FOOT-e TIMES RD 22 EDITORIAL - Time To Reward Loyalty

Following is this weeks FOOT-e TIMES SA Editorial. Is this a fair thing for SANFL CLUB members to expect?

TIME TO REWARD LOYALTY

With the major round approaching, the SANFL announced last Monday that all finals will revert to a Sunday schedule with all games to be played at AAMI Stadium.

Playing SANFL games in a major stadium provides a very different environment to what we see during a normal weekend at suburban grounds, especially for SANFL club members.

All through the summer and pre-season clubs work very hard to grow club membership especially home and season ticket holders where almost all money received is kept by the club providing them with a key source of income.

Yet at the business end of year, having paid their money up front, this loyalty is forgotten and club members receive the exact same seating treatment as someone off the street.

In a nutshell if you are not an AAMI Stadium M ember (ie pay for a ticket to go 11 or 22 AFL games) or you don’t know one then you cannot sit on the western grandstand wing, the prime viewing area in the stadium.

Instead you are relegated to the pockets, behind the goals or facing the sun on the Eastern wing.

As SANFL crowds decline and the battle to retain let alone grow club membership intensifies, I would like to propose a different approach

Put simply if you are a SANFL club Home Match or Season Ticket holder you should be entitled to buy guest passes (say 4 adults, unlimited kids) for the AAMI Stadium Members Reserve.

It’s not like there is a space issue in the Members area and logistically it should be very easy to implement at little to no cost.

All SANFL club members would need to do is show their home match or season ticket at the members ticket box and pay for their tickets.

I am not asking that SANFL club members get free entry, just that they have access to the prime viewing area that their club membership should entitle them to.

It present’s a wonderful opportunity to reward loyal SANFL club supporters and promote a great message that it pays to be a SANFL club member.

See you at the SANFL.

Phil Herden
FOOT-e TIMES SA

Not much wrong in that proposal Phil. Anything to secure more club members and have more incentives during the finals series can only be positive.

Excellent post Phil,hope someone hears your words.

‘PhilH’, what you are proposing will encourage bigger, happier, healthier crowds.
It is long overdue, as well as being fair, reasonable, intelligent and sane.
Therefore, with the current officials, it has very little chance of becoming SANFL policy.

PhilH,
over the last few years after giving up my footy park members ticket i've just gone up to the window & bought a members guest pass, with no hassle at all (afterall they get a bit extra buying a guest pass rather than buying a ticket & sitting in the outer)

the other thing that can be done easily, is during the double headers & at 1/2 time of the first match when 'everyone' is on the oval having a kick, just walk onto the oval & as you leave the arena walk into the members, so easy a child could do it


btw, your idea should be noted at head office