The Parramatta Eels are under fire again for lack of fan interaction. A member, Matt Butcher from Griffith and his eight-year-old daughter Ella made the seven-hour trip on Saturday for the Cowboys game. Petrol, accommodation, tickets and meals set them back $800.
The member sent me an email last week which I passed onto the club. All they wanted was an opportunity for a couple of autographs and selfies.
I forwarded the email to Josh Drayton, the Eels’ boss of communications. He told me he would contact the family … but didn’t. On Sunday morning they travelled home understandably disappointed.
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So let me get this straight Matt Butcher. You emailed Buzz Rothfield wanting autographs and selfies with Eels players on game day. (Not sure why you'd email a journalist). And when your request for some special treatment on game day falls through the cracks, you go to the papers and get a story published complete with sad photo of you and your daughter? Did I get that right?
You seem keen for attention Matt and happy to be used by Buzz to have a dig at the club you supposedly support.
Who cares if you missed out on autographs and selfies? Did you enjoy the game, did the team win, did you and your daughter have a good time?
I find it incredible that you think yourself so worthy of special treatment you'd go to the press to make an issue out of it when the club doesn't roll out the red carpet on game day.
FYI there are plenty of fan days where you can get autographs. You can wait out the back of the Western Stand for the players to exit on game day. You can even go to training at Kellyville. Plenty of opportunities if you want to make the effort.
On behalf of the club please allow me to sincerely apologise for not prioritising you on game day. I'll arrange a corporate box on halfway for the rest of the season to make up for it. I hope that's ok.
I left right when buzzer went as Wife and i wanted to beat the rush of fans of leaving and get home quicker so i cannot say if i saw players walk around or not. But you are right, the pictures are telegraphed, plus where were they sitting? They could have been on the second level for all we know.
If you go onto the replay on Kayo, they show the post game and it shows players walking around with fans, Daejarn Asi taking a selfie, Brown and Lane throwing balls into the stands with pens to sign them. Some players sort of stayed around the middle which not gonna lie i do not like too much but players still walked around. Brown and Lane have always been the poster childs for us in terms of fan engagement, if they were in position to get a picture and autograph they would have off Lane and Brown at least. Moretti and Matto were walking around too, Carty and RCG aswell walked towards stands.
But you are right, why message Buzz before the game and not a member of the club? When my dad passed in 2019, family members actually reached out to the club since we are Parra members and tried to surprise us in time or mourning and the club sent out 3 signed jerseys. They then asked if my brother and i could go to shed or something, that was on the NRL not the club which is a shame, but the fact they sent out jerseys alone is incredible from the club.
As for spending $800 for the game, well that is on you, nobody forced you to go. Makes it look like you are saying "We work our arse off being an Eels fan, you need to show something back for my efforts". For my money i pay for my tix, all i expect is a win.
There were players waking around and interacting I saw it on TV coverage
My car unexpectedly caught fire 3 weeks ago with my son and I both in it on the way home from the footy.
We got out, everything else, including the bag that had our merch and my son's flag went up in flames.
A week later and a package arrived at my door from the club with a t-shirt, child's home kit, new flag and a handwritten card.
Was it a Tesla?
A coal powered car.
No doubt....
Bahahahahahahahahahaha!
It was a 2011 Toyota Corolla.
It's who you know not what you know. Maybe you can get the club to do something for the kid above?
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