Notes from tonight's member's catch-up with Mark Sinderberry, Tuesday 23rd August

[Darren]

Discounts for renewing members, but to make it fair for long term full paying members rather than them having a cheaper membership, how about reducing membership cost & games? for example (plucking numbers from the nowhere) year 1 = 8 games @ $200, year 2 = 7 games @ $175, year 3=6 games @ $150 etc? Keeps them members and they can always go for a full membership again anytime.

Custom memberships - essentially pre-buy tickets for games they want to see for the whole season, and get membership benefits. An individual would be able to create a custom "Force -v- NZ" membership where they only have tickets to matches against NZ teams.

I know there is a "Family Stand", but if you want to engage kids, you need to target them - a "Kid Zone" section where you can focus on them. Players spending real time there and/or an extra few minutes post match, free soft drinks (a free coffee for parent?), kids toilets, free stuff for all like boom sticks and give aways such as balls, maybe an extra security guard who's role is to keep a gentle eye on the young ones. you could allow any members/ticket holders with kids to use this section, but would need to keep it small enough to manage. 1st come 1st served?

[travelling_gerry]

Tone down the security guards. Sure keep the walkways and stairs free. But if fans are having a beer talking to mates then the security guards don't need to keep moving us on. Rugby is a social game and its all about catching up with mates.

[jargan83]

On another note, we sit in front of one of the corporate 'yards', and am sick to death of half eaten chicken legs and empty glasses getting chucked down on top of us, and while most of the banter is great, the last home game we had some pretty pissed SAs behind us with not too choice language for everyone nearby. If companies are using these 'corporate' boxes, they should be made more accountable for controlling their pissed clients/staff/mates, especially when you've got your company logo plastered all over the side!

I've noticed that most of those boxes do have at least a card identifying the company at the back of the box. Just a case of going for a short walk and jotting down the name.

[DazloT]

1. What Gerry said...remind the security guards they are there for protection, they are not the fun police.
2. TVs at Breakers to watch the other games.
3. Kids area near Breakers (grassed area in front of the north gates?) so we can send them over and keep and eye on them. We would be there over an hour before the game if that was the case. Doesn't have to be fancy, a couple of bouncy castles, face painting and the pass the ball thingy are great. Right now it is spread over the place and as a family we like to catch up with friends before the games, not run around the ground trying the different things and spilling my beer chasing them.
4. Full strength would be nice. Its a shame that we have to suffer because of issues with other sports supporters not being able to handle themselves. If full strength is not an option don't get rid of the Squires Constable.
5. Beer in plastic bottles served by people with a giant backpack esky walking around the ground and in the stands (was great at Twickenham last year). Ice creams as well.
6. Festive atmosphere outside of the ground. Don't ask me how to do it, but the best events I've been to have a great atmosphere outside of the gates as you arrive. Could be something a simple as a band of some sort.
7. Involve the southern end of the ground in the prize giving, camera stuff as well.

[GIGS20]

Kids were free in bronze this year, extend that to other membership classes (too late for me, mini gigs is an adult next year) venue is great, but the food has dropped significantly in quality once they moved away from the food trucks and replaced them with a monopoly operator. (who remembers happily waiting in line for all of half time and then some for a wood-fired pizza)

Reduce prices, introduce competition and let the punters vote with their feet.

[.X.]

there is probably contracts in place that would prevent this but..........

....... why not allow the local Rugby Clubs to set up their own food stalls. As long as they dont all sell the same thing. The local Rugby clubs have the opportunity to raise money for their clubs and if anyone is interested in joining a local Rugby Club they have the chance to talk to someone about that.

[Alison]

Fantastic ideas everyone!! Keep them coming so we can feed them back to Mark the next time we meet. He wants as many suggestions as possible as is open to considering them all (to the extent that they are issues that RWA can control, of course).

Re the beer prices, security guards etc etc, RWA's hands are tied on many of those issues as they are all under the control of the stadium managers, not RWA. That said, Mark is hoping to get someone along from NIB to talk to members at the next open forum so you'll be able to put all of those questions to that person!

[Tazzmania]

For those one year members at any time in our history, that have not renewed again it will be most helpful if you could give the reason for not renewing and what it would take to get you back on board.

Both Mark and Jessica are keen to work hard on trying to understand and where in their power making a concerted effort to see how they can win you back and retain you.

