Swans Popularity Soars

Post by **Beaussie** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:24 am

An expected membership base of 40,000+ in the next couple of years as well as a guernsey that is worth more to sponsors than the Collingwood strip. Take that Eddie. Things are certainly look good for the the AFL in Sydney.

Surely a full-time move to Telstra Stadium isn't far off.

Swans at soar point
11 February 2006 Herald Sun
Tim Morrissey and Nikki Tugwell
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/foo...E19742,00.html

Membership climbs on back of fairytale flag

SYDNEY is cashing in on its Cinderella premiership, with the Swans' red and white army expected to swell to record numbers this season.

Membership for 2006 has already surpassed last year's total of 25,000, with the club on target to reach 35,000 members, making them one of the hottest sporting tickets in town.

Sydney is anticipating a sellout crowd of 43,000 at the SCG for its opening home-game of the year against Port Adelaide in Round 2 on April 9.

The club will stage a similar celebration for its Melbourne membership promoting its theme of "two cities, one team" when Sydney plays Carlton in Round 3 at Telstra Dome.

Swans chief executive Myles Baron-Hay is confident the club will also sell out its corporate suites and boxes for the entire season "for the first time in a very long time", and increase sponsorship revenue by 20 per cent.

Sydney's guernsey is already worth close to $3 million and the famous red and white jumper the most valued in the AFL before Collingwood's strip.

"This year is going to be huge," Baron-Hay said.

The club's all-time high membership of 31,175 was set in 1998 on the momentum of making it to the 1996 Grand Final after Tony "Plugger" Lockett's famous point after the siren at the SCG in the preliminary final to beat Essendon.

Lack of continuing success saw membership fall, but the team's performances under Paul Roos, culminating in the stunning 2005 Grand Final win over West Coast, turned it around.

"Our membership is the backbone of the footy club," Baron-Hay said.

"The revenue (from membership) is very sticky but obviously you want to grow it every year. I think the premiership has given us a real opportunity to do that."

The club is expecting membership to swell to 40,000-plus in the next couple of years.

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:26 pm

Watch that membership decline when the Ca Swannies start to lose and the next flag comes along in 2077!

Post by **Beaussie** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:31 pm

Your just upset because we'll have more members than Port. What is Port's membership base again, 27,000 odd? In an AFL state.

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:24 am

Well only a so-called membership of 40,000 for the Ca Swannies in a city of 4.5 million people is nothing spectacluar either BeAmerican!

Post by **Beaussie** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:46 pm

You do realise what the seating capacity of the SCG is don't you?

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:14 pm

What has seating capacity got to do with this? Even if your home ground was Telstra Stadium you would not get over 45,000 members! For a city like Adelaide that has just over 1 million people and 2 AFL teams both clubs have a decent amount of members compared to the City of Sydney with is 4.5 million and can only muster up as alleged 40,000 members for one team. I reckon Collingwood would get more members than the Ca Swannies if they relocated here!

Post by **Beaussie** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:24 pm

Obviously the SCG's capacity limits the amount of members that can be accepted.

Meanwhile, SA is AFL heartland. Still, Port don't exactly have an impressive membership base considering they're in an AFL state and won a premiership in 2004.

Oh and when was the last time the Power sold out a finals match?

As for Collingwood in Sydney and your reckoning that they'd get more members than the Swans, well, I don't know how else to respond but... :_<>

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:33 pm

I know BeAmerican....you would be lost for words regarding Collingwood relocating to Sydney as that would be the Ca Swannies worst nightmare!

Post by **Beaussie** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:59 pm

From what I read over at Big Footy, Collingwood's community camp in Sydney last week was a flop. They'd certainly be a real threat to the Swans.

Sean · Post by **Sean** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:04 pm

i'm going to have to take Grims side in this lol

Post by **Beaussie** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:37 pm

Damn you Sean.

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:07 pm

It was a flop because they wanted the Ca Swannies to think that. U guys got all worried when North Melbourne started to play in Sydney a couple of years ago.

Post by **Beaussie** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:33 pm

Perhaps the Swans admin initially got a little nervous about the Kangaroos in Sydney, but it soon became apparent that Sydneysiders had no interest in a team that only planned on flying in and flying out, expecting us to support them. I'll never forget their staff outside the SCG for a Swans home game, handing out Kangaroos membership applications - all of course whilst decked out in Swans scarves and colours.

If they had of been serious about relocation, the Kangaroos could have been successful in Sydney. Sadly, they went about things all wrong. Hopefully they learnt from their mistakes in Sydney, now that they are playing home games in Canberra.

Grim Reaper · Post by **Grim Reaper** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:38 pm

I would welcome Collingwood coming to Sydney...from one Magpie (Port) to another Collingwood.

Post by **Beaussie** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:28 am

Port are wannabe Magpies.

Talking Footy

Talking Footy

Swans Popularity Soars

Swans Popularity Soars