platinum "family" package and get even better value for my money - I can take 2 x N&N's and an adult with me for every game).

Yes, a fantastic argument, I'm sold, give me 3 Platinum, 2 Gold & a couple of those Silver and Bronze things to give poodles something to chew on at home.

Thread: Membership Prices

[undy]

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We'll now be cashing in on the discount superpass, and watching on TV. No comparison to being there of course, but we're happy to ride out 2009 and see if the club comes to its senses in 2010. With a global crisis in full swing, unemployment up and discretionary spending down, we might all be able to get in for $20 a game by then - perhaps even with train and bus tickets thrown in - a la the SwansLink days!

Thinking along those lines, if you are going to renew, you would want to leave it until after 19 December, so that they won't freeze your next year's price at the same rate as this year.

[pinkemu]

Thinking along those lines, if you are going to renew, you would want to leave it until after 19 December, so that they won't freeze your next year's price at the same rate as this year.

Agreed, Our group (what's left of it) is now going for Silver (not Red) in a particular part of the concourse. If we can't get the spot I will be in no hurry to re sign.