Spewing

[Lorelei]

Well I say stuff them all - if you didn't buy your membership then tough!

Nah but seriously....

The club should, right now, send a letter to everyone. Something along the lines if - If you are new, fantastic - great to have you on board BUT due to exceptional and extra ordinary circumstances - there is a chance you may not be allocated a guaranteed GF ticket. If you have a problem with that, then the club will refund the $$. If you are existing, and haven't yet renewed, that is fine - you have until say the 15th of Feb. After that date, you will not be guaranteed a GF allocation and the remaining 'allocation' amount will be drawn (if we make the grand final) between all of the new 1st year members.

In the future, simply have a cut off date for a renewal with GF allocation guarantee. Simple. Once the cap is on the social club membership, the 'waiting' period will surely create the necessary divide between those who have been a member for ages and then those who have been on a waiting list for ages.

Jen


--
Floreat Pica
BRING BACK NED!
"This is a man's world
But it would be nothing
Without a woman or a girl"

[magpie willow]

I bought my Social club membership today and payed an extra 50 bucks for guarranteed granny seats pretty good deal.

Now Lorelei are you saying tough on me?? Because it shouldnt be when you buy your membership the thing is i do now my membership has been from 1995-2003 i have been a member that is sicne i was 5 and it doesnt matter when you buy it as long as you do and you want to help the club.

And i tell ya if they do this loyalty thing i will definatley get a granny ticket.

So im letting you know how i feel and was offended that you said tough luck to me and others and told us where to go cos i always get my membership and it shouldnt matter when.



ROCCA UAHAUAHAUAHAUH ROCCA UAHAUAAHAUAH ROCCA UAHAUAAH ROCCA AUAHAUAUAHH ROCCA GOAL! A YEAH YEAH YEAH ROCCA GOALL A YEAH YEAH YEAH ROCCA GOALLLLLLLLLLL!

We are the pies and proud to be yes we are the boys of cfc so why dont yas all hey why dont yas all hey why dont yas all get .....!

[AnthonyC]

Where to begin, Uh Yes concerning the Grand Final (thanks LOTR)

I can fully understand that people would be SPEWIN, so would I, so was I in 1990. I mean the Pies aren't just going to make the GF this year. Well thems the breaks.

I want people to be honest now. If you were a member (of any type) in 2002 and did not read/forsee/feel/believe/imagine that there would be a CAP PLACED ON SC MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS (do a search on this forum and you'll read just that). It was on this years and last years membership renewal info if you recall, Why did you ignore it? Hell did I want to delay paying until a little later because affording it was difficult, YES. But, I got that feeling that that was a bad idea, so Mr.VISA and I know each other on a first name basis. I asked myself, What If?, What If we make it, how the hell else would I get a ticket? How would I feel if I couldn't afford to get a ticket? Then I remembered, the most glorious day in the Club's history in the last 44 years and I wasn't there. I mean c'mon after 2002 the safest bet on the planet was that the COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB was going to increase membership numbers in 2003. Renewing or signing up for SC membership was YOUR GUARANTEE (something that assures a particular outcome or condition), of a GF ticket WHEN Collingwood makes the GF, and you KNEW it, Why did you ignore it? I didn't get to the GF in 1990, whose fault, mine. The Club warned us all, you didn't renew promptly, whose fault? But there was no mention of a cut-off date (until it was too late), you say. What is the Truth. It's that the Pies are in for a good few years ahead and everyone wants in. Consider this (not for too long), it's 1999, Collingwood impose a cut-off date for memberships that guarantee GF tickets, What do you think? Are you concerned?

I am not an unfeeling selfish unsympathetic b@stard (I thought for a bit before submitting this post). But if by some miracle Collingwood don't make the GF will you breathe a sigh of relief? (I'll spell it out then, If, you would answer Yes, then you would be the unfeeling, selfish, ...)

Having said all that though I agree that the loyalty idea has some merit. But as the saying goes, Money Talks, your oh so recent 2002 membership won't admit attendance in 2003.

(Believe it or not the last couple of posts were not there when I began writing this post, good idea Jen, and good on ya Willow)

Go Pies!

[This message has been edited by AnthonyC (edited 20 January 2003).]

[Northern Pie]

Joffa mate i offered a couple of possible sloutions, what do you think??

Cheers


"NEVER LEAVE, NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM AND ALWAYS BE THERE AT THE END TO CLAP THEM OFF THE GROUND. WE ARE COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTERS SON, EVEN IF THEY BEAT US, WE ARE STILL BETTER THAN THEM!"(quote from my mum when I was 8 years old)

[joffa_the_man_in_gold]

NORTHERN PIE

Brilliant

.......................
100,000 GOLD WIGS and a million shining eyes
This our country's one true game
And the footy ground's on fire
And collingwood's sons and daughter's, under wide Australian skies
Win or lose we're back again to claim the winner's prize.....

Go Pies you bloody beauties !! 'Caaarm Ornnn' kill the Bloody Bastards.


...............
email..joffa@magpies.net

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Magpie Willow said:

I bought my Social club membership today and payed an extra 50 bucks for guarranteed granny seats pretty good deal.

