Earlier this year I opened a blog asking for your feedback on how the club can better engage with supporters and provide more for members.
The SGA has continued to meet on a bi-monthly basis to provide feedback and gain clarity on issues from the club.
A key point many raised here was around membership packs and how they're organised.
We had it clarified that the club enters a multi-year deal with a supplier and our current supplier is contracted for the 2026 season. The SGA has put forward a desire for the club to investigate other suppliers for 2027 onwards as there is a preference for a more flexible membership pack. Examples brought forward include other clubs and sports that offer a build your own membership pack that allows supporters to select exactly what goes into their pack to a certain dollar amount based on the level of their membership.
We will be discussing this in our next meeting in August.
There was feedback on this site about member access to the Centre of Excellence. The club is looking at making tours available during the off season but more planning is needed. Tours can't be held in-season due to the presence of football staff and therefore a lack of access to football areas. Expect more to come on this later this year.
We have had discussions about cheerleaders and their contribution to the club in the past. The club did say they would be looking into this later in 2025 and exploring some different options. The club was open to feedback that for some women cheerleading presented a way for them to support the club through their own passion, and was also receptive to the idea that perhaps it was a chance to look at greater involvement of local dance and cheer groups as part of community outreach. We'll be asking for an update at our next meeting.
At our August meeting we will be bringing forward a discussion on the 40th anniversary of the 1986 premiership. Next year is the anniversary. I felt our celebration of the 2021-23 anniversaries was lacking, partly due to COVID. With the club's renewed focus on recognising our past we will want to see a strong recognition of what was accomplished in 1986.
If you have any ideas or feedback you'd like me to bring to the next meeting please comment below or you can send me a message.
Replies
It more simple now to engage people than ever before . Social media has young people froffing over any kind of exposure at all. Totally addicted to seeing themselves on their screens .
All you need to think about is how to " trend " and it'll be a hit. Kiss cam , funny filters on peoples faces on the big screen , a year round talent comp with guest ex Eels Stars as judges , it all simple shit that'd be better than that dorky DJ playing CDs , and yet took about 3 minutes to think of and zero effort , they'd all get traction I guarantee it. Fuck last time I was at the game there was some fat Maori dude standing in the corner playing cookie cutter tracks and air pumping his fists like he had a cock in each hand and was waiting to be showered in jizz . It was so cringe and budget .
Imagine what these full time employees who's job description states " fan engagement " actually spent their days putting some effort into creating some decent ideas.
Super , when you query them about their performance and recruiting for us m can you also ask them to ensure they implement some quality control to ensure that no 5's sneak through to the new cheerleader program.
It seems they let their guard down a little back before it got axed. Couple of less than 7's here . If our teams going to be perennial losers m we can at least turn up with 10's in our cheer squad. Maybe have a DNA testing program just to be sure , looking at this pic. Last thing we want is a snag popping out. We cop enough flack from rival fans.
I reckon we could learn a thing or two about crowd work from the Big Bash. Their crowd engagement is great, and some teams have had mixed gender cheer squads which were awesome. Combined with their awesome big screen animation work, sound effects for certain passages of play, fire effects etc.
Always felt much more modern, family friendly and