Please use this thread to give them honest feedback so that they can work at rebuilding the Force member base on honest and genuine information.

In the end we all want to see the Force survive and play to packed houses.

[Basha69]

I'm an inaugural member who now brings his son along, he's 10 yrs old and plays junior rugby himself. Last season was his third year as a Force member, his first season watching live at NIB was great (2014), second season was disappointing after 2014 but last season he'd pretty much had enough of watching the poor on field performance coupling this with the fact that he never received a membership pack or membership card from the club, we even had to print a paper ticket for every game for him last season, oh and by the way we are Gold members.
I'm sad to say he doesn't want to join this year because our side is 'CRAP' (that's his words).

We can gloss around the edges with pomp and ceremony on game day but unless we fix the mess we see on the field each week we will not see fan numbers increase. In the beginning we used to get great crowds and those fans are still out there, but until we see a real commitment from the ARU to strengthen our rugby on the playing field we are flogging a dead horse i'm sad to say.

[AndyS]

....... why not allow the local Rugby Clubs to set up their own food stalls. As long as they dont all sell the same thing. The local Rugby clubs have the opportunity to raise money for their clubs and if anyone is interested in joining a local Rugby Club they have the chance to talk to someone about that.

I'm not sure that is feasible, but I have often thought that the clubs should be leveraging off the NRC matches - maybe two clubs each game for a bit of a contest.

On the Force, all the ideas are great but for me there is one hurdle first. My membership renewal experience last year was a complete disaster, and I've just had an email suggesting that it will be the same again. I told them what would happen this year if it happened again, so we'll see.

[DazloT]

Re the beer prices, security guards etc etc, RWA's hands are tied on many of those issues as they are all under the control of the stadium managers, not RWA. That said, Mark is hoping to get someone along from NIB to talk to members at the next open forum so you'll be able to put all of those questions to that person!

Hopefully with enough push from the supporters the Force will have the backing to go to stadium management and push for changes where possible.

Unfortunately since NIB is really the only suitable field for the Force they have us over a barrel. Threatening to move to the new stadium with only 11k people showing up to games now would probably make NIB management laugh.

[jargan83]

For those one year members at any time in our history, that have not renewed again it will be most helpful if you could give the reason for not renewing and what it would take to get you back on board.

Both Mark and Jessica are keen to work hard on trying to understand and where in their power making a concerted effort to see how they can win you back and retain you.

Please use this thread to give them honest feedback so that they can work at rebuilding the Force member base on honest and genuine information.

In the end we all want to see the Force survive and play to packed houses.

I talked a mate into joining up for this year as a first year member, whilst he doesn't read these forums I can answer for him and it comes down to the on field product being very sub par. Last time we spoke about memberships he was very 50/50 about renewing but the signing of Curtis Rona will probably sway him into seeing out a second year.

On the Force, all the ideas are great but for me there is one hurdle first. My membership renewal experience last year was a complete disaster, and I've just had an email suggesting that it will be the same again. I told them what would happen this year if it happened again, so we'll see.

I'd like to second that. The renewal process last year was like having teeth pulled. Constant stuff ups with the payments, first the woman in memberships forgot to process the payments and then she "accidently" processed one as a double payment when I was counting on the money being in my account to pay for something else.

If the process is painful again I also told what they can do with their membership....

[.X.]

Over the years - I developed a friendship with the Western Force Membership Manager Darryl Regan.

We have, shared information and I have been able to steer Darryl in the Direction of TWF members who have been vocal about a problem that they have had in the past with their membership experience. Which Darryl was then able to fix.

Last year - I believe that he was made redundant, and has moved on to a similar role for the Freemantle Dockers.

This doesnt really help the current situation, but is possibly an explanation.

[FingerTips]

I'd like to second that. The renewal process last year was like having teeth pulled. Constant stuff ups with the payments, first the woman in memberships forgot to process the payments and then she "accidently" processed one as a double payment when I was counting on the money being in my account to pay for something else.

If the process is painful again I also told what they can do with their membership....

I'd like to third that.
If I have to experience that same pain in trying to renew our family's memberships for 2017, then I'll be saving myself a couple of grand.

[GIGS20]

Mini gigs just received an email welcoming him on board for the 2016 season. It arrived yesterday.

I think that's point made for me