What?

Is this true?

Are you SURE about that?

There's a few things I could say about this, but I might just wait until this story has been corroborated by an independent source

GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net

[Dr Alf Andrews]

The post by TopCat cannot possibly be allowed to pass without comment ... my comments in red.

QUOTE:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A "lurker" has come in from the cold !
I've been readng the posts here at Nicks for quite a while now.
Generally I have enjoyed reading them but have found no great reason to reply until now.
Some of the comments made here are against the club itself and I find them a bit offensive coming from my own fellow Collingwood supporters.
... which places you firmly in the head-in-the-sand school of thought.

My position is quite simple I joined Collingwood Football Club as a full Social club member in August 1990 ...
NO COMMENT

Ever since I have renewed my membership almost immediately I receive the renewal notice. NO question no ifs no buts. It is an expense I know I will have to pay every 12 months and I make d***m sure I have the $100-$150 for at least a social club membership. At about 50c a day I reckon we could all do it easily.
Great arithmetic ... except that you've understated the price by a couple of hundred bucks.

If you want to "stick it up 'em" to all the oposition supporters just make sure you are a financial member of Collingwood every year. THAT makes our club truly strong.
Yeah ... yeah ... rah rah ... heard it all before. Don't bother with the empty rhetoric, pal. It's wearing a bit thin right now.

Also a couple of things to remember
If as a member you went the the AGM (a) you would have had clear notice that it was on and (b) you would have heard Greg Swann say clearly and in no uncertain terms that the seating would be limited in the next few years at the GF because of all the building at the G'. He also stated that there would be a cut off point at which there would be no guarantee of a GF ticket to Collingwood members IF we participated in the GF and that point was coming up v. soon.

I STRONGLY dispute your use of the expression "in no uncertain terms".

I thought Greg Swann's terms were extremely uncertain. He did mention a cut-off point. But he did NOT explain how this would be implemented. I remember quite clearly that he raised the "worst-case scenario" ... i.e. if we played Adelaide in the Grand Final. He said that, in this case, there would possibly not be enough tickets to cover all Social Club members.

But what is meant by a "cut off point". Is this a cut-off point in terms of time ... i.e. a date ... or is it a cut-off point in terms of the number of Social Club members. And this is CRUCIAL to an understanding of what he meant and its implications for existing members.

This is quite ambiguous. Did he mean that a date would arrive after which no further Social Club memberships (new or renewal) would be accepted. Or did he mean that when Social Club numbers (i.e. existing members plus new members) reached a certain level, the Grand Final guarantee could no longer apply ... and furthermore, was the level of membership under the second possibility based on an assumption that all existing members would renew.

This distinction may seem like a case of splitting hairs, but it's really quite significant. And it needed to be stated CLEARLY ... "in no UNCERTAIN terms", as you put it. Instead it was said in passing, as an offshoot to an answer to another related question.

Now how fair this is I can only sayn there are pros and cons in all systems. If you have a better way write to the Club putting forward your views.

Too late. It's a done deal. I've been shafted.

Lets keep in mind we have not made the GF yet although if we improve on last year we are a good chance to.

Irrelevant.

I could go on an on but this is enough for now.

Don't worry. I haven't even STARTED yet.

Collingwood Forever




GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net

[Dr Alf Andrews]

1

GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Your turn, Rosewall Woman 3:


QUOTE:
I think the Club has warned often of the possibility of cutoff dates for guaranteed GF tickets, and don't feel they have been covert in this area. All reports on AGM make note of this as well. Membership propaganda sent with applications for 2003 have certainly pushed this notion and recommend reserved seat options.

I have to dispute this point. I've just gone back and re-read the membership propaganda sent out in October. They've gone to great lengths to recommend reserved seat options, as you say ... but there is actually no mention at all of the possibility of cut-off dates for GF guarantee.
There is quite a lot said about the reduced capacity of the MCG ... but this is used purely to encourage members to upgrade to Captains or Legends ... in order to guarantee their admission to HOME and AWAY games.
Members are also encouraged to make sure they have Legends, Captains or Social Club membership in order to GUARANTEE Finals tickets and a Grand Final ticket.

This is what it actually says:

"... as the MCG have publicly stated, seating capacity at the MCG for season 2003 will be reduced to just 70,000, meaning there's only 25,000 seats for members.

So to ensure your seat is reserved, upgrade your membership to Legends, Captains or become a Members Reserved Seat Ticket Holder. You'll guarantee yourself a seat at all the blockbuster games for 2003.

And with Legends, Captains and Social Club membership you'll also guarantee yourself Finals and a Grand Final ticket when Collingwood are participating (at cost)"

This is, at best, poorly written ... or, at worst, blatantly misleading. They have effectively made a promise they couldn't keep. There is not even the slightest suggestion that Social Club membership might not actually give a watertight GF guarantee.




GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net

[AnthonyC]

Alf, your rebuttals and counter-arguments are accurate, and valid. Indeed like I said I would also be spewin. Lets also consider that for x years prior we were making a donation to the club. Agreed? So what has changed? A rhetorical question.

