Membership Prices
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Well you've gotta look after the shareholders
Wardy went to one of the focus groups can't remember her mentioning the delightful nibblies on offer.Bring it on!Comment
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Daily Tele-a-lie P112 Sat...Membership fees...
Have a look Daily Tell-a-lie P.112 Saturday (today) story by Amy Dale that "sydneysiders" are getting a good deal on their memberships quoting NRL, Waratahs and SWANS.(Story on site page as well).The main story says that memberships are being kept at 2008 levels and says that one NRL club has dropped membership from $195 to $95. The story implies the SWANS are keeping at 2008 levels. Could someone with better computer skills find and post the story here. Expose the lie!Comment
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Kirky is everything you want in a Captain
'To my band of brothers; we are a team of warriors' - Brett Kirk
Amon the Cannon!Comment
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well we have made our decision...going for bronze..its all we require to watch the game....plus couldnt see value in paying extra $$$$$$$Comment
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At this stage, it means that the Swans' perception of the price-sensitivity of their members is different to some RWOers' perception of the price-sensitvity, based on a small sample.
It is entirely possible that they are quite confident they have a handle on it, and are prepared to lose a few members (or alternatively offer those members a shift to cheaper seats) because they believe most in the platinum seats will renew, whether happily or not, will generate more revenue in the process, and that they will be better able to offer premium packages to potential members who want to sit in the vacated premium seats.
Who knows whose perception is right. The club will, no doubt, find out in due course.
Regardless of what motivated the changes, I can't help but think the timing of all of this is woeful, and that the impact of changes is far too disparate to be justified. Sure, some members are seeing reduced prices (and they will keep quiet or offer praise), while some members will pay a bit more (and they will grumble a bit and stump up the extra). That is essentially what the club told everyone would be happening. But they sure didn't mention that there would be a significant swathe out there who are being asked to pay an additional 40-80% for their seats. For them - and surprise surprise, that includes me - the price hike is unconscionable.
Yes, we are mostly season ticket holders (which in the eyes of some, means we are lesser beings than full club members) and many would be families. For those holders, price sensitivity would be at its highest, and the "benefits" of full membership for them was clearly negligible/non-existent. With children involved, the lure of after match functions is nil (particularly at night - in fact, keeping the kids out could be considered a service of sorts to the full members who do value that benefit), and the premiership club and priority GF tickets were not really important to them either. The abolition of this category hurts the people who can least afford it, and also takes a whack at children in particular, who were mostly seated in concourse seating.
That may have been assessed by the club as being acceptable in its grand plan, but if so, then they understand little about what makes a footy club special and important to its supporters. I have followed this club since a friend dragged a very unwilling rugby league fan to the early season game against Essendon in 1996. It was a Friday night, there were around 5,000 people scattered around like the last few peas in a can, and we watched a great game I barely understood end in a 90-90 draw after the Swans were 20 odd points down in the last and James Hird sprayed a shot in the dying seconds. Since then I've seen them play at every AFL ground except Subiaco, recieved my ten year pin, sobbed in joy at their finest wins and sobbed in heartbreak at their toughest losses. I've signed on two godsons and a nephew immediately after each was born and we delight in watching the games and cheering like nuts together every second weekend. We thought it would be a formality it would all happen again in 2009, but probably it won't.
It may well be as Liz quoted earlier - the club has identified how to maximise profits from its seats (and they took a calculated decision to risk burning season ticket holders in particular, and a few affected others), but the strategy they have embarked on can be easily exposed as being fraught with risk - even without access to internal club research and information.
The price rises and falls have obviously been engineered to eke out extra money from those whose passion and capacity to pay will result in them renewing in the higher yield (platinum and gold) seats. No problem there - the club should go for it, acccepting of course that there is essentially a limit for nearly everyone and they should be careful not to hit it. For those who choose not to renew, they have the option of downgrading by price and location, or not renewing at all. Simple, clear, obvious.
Of whatever number decide to change or bailout - and it really doesn't matter what the ultimate split is - the end result is that there will be an across the board shift into lower priced areas, (platinum to gold, gold to silver, silver to red zone etc) and a potential flood into the red zone (which has to be the club's lowest yielding membership category - it is, after all, the cheapest - apart from the club's cynical two lousy bay "bronze" category).
