Member forum 2 Feb... and Gold/Platinum seating changes

[Insertnamehere]

Totally understandable in my opinion. I would feel exactly the same if it happened to me. Rich seems to just want paid up members who don’t attend matches. Must be more money in it. The Stadium has been the clubs Achilles heel all along.

Thats how gyms run

 

[sydmariner]

We need a hugs emoji.

 

[true believer]

. goes down to $450?

. adult non-discounted was $500 this year I believe

Ok mrs tb paid this year

 

[Corsair]

It'd be interesting to see how they police this as well.

Surely the best way to get customers would be to work with the club and see if a some platinum members

Actually it doesn't need to be platinum members. I'm gold, offer me my seat for other events for x, I might bite if there really are going to be events. I might even buy an extra membership for my wife who's uninterested in football if I know the funds are contributing to the club and I can bring her to non club events as an inclusion. f**k the long term members over and I'll stand in solidarity and not renew if that's what the active calls for.

 

[Corsair]

The club went through multiple alternatives with Venues Live but this was the least worst outcome.
Unfortunately, it’s not like the club can outright say to VL “no, you can’t do what you want with the stadium that you manage”.

But the fans can. Money talks and its all they care about.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

As someone who is about to lose their seat, I have every right to be pissed about the way that the club has handled this situation.

Of course when it comes to the stadium situation I want the best outcome for the club, however they would have known well before this point that relinquishing bays was a possibility and should have prepared options and put them before the affected members ahead of time.

Telling people one week before a forum that's announced with virtually no notice they'll lose their seats, and saying we'll provide more information at a forum that is open to everybody yet nobody will be able to attend is the opposite of good governance. Richard absolutely needs to do better to keep the members that have stuck around through the lean years.

Okay, be pissed off at the club if you want to, but seems misdirected given that we actually know that they've been forced into it.

Besides what Pete has already told us, all logic says the club wouldn't have just been idly sitting on it, but would be pushing for a better outcome until any/all better options were exhausted. It's just what makes sense. They obviously know it's going to really upset some people and now they do know conclusively, instead of just simply stating how they will deal with the scenario, they want to have a forum. Why do this unless you actually do want a dialogue to help you best help your members?

No one will be able to attend? Well, if that's true, then I hope everyone communicates that to the club and if they do I'd be very surprised if they didn't listen. I'm sure they will read out any written absentee comments too if you ask. Not to listen doesn't seem like Shaun's modus operandi at all. And certainly the best way to shirk responsibility isn't to have an open forum, even if the notice is short.

Bottom line, most clubs wouldn't even bother with fan consultation. They'd just apologise and say but it's not our fault (because it isn't) and move on. To me this just clearly reads as them being caught in a shit situation not of their own making and trying to do the right thing now that they know they truly have no other way out.

Being pissed off is completely understandable, as I said in my initial post, it really does suck. But when it comes to the club, I also think you're very likely going to find you were jumping the gun and that the clubs intention will be to do everything they can to make it up to you if you just give them a chance. They'd be stupid not to. And if they don't, and it's all just one big effort to dodge and obfuscate —even though let's be honest, that'd be an exceptionally dumb and odd way to handle things— then I'll be the first to join you in criticising them.

 

[Tevor]

Okay, be pissed off at the club if you want to, but seems misdirected given that we actually know that they've been forced into it.

Besides what Pete has already told us, all logic says the club wouldn't have just been idly sitting on it, but would be pushing for a better outcome until any/all better options were exhausted. It's just what makes sense. They obviously know it's going to really upset some people and now they do know conclusively, instead of just simply stating how they will deal with the scenario, they want to have a forum. Why do this unless you actually do want a dialogue to help you best help your members?

No one will be able to attend? Well, if that's true, then I hope everyone communicates that to the club and if they do I'd be very surprised if they didn't listen. I'm sure they will read out any written absentee comments too if you ask. Not to listen doesn't seem like Shaun's modus operandi at all. And certainly the best way to shirk responsibility isn't to have an open forum, even if the notice is short.

Bottom line, most clubs wouldn't even bother with fan consultation. They'd just apologise and say but it's not our fault (because it isn't) and move on. To me this just clearly reads as them being caught in a shit situation not of their own making and trying to do the right thing now that they know they truly have no other way out.

Being pissed off is completely understandable, as I said in my initial post, it really does suck. But when it comes to the club, I also think you're very likely going to find you were jumping the gun and that the clubs intention will be to do everything they can to make it up to you if you just give them a chance. They'd be stupid not to. And if they don't, and it's all just one big effort to dodge and obfuscate —even though let's be honest, that'd be an exceptionally dumb and odd way to handle things— then I'll be the first to join you in criticising them.

The club has not been transparent at all. Let’s send a weird out of the blue email saying we are losing $2m and then we realise it’s all part of something a lot bigger. That’s great communication.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

As it is looking more and more likely I will be unable to make it home in time to attend this meeting I intend to call the Club when I am feeling a little less annoyed. If I get told that information will be released after the meeting and to call back then I may just lose it.

