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The AFL’s Richmond Tigers have sold over 100,000 memberships this year.
The highest membership count in the NRL is the Broncos with 36,420. That’s not even half of Richmond’s figure.
What’s gone wrong for the NRL? Is it the packages on offer? Is it that it is too expensive? Is it that there are not enough benefits?
In truth, all these factors probably somewhat play a role in a fan’s reasoning behind not buying a membership. For most of these fans that don’t buy memberships, it is because they aren’t motivated enough to watch games or because they are in an inconvenient location.
Say you were a South Sydney supporter living in Melbourne, wishing to buy a membership. You visit the Rabbitohs’ Membership website and see that buying a ‘Melbourne Membership’ will only get you access to one game: the Melbourne vs Souths game.
What if you had access to that game, and three others? A flexi membership, without buying a Melbourne membership.
This could be applied to all clubs (even ones in Sydney) to make match attendances higher as well as increasing membership numbers.
Cameron Munster of the Storm (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
So then, this solves the issue of fans living out of the team’s spiritual fan base. But what about the fans that do live around, near or in the area?
All they need is that final seller; the extra bonus that comes with their membership. For example, if every member was given 50 per cent off finals tickets, this would also solve the ‘Crowd Conundrum’ in finals as well as dramatic increases in membership numbers.
However, the attitude in Sydney is also a killer of fans. There’s not enough motivation when people would rather snuggle on the couch watching the footy on the TV.
If tickets were cheaper, food was cheaper and accessibility to stadiums was better, this would undoubtedly put the ‘Crowd Conundrum’ to bed.
Above are examples of how the NRL can solve these issues of crowds and memberships. The NRL must have options for every member, no matter where they live.
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