Nathan MottonMelbourne supporters must heed AFL's warning
June 8th 2008 12:40
When will the Melbourne Football Club forget about cheap publicity stunts and a ridiculous obsession with trying to change the brand - and start addressing it's biggest problem - it's lack of support.
The AFL threatened the demons this week that a failure to lure 60,000 supporters to its blockbuster Queen's birthday clash with Collingwood, may result in them losing the fixture.
Finally something this scribe and the leagues administration can agree on.
Melbourne chief executive Paul McNamee has not fully grasped the depth of his clubs problem - that it seems to have lost its once proud identity.
The club is an absolute joke on-field, their longest-serving captain has retired and last weekend they lost one of their few match-winners to a season ending injury.
But this still does not excuse such insipid attendance figures each and every week.
It's as if their supporters have lost touch with the brand, and no longer have the Melbourne Football Club in their blood.
It's just a bill that comes around once a year, that they renew each and every year out of pity, and somehow they feel their job is done.
Speaking on Radio 3AW this week AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou told Neil Mitchell the demons did not have a guaranteed hold on the public holiday fixture.
"(The AFL) will always have a Queen's Birthday game, but there's nothing written in stone that says it's a Melbourne-Collingwood fixture for ever and a day," Demetriou said.
"If I were the Melbourne supporters I'd get out and support their team against Collingwood.
"This is a game that we've always pencilled in each year as a permanent fixture but unless there is 60-65,000 people, we would seriously consider giving it to other clubs who are desperate to have an event.
And so they should.
Other clubs are desperate to take centre stage, and deserve to be given the chance.
Melbourne supporters are a disgrace to the game and such pompous, fickle members don't deserve the right to hold the spotlight in such prime-time slots.
Save that for clubs who have real supporters, with real passion and most importantly, a real desire to show up.
This scribe can only hope that a potential new chairman and a chief executive can work on reestablishing a unique profile within this town, one that will bring new support and reignite the flame that is no longer burning in too many members.
The AFL threatened the demons this week that a failure to lure 60,000 supporters to its blockbuster Queen's birthday clash with Collingwood, may result in them losing the fixture.
Finally something this scribe and the leagues administration can agree on.
Melbourne chief executive Paul McNamee has not fully grasped the depth of his clubs problem - that it seems to have lost its once proud identity.
But this still does not excuse such insipid attendance figures each and every week.
It's as if their supporters have lost touch with the brand, and no longer have the Melbourne Football Club in their blood.
It's just a bill that comes around once a year, that they renew each and every year out of pity, and somehow they feel their job is done.
Speaking on Radio 3AW this week AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou told Neil Mitchell the demons did not have a guaranteed hold on the public holiday fixture.
"(The AFL) will always have a Queen's Birthday game, but there's nothing written in stone that says it's a Melbourne-Collingwood fixture for ever and a day," Demetriou said.
"If I were the Melbourne supporters I'd get out and support their team against Collingwood.
"This is a game that we've always pencilled in each year as a permanent fixture but unless there is 60-65,000 people, we would seriously consider giving it to other clubs who are desperate to have an event.
Other clubs are desperate to take centre stage, and deserve to be given the chance.
Melbourne supporters are a disgrace to the game and such pompous, fickle members don't deserve the right to hold the spotlight in such prime-time slots.
Save that for clubs who have real supporters, with real passion and most importantly, a real desire to show up.
This scribe can only hope that a potential new chairman and a chief executive can work on reestablishing a unique profile within this town, one that will bring new support and reignite the flame that is no longer burning in too many members.
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