I do certainly remember reading on afl.com and elsewhere.

Membership surge creates problems
8:57:54 AM Wed 18 December, 2002
lions.com.au

Wednesday December 18th

MAGPIES’ MEMBERSHIP SURGE
There has been a massive increase in early membership sales at Collingwood on the back of reaching the 2002 grand final, but the rush has the potential to create a minefield of problems for the club. The break-up of grand final tickets at a reduced capacity MCG could provide an enormous amount of angst for a potential large number of members who would miss out. Grand final talk is a tad premature, but the fans obviously have high hopes as at this time last year Collingwood had sold 8000 memberships – this year the number is 14,500, with a further 8000 fans upgrading their categories in a bid to secure grand final tickets come September 2003. While that means greater revenue for the club - which posted a profit of more than $1.5 million in 2002 again underlining the improved performance of Collingwood - it also means it is already closing in on its grand final allocation of tickets almost 10 months before the grand final without a ball being kicked, according to The Age. With the MCG's capacity to be down to about 75,000 for grand final day in 2003, because of the reconstruction of the Ponsford Stand, Magpie members are running out of guaranteed grand final tickets should the team qualify.

Then I read in another article "Million Dollar Magpies", afl.com.au

“We have established a very professional administration and this is a tremendous result achieved in a very competitive and difficult market,” Swann said.

“Much of the credit must go to our passionate and loyal members and we look forward to the future with great anticipation.”

Loyal Members..., well I feel like changing my mind. Putting my feet in your shoes I'm sorry to say the Club should have had the foresight to make it abundantly clear to all EXISTING members that renewal of memberships prior to a certain date must be made to guarantee a GF tic, as is the case with reserved seat arrangements. Surely this wouldn't have been difficult.

To look on the bright side, it obviously means the Pies are back in town. I would certainly recommend calling the Club post haste regarding the arrangements Magpie Willow seems to have made.


Go Pies!

[Blanch]

We can dispute what we like. The only way these circumstances may change is to generate some alternatives to the current system. This "whingeing" is getting us nowhere. I sympathise with everyone who feels ripped off but enough is enough children, time to find alternative solutions and focus on a way forward.

There is still time to change the way this will work and between the great brains we have in here we can find the way forward.


My oxygen is Collingwood. Without it I die.

[JLC]

Considering we give Melbourne our gate receipts from Queens Birthday to them its the least they can do

JLC

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[magpie willow]

I am very sorry everybody. I didnt understand the membership my dad bought for us! We got Social Club Memberships and we paid for reserved seats but it is apparently not for the grand final. There will be a ballot for social club members who bought theres after the 10th of January but we can also line up the next day and see if there is tickets for us to be bought it just depends who we play. Hopefully not a victorian side. And hopefully someone like adeliade or west coast or freo. There would be much more tickets and maybe even season ticket holders would have a chance. But i am just going to enjoy the season and go to every game as i do and when we get in the grand final again hopefully i can get a seat. Next time i told my dad to buy em early. I told hm this year but he didnt get em early.
GO PIES 2003 EVERYONE!


THERES ONLY 1 NATHAN BUCKLEY! THERES ONLY 1 NATHAN BUCKLEY! STRUTTIN HIS STUFF! KICKIN SOME BUTT! WALKIN IN A MAGPIE WONDERLAND!

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Thanks for clearing that up, Magpie Willow. I didn't really think it sounded possible ... Enjoy the season. And who knows ... you might get lucky in the ballot. But I think you'll find that playing Adelaide in the Grand Final would be a very bad things for us (in terms of getting tickets) because Adelaide has the biggest membership in the AFL ... so they'd get a lot more tickets than us. And their supporters don't mind travelling to Melbourne to watch their team play.

As far as Grand Final tickets are concerned, the best case would be making the Grand Final against Freo ... or even playing Brisbane again, because they have a very low membership despite the AFL having rigged the last two premierships for them. And people are a lot less likely to travel from Perth or Brisbane to watch a game. And although West Coast have a high membership, the travelling would put a lot of their members off going to the Grand Final. Another good possiblity would be to play against one of the struggling Melbourne clubs, like the Kangaroos (who've got no supporters) or Carlton (whose supporters have deserted them). The main thing is to play an opponent that has a lower membership than us.

GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Assassin,

I appreciate what you're saying. I know exactly where you're coming from. But unfortunately, the AFL realised many years ago that the Grand Final is a cash cow ... and they've been milking it for all it's worth ever since. Trying to appeal to them would be like bashing your head against a brick wall.

********************************************************

To put it in terms of my thesis, I've been in the bargaining phase ever since I joined the Social Club. Now I'm in depression from the realisation that the bargaining price has (in a sense)gone above my limit.

The only POSITIVE solution is to move on to the next stage of the grieving process ...

... ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance is the final stage of coming to terms with the fact that you've been shafted.

You want positive, Joffa? ... well there it is, mate ... in one word "acceptance"

HERE ENDETH THE LESSON.

GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net