Sydney ad campaign

[Cheer Squad]

BigPond Video

Who is the club targeting with these ads? It sounds like they're either preaching to the converted or trying to retrieve lapsed members.

Whose idea was it to include Iemma, one of the most unpopular premiers we're ever had in NSW?

"What are you prepared to do for the Swans?" - it sounds more like a cry for help from the club than a call to action for new members.

Stars fortuitously align for Swans' fan-only ads - realfooty.com.au

Maybe this explains it. From the figures quoted in this article, we seem to have dropped a few thousand members in Sydney.

Maybe those price hikes at this point in time weren't such a good idea.

[AnnieH]

Hatley drove 33,000 Kms.

Jeez son ... I hope you took the company car!!

[ScottH]

And Kenny was at the 1933 GF?? wow.

[AnnieH]

And Kenny was at the 1933 GF?? wow.

How old do you reckon Kenny is?


"As old as the woman he's feeling" is not the answer boys!!

[iigrover]

The same age as Hatley's car??

[Cheer Squad]

Hatley drove 33,000 Kms.

Jeez son ... I hope you took the company car!!

Talk about a carbon footprint!

[ScottH]

How old do you reckon Kenny is?


"As old as the woman he's feeling" is not the answer boys!!

Eeeewwww

At least 75-76.

[SwansFan1972]

BigPond Video

Who is the club targeting with these ads? It sounds like they're either preaching to the converted or trying to retrieve lapsed members.

Whose idea was it to include Iemma, one of the most unpopular premiers we're ever had in NSW?

"What are you prepared to do for the Swans?" - it sounds more like a cry for help from the club than a call to action for new members.

Stars fortuitously align for Swans' fan-only ads - realfooty.com.au

Maybe this explains it. From the figures quoted in this article, we seem to have dropped a few thousand members in Sydney.

Maybe those price hikes at this point in time weren't such a good idea.

Quotes from Baron Hay in the RealFooty article ...

Baron-Hay said the the completion of the SCG redevelopment had enabled the club to pursue memberships sales more aggressively. "With the reduced capacity during construction we didn't have the ability to increase membership greatly and still provide access to casual ticketholders, but we've clearly got the room to do that now," he said.

This is only an issue if there was a waiting list to join - memberships were available to anyone who wanted one during the redevelopment. That should have been a pretty strong clue that there wasn't a long line of casual supporters beating a path to join.

However, the club will hope the advertisements have an immediate impact, with the Swans having sold 17,000 Sydney memberships less than four weeks before their first match here (against Hawthorn at ANZ Stadium on April 4) and struggling to match last year's figure, let alone achieve an increase.

This is a no brainer. The application of the new pricing structure, which gave some people a small discount and others a massive price hike is directly responsible for the fall away in members.

Baron-Hay said he believed the economic conditions were having an impact on membership sales as well as corporate support but the Swans were confident of increasing their membership over the next few years.

Coupled with ridiculous price hikes, the economic environment is the icing on the cake, but trying to say it is the cake is a joke really. The elephant in the room is that the pricing structure was a disaster (it reduced revenue marginally from some supporters, who would have signed on anyway, and pushed others away by raising their prices by 40%).

And being confident of increasing their membership in the next few years? I guess blind faith is as good as any. On what basis can there be ANY confidence about memberships increasing in the next few years? The membership has taken a hit this year (largely of the club's making), so I guess they will be coming off a relatively low base. I suppose having a really low bar to start with means the club won't have to jump very high to clear it - but even that seems like it will be quite a challenge.

[j s]

Hatley drove 33,000 Kms.

Jeez son ... I hope you took the company car!!

Novated Lease I believe. It was in 2005 The car was new at the start of the season. It was a Holden Vectra which caused some mirth at the Cub Dinner when Pete received a special supporter award ironically sponsored by City Ford.

I clocked up roughly the same miles that year but some 30,000 ft higher and I didn't have to listen to Pete's music collection.

[Cardinal]

Sorry to ever so slightly divert off topic but I swear I saw Hatley (only just found out his name) with an awesome white satin swan's supporters flag with gold tassles along its edge - anyone familiar with such an item that may or may not exist ??

[jono2707]

[QUOTE=AnnieH;428671]How old do you reckon Kenny is?

Only slightly older than some of the guys on our list....

[connolly]

And being confident of increasing their membership in the next few years? I guess blind faith is as good as any. On what basis can there be ANY confidence about memberships increasing in the next few years? The membership has taken a hit this year (largely of the club's making), so I guess they will be coming off a relatively low base. I suppose having a really low bar to start with means the club won't have to jump very high to clear it - but even that seems like it will be quite a challenge.

Apparently these clowns don't read the economy. We are probably headed for a five to ten year depression. And these idiots increased prices and expect that membership will grow whilst the crazy gang in Melbourne impose a new club in the western suburbs. We need effective drug testing for club CEO's as well as players.

[bandwagon]

off topic - does anyone know when the current AFL/television sponsorship deal runs out? I'm pretty sure the club gets more income from its share of this than memberships. Hope we have no debt!

[Old Royboy]

Despite the gloomy economic situation, there is still plenty of interest from Sydneysiders in the Swans.

I changed jobs in the off season, and for the first time in 8 years am in an office environment. A short chat with one lady in my immediate group prompted her to buy her hubby a membership as a Christmas present. In my group of 10, no less than four others have expressed interest in coming to a game. Those four are one Aussi, a Kiwi, a Sri Lankan and a Philo cross Italian. (typical Sydney X section!)

I can accommodate this because I have a non reserved Noble Stand (Red Zone) membership, so I can use visitors passes to get them in and introduce them to the game. If the product is good and they enjoy it, they are all potential Swans fans. Mind, I will be careful not to bring them to games against clubs like St Kilda or Adelaide ? because the product could well be crap and turn them off for good.

But most cannot do this because having a reserved seat restricts the ability of members to bring friends and introduce them to the game. I know I said it before, but the expanded capacity of the SCG gave the opportunity to sell reasonably priced ?non reserved? memberships in either the concourse or the Trumper Stand. That would have reduced the bleeding of membership numbers, but more importantly given many more Swans members the opportunity to bring newbies to see our game.

Advertising may bring some more members, but the effect will be limited by dumb and greedy membership policy.

[573v30]

off topic - does anyone know when the current AFL/television sponsorship deal runs out? I'm pretty sure the club gets more income from its share of this than memberships. Hope we have no debt!

I think the current deal runs out after the 2011 season.