 

[bikinigirl]

f**k the long term members over and I'll stand in solidarity and not renew if that's what the active calls for.

. the active?

. can't imagine they'd be calling for much ... it's not as if VL have re-claimed bays 15, 16 & 17 and half of 14 & 18 and told them they're no longer allowed to sit stand there

 

[Ancient Mariner]

It'd be interesting to see how they police this as well.
f**k the long term members over and I'll stand in solidarity and not renew if that's what the active calls for.

I do not think that any call to action by fans is any where near called for nor is it desirable.
The Club is talking to fans and that is priceless and not to be discouraged.
I am personally insulted and over reacting (with valid reason) but I would be appalled if anyone suggested other members should withhold renewals in protest or even if any form of protest should happen.

This upset has come at a bad time as I am particularly pissed off with so many of the decisions that have been made affecting the game since that great hope for the future, a league from the FFA, run by the owners happened. No need to list them all but none have enhanced the game in this country.

Where I go from here depends on what I can find out, how it affects me, and how the Club deals with my situation and others who find themselves similarly affected.

I have no idea what I will finally decide, but whatever it is I will not be asking or expecting anyone else to follow my league.

In the meantime, bring on the Bling and give them a comprehensive thrashing. Then I can look forward to the new NPL season and watching the future Mariners play great matches, with no VAR, excellent commentary and no replays with commentators harping (almost a pun) about whether the ref was correct in a decision.

 

[Corsair]

Has there been any suggestion of what additional events are going to be put on at the stadium?

Would NRL games pull in the punters?

Maybe more music concerts?

 

[pjennings]

Has there been any suggestion of what additional events are going to be put on at the stadium?

Would NRL games pull in the punters?

Maybe more music concerts?

The games that do well at the stadium are for teams that were bug for the babyboomers. St George, Souths, Parramatta etc. Cronulla, North Sydney (Northern Eagles), Gold Coast, etc not so much. T

 

[Forum Phoenix]

The club has not been transparent at all. Let’s send a weird out of the blue email saying we are losing $2m and then we realise it’s all part of something a lot bigger. That’s great communication.

“All part of something a lot bigger” hmmmm…

You don’t think the main reason for shaking the can is the 2 million they’re ‘being transparent’ about losing per season still. Pretty good reason to shake a can isn’t it?

They just told us their losses, and then they’ve told us about the stadium seating. What are they not being transparent about?

 

[Tevor]

“All part of something a lot bigger” hmmmm…

You don’t think the main reason for shaking the can is the 2 million they’re ‘being transparent’ about losing per season still. Pretty good reason to shake a can isn’t it?

They just told us their losses, and then
they’ve told us about the stadium seating. What are they not being transparent about?

If you can’t see it then it’s not transparent. You answered your own question.

 

[bikinigirl]

What are they not being transparent about?

. not necessarily subscribing to the conspiracy Tevor has implied ... but

. i think a little more transparency is required because if we are losing $2m pa after transfers and WC fundage - then we are in more trouble than $36pa for non-ticketed members is gonna resolve

. considering the call to arms (and we've had a few of those over the years) we need to know where the holes are and why we have them - there are two sides to every revenue/expense reconciliation - we need a bigger picture than 'we're losing more money' - particularly regarding recurring vs. one-offs (which transfers and WC funds are)

 

[Tevor]

. not necessarily subscribing to the conspiracy Tevor has implied ... but

. i think a little more transparency is required because if we are losing $2m pa after transfers and WC fundage - then we are in more trouble than $36pa for non-ticketed members is gonna resolve

. considering the call to arms (and we've had a few of those over the years) we need to know where the holes are and why we have them - there are two sides to every revenue/expense reconciliation - we need a bigger picture than 'we're losing more money' - particularly regarding recurring vs. one-offs (which transfers and WC funds are)

The conspiracy is the way they are delivering the message to the Platinum members. RP’s email is clearly a piece of that puzzle. Agree tell us more and perhaps detail how this is the best result they could get. What were the alternatives?

 

[Hello Sailor]

Is the cost of ALW team a factor in being in the red? If it is perhaps it was a mistake and should have been kicked down the road? Does the extra cost for membership seating provide ALW games as an additional spectacle?

 

[gemkayem]

Is the cost of ALW team a factor in being in the red? If it is perhaps it was a mistake and should have been kicked down the road? Does the extra cost for membership seating provide ALW games as an additional spectacle?

Perhaps, but they’ve been trying to get a women’s team back for a number of years now, so I assume those costs have all been factored in.
I don’t know if other clubs have a separate women’s membership available or if it’s usually included as part of the men’s?

 

[style_cafe]

Election with money thrown around, region getting bigger. Time to push for a 10,000 seat stadium at Tuggerah ?

On the land that the club doesn’t own? Hmmm that makes sense….

 

[FFC Mariner]

Has anyone considered talking to the office of fair trading?
At the very least embarrassing them into explaining their reasons?
You entered into a contract with CCM. That contract was broken.
Well worth seeing what rights you have.