A key point that came out of my blog this week on the club embracing future business models, that until we get our core branding right, it's difficult for us to really promote ourselves as an attractive marketing proposition.
So I was wondering what SHOULD the Parramatta Eels brand to you? What values/emotions/propositions do you believe either are connected with the brand or that the club should try to push forward.
I think one of the things maybe I've learned over the past couple of years is that you need to find some harmony between how you want to be perceived generally and how you perform on the field. I think its fair to say that Stephen Kearney's approach to football generated such a negative approach because it didn't fit with what Parramatta Eels fan perceive as how we play football and what we stand for. I get the feeling that even if Kearney had of been successful, a lot of fans still would have been relatively unhappy because I think a lot of people choose to support Parra because we've always been an entertaining team. And what we tried to do over the last two years just went so against the grain of what Parramatta has always been about, and the suggestion we needed a fundamental culture change also really riled up a lot of people.
So then how do you reconcile if Parramatta's brands is kind of the "nice guy" style of image, which perhaps doesn't cut it on the field.
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It used to stand for alot Phil, but it means less n less as the years have gone by.
We used to stand for being
Tough
Uncompromising
Gritty
A symbol of the west
Entertaining
a symbol of pride
A symbol of passion and that western sydney down to earth and non snobby attitude
we used to be a family club like the dogs
We have always been seen as a fair team on the park
These days we are seen as;
A shambles
soft on the park
Dishonest and self motivated boards
Fans are taken for granted
A team of nice guys aka, bloody useless
A lack of understanding an interest from the current players about our history n club
We are laughed at for our retention
no loyalty from the club to staff
OUR CLUB TAKES EVERYTHING FOR GRANTED
NO VISION FOR THE FUTURE
LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM
LACK OF A REAL HEART N SOUL IN OUR CLUB (THE FANS HAVE HEART N SOUL BUT ITS NOT NURTURED N LOOKED AFTER BY THE CLUB)
More to come.
Mack i think the clubs talk of moving to the ANZ a vision of money, imo its not in the fans best interest, it will be moving away from out leagues club n spiritual home, im pretty sure if a poll was taken at least 75% of fans or more would not want to move.
As far as SK goes, every club should have it in their plane to impliment the 5 year garbage SK n out club tried to brainwash our fans with, that wasnt vision, that was spin.
Just with the move away from the Leagues club, a lot of people go to the club before and after the game if our home games are permanently moved to ANZ little to none would make the travel to and from the leagues club to the game losing more money to the club. If the board just plainly wants to lose money and make sure this club has no future they will move our home games permanently to ANZ
thats what im refering to Ham, moving to ANZ is no vision for the future imo, if it is its not a very smart one.
They tried to do the shuttle bus thing with Hindy's last game and people were lining up (some were there for apparently 3 hours*) because they weren't expecting as many as they got. What the club will lose in memberships just isn't worth it imo, not many will sign up for memberships even if we are at the top of the ladder for many years especially with about half of the home games to be played at ANZ, many like myself will think that I don't have to secure my seat because of the 80,000 capacity of ANZ there's no point and there's no "good" seating there so it doesn't matter where you sit; at Parra being only 20,000 it means that there is pressure on people to buy ticketed memberships because of the limited capacity thus giving the club more money quickly, even if the team does poorly one year they are assured of the money that ticketed memberships provide.
*Parramatta has a lot of elderly people that buy ticketed memberships and some can't drive or it is easier for them to catch public transport and to get to ANZ stadium via public transport it's pretty crap. Say Parra is playing at 5:30 Saturday night, these people will catch a train to Parra, catch a free shuttle bus from the station that drops them off right out the front of the Leagues club, now this is a short walk to the stadium as well as if they get there earlier and go into the club for afternoon tea/lunch and then go to the game; now for ANZ they have to catch a train to Lidcimbe, walk on the sprint platform to catch another train that drops them off a lot further away and they can't physically walk the distance to the stadium. This is not including the stairs at ANZ are much more difficult to navigate if they sit at the fence
Are you assuring that this shuttle bus will be there? Are you assuring that there will be enough shuttle buses for the people? and that they will run periodically so that no supporter gets left behind and waiting a long time when they're already at Parramatta leagues club which is a short distance from the stadium? whereas now you want them to catch possibly three types of transport to get to the game?
Homebush Park Station-ANZ stadium=726m approx
Free shuttle bus-Parramatta Stadium=399m approx
From Homebush station to ANZ it is about 1.8 times the length of that from the leagues club to the stadium, for a lot of people this is a big deal, especially since there is an elderly lady who sits two rows in from of me at the football, she has been a supporter of the club for over 50 years and has been a member of the club since before I was born, recently she's come into some hard ships dealing with her physical state. She has only just started coming back to Parramatta stadium but she still can't make it to ANZ because of the distance from the closest a car can get to ANZ. I know this is only one fan but if we're going to cater for all the wannabe supporters we firstly should look after the true supporters that have gone through the hardships with the team
I've been thinking about this since I posted, and I think this is what I'd like our club to stand for. I've tried to come up with a set of values that I believe reflect our history and who we are, where we want to go and work equally on and off the field.
AMBITION & HUNGER
We didn't come into this world with a silver-spoon in our mouth, we strove for the top - we got there once and we'll get there again. We won't stop until we are the League's premier sporting brand. We demand to be the best not just that we can be but that anyone can be, and we don't make excuses when we fall short of even our grandest ambitions. We just pick ourselves up and we do it again - but better.
RESPECT & HUMILITY
We'll earn our way to the top because that's the only way you earn respect. We'll do it fairly and within the rules, because that's how you earn respect. And when we get to the top, we'll respect from whence we came and the ambition of others because that's how you stay at the top. We are professionals and we go about our business with class but without arrogance.
INNOVATION & CREATIVITY
We will forever channel the innovative spirit of the great Jack Gibson, who was never afraid to re-write the rules, to experiment and test new waters. Innovation should be part of our DNA - on and off the field. Where we confront obstacles, we will think our way around them and we will constantly seek to stay ahead of the curve. We will reflect this in the way we play and the way that we do business.
LOYALTY & COMMITMENT
As a club that has boasted some of the all-time great, one-club legends, loyalty should be a cornerstone value. We will grow and invest in our junior base, we will expect that everyone at the club is treated with fairness and honesty, and as a collective we will show unswerving commitment to the cause of being the best. We will each take individual accountability for our part in the success of the club and not excuse ourselves until we fulfil those group and individual responsibilities.
I'm a relative new-comer to the Eels, having 'only' been following them for 7 years. Given that I didn't experience the highs of the 80s or the lows of the 90s, I might feel a bit different to some fans.. but no less legitimate.
I see #2 and #4 on a weekly basis, and it's the basis of my love for the Eels. A team mainly consisting of good guys who play fair and want to win the right way.
I'm yet to consistently see #1 (a couple of players aside) or #3, in the better part of a decade. But I'd agree that they're values we should look to instil.
Exciting
Entertaining
Loyality
Successful
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