All this downward pressure will do is free up higher yielding seats (the only question is how many) - but who for? Where are the replacement members (or walk up on the day buyers) going to come from? Unless the Swans have some secret dossier identifiying a previously untapped groundswell of support for them in Sydney, I can't see where a raft of people (with a newly discovered desire to sign up for either a platinum membership, or be happy to pay $80 or so for a one off platimum seat) will come from. Those people just don't exist. The vast majority of Sydneysiders don't come to games and we know unequivocally from the TV ratings they sure don't sit at home watching it and wishing they were at the ground!
What offering amongst the membership prospectus will be attractive to those people? They aren't going to know if the price on offer in 2009 is a bargain or a bust compared to 2008, so how will they be hooked?
So, at the risk of alienating price sensitive members, creating the grumbles amongst those who stick and pay the rise, and possibly oversubscribing the red zone with people who were quite happy to pay a bit less (but will howl in outrage when the house full shutters go up an hour before the game), the club hopes to pull in a few more platinums for the season or just for the night. Is this truly the grand strategy for growing the membership base in these troubling economic times that some overpriced consultant came up with?! I hope they didn't pay him too much, but if the prospectus/IPO document is anything to go by, we can bet there is one very happy cheshire cat out there somewhere pleased with his work.
As of last week we were certain we (and an adjacent family) would be cancelling our memberships - eight seats in the O'Reilly concourse. We figured we could pick up the ANZ super pass or the 2009 equivalent for a relative song (as in 2008) and we would pick a handful of games at the SCG to go to. Eight fully subscribed seats reduced to a bargain ANZ ticket and a couple of family passes to a three or so games at the SCG. I sure hope the club can sell our old seats at a handy profit during the season, but figure they might struggle a little bit, since they are rated the equivalent of some Trumper and Bradman stand seats.
A separate issue is the pathetic handling of the membership package mailouts. Given there is likely to be a massive number of one off seat reallocation requests (compared to previous seasons), it is patently unfair that some members receive their packages two weeks before others. But I digress!
All in all, we still love the team and we hope they have a great season. But the club has effectively spurned us, and it hurts, in the chase for people who didn't care enough to be there already. As an excercise in customer relations, I think a "how not to" book could ultimately be written about it.Comment
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anyway - doubt I will be asked on one of those things again - I'm a bit too vocal!
I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure..................
Chickens drink - but they don't pee!
AGE IS ONLY IMPORTANT FOR TWO THINGS - WINE & CHEESE!Comment
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(mind you there are a crowd who always sit in the SCG members and ladies who get there even before we do.!!)
I'm not going to rush next year seeing as our seat minding numbers have dwindled from 8 to 4. (and of course I'm hopeful that QBE mightl invite me again to a few nights in the box like they did this year)
I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure..................
Chickens drink - but they don't pee!
AGE IS ONLY IMPORTANT FOR TWO THINGS - WINE & CHEESE!Comment
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No doubt there would have been lots of discussion within the club about this whole membership restructure, but it seems to me there have been significant issues either glossed over, ignored or taken on board knowing they would be fairly unpopular, but the club was happy to bear the risk.
Regardless of what motivated the changes, I can't help but think the timing of all of this is woeful, and that the impact of changes is far too disparate to be justified. Sure, some members are seeing reduced prices (and they will keep quiet or offer praise), while some members will pay a bit more (and they will grumble a bit and stump up the extra). That is essentially what the club told everyone would be happening. But they sure didn't mention that there would be a significant swathe out there who are being asked to pay an additional 40-80% for their seats. For them - and surprise surprise, that includes me - the price hike is unconscionable.
cat out there somewhere pleased with his work.
As of last week we were certain we (and an adjacent family) would be cancelling our memberships - eight seats in the O'Reilly concourse. We figured we could pick up the ANZ super pass or the 2009 equivalent for a relative song (as in 2008) and we would pick a handful of games at the SCG to go to. Eight fully subscribed seats reduced to a bargain ANZ ticket and a couple of family passes to a three or so games at the SCG. I sure hope the club can sell our old seats at a handy profit during the season, but figure they might struggle a little bit, since they are rated the equivalent of some Trumper and Bradman stand seats.
