plugger66 wrote:
We have had our chance to become a bigger club in the last few years. We have blown it completely and are at the stage where we have nearly the lowest number of members in victoria and not even a major sponsor. Im more worried about our club surviving and the whatever the pies do. Dont care about them one little bit. I wish people cared more about our club than putting their energy into something that has nothing to do with us.
As I said the Hawks got bigger without the major fixtures and probably less Friday night games than us over the last 10 years. We have stuffed up for reasons I still fail to understand.
You've mentioned the Hawks a few times and you say you fail to understand their recent strength in their membership numbers.
I heard some commentators on radio recently discussing exactly the same thing. They reckon that the success the Hawks had in the 80's is the key. The demographics means that these people and these kids from that era are now in their 30's 40's and 50's and have the income to buy memberships.
Perhaps the growth in immigration and population in general in the south eastern and eastern suburbs which is a Hawks stronghold also helped. With some parents, you would've had their kids free to choose which club to follow (not that I'd ever that let happen, but I can understand that it does happen in a few households). Most people would agree that its most likely that kids lean towards the most successful club when choosing a team to follow. Also migrants and their kids who got a taste for AFL in the 70's and 80's and who obviously had no prior affiliation with any VFL/AFL club, would probably be choosing a team to follow based on the successful teams or the finalists each year.
The Premiership win in 2008 was also the spark to motivate a lot of these people to buy Hawks memberships.
Likewise, the guys on radio talked about other successful eras including the kangaroos. North were a dominant force in the Carey era mid 90's right up until his departure. They jus need a few seasons back in finals and one or two campaigns deep into September and the kids and teenagers from that era will be in their 30's and will have the income to start buying up memberships.
The Saints have had a wonderful era, albeit without the ultimate prize. I reckon that regardless of whether we give it a good shake this year or not, that the club will have gained a lot of supporters in the the last ten years. All of the teenagers and younger kids would have chosen the Sainters as their preferred team and as long as we play finals again in consecutive years and get back to being a top 4 contender, then the future is bright for our club. I'm confident that this era of success has set good foundations for our club.