A separate issue is the pathetic handling of the membership package mailouts. Given there is likely to be a massive number of one off seat reallocation requests (compared to previous seasons), it is patently unfair that some members receive their packages two weeks before others. But I digress!
All in all, we still love the team and we hope they have a great season. But the club has effectively spurned us, and it hurts, in the chase for people who didn't care enough to be there already. As an excercise in customer relations, I think a "how not to" book could ultimately be written about it.
Even though I'm one who's membership fee has actually reduced a little - but I feel for all those who have been hit with a huge price hike - and during these uneasy economic times it is a bit of a slap in the face really. Sure the Club have done their sums, but sometimes sums dont add up. In this instance they are trading on people's faith and loving "relationship" (if you like) with the club. However, like some relationships they turn sour and I think this is one such relationship that is going to take a long time to repair.I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure..................
Chickens drink - but they don't pee!
AGE IS ONLY IMPORTANT FOR TWO THINGS - WINE & CHEESE!Comment
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No doubt there would have been lots of discussion within the club about this whole membership restructure, but it seems to me there have been significant issues either glossed over, ignored or taken on board knowing they would be fairly unpopular, but the club was happy to bear the risk.
etc
While I can see where the club is coming from in its membership restructures, the decision to abolish the season ticket only option does seem a bit unfortunate, particularly given the timing. FWIW I think the overall timing of these changes is driven by the opening of the new stand and its just unfortunate that it's coincided with the economic downturn. But never again (well, until they knock down the next stand, anyway) is the club going to able to relocate members on mass so if they were going to make this change it had to be now.
But abolition of the season ticket only option - or the squeezing into the two bays of bronze seats, depending on how you look at it - does seem like one step too far. MBH will probably read your post anyway but maybe you should email it to him too, and see if its not too late to reinstate a season ticket option for those for whom full membership is not an option at the moment.Comment
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It will be interesting to see where the club and the SCG Trust relocate their respective members when the Bradman/Noble Stands eventually get redeveloped.
With the Swans effectively bumping up the 'Red Zone' membership with their pricing strategies elsewhere in the ground, the job has become even harder.
Has the top deck of the Trumper become a reserved area option for members? (I haven't received my package yet) If not, perhaps that is being left as an area for walkups until they need to use it to accommodate those currently in the Bradman/Noble Stands.Driver of the Dan Hannebery bandwagon....all aboard. 4th April 09Comment
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Face it, you people love a bitch!!!
The price was always going up, just a matter of how much.
How the hell are they going to pay for the new stands????
Could be a lot worse, we could have beer tax.
O wait we do: $5.60 for a calton draught!!!!
We will be bitching about this all year.doof-doofComment
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Thanks Liz - I found your posts impressive too - and generally the blog is pretty sensible and high quality!
Triple B - yes - the top stand of the Trumper is reserved - half Gold (towards the posts) and half platinum (towards the wing/50m arc).
Further to the stand demolition issue, there is a reprieve of sorts for people in the Bradman/Noble Stands. Today's Real Footy, (in a report on the AFL's plans to redevelop the Sydney Showground for West Sydney), mentions in passing that the SCG Trust has delayed any upgrade until they can source funding. Given the current economic climate, those stands should be safe until around 2013 at least!
.... "Meanwhile, the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust has put its $94 million plan to demolish and replace the ageing Bradman and MA Noble Stands on hold until it can secure funding.
The trust had hoped to begin tearing down the stands early next year so it could redevelop the space before England comes to Australia for the Ashes series in 2010-11."Comment
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It will be interesting to see where the club and the SCG Trust relocate their respective members when the Bradman/Noble Stands eventually get redeveloped.
With the Swans effectively bumping up the 'Red Zone' membership with their pricing strategies elsewhere in the ground, the job has become even harder.
Has the top deck of the Trumper become a reserved area option for members? (I haven't received my package yet) If not, perhaps that is being left as an area for walkups until they need to use it to accommodate those currently in the Bradman/Noble Stands.
Got my membership book today, and looking at $300 or $385 upgrade to the Premiership Club. (Is the Premiership "gift", plus guarenteed GF tickets if the Swans make it wrth the extra $85???)Premiers 09,18,33,05
"You Irish Twit", Quote attributed to a RWO member who shall remain nameless.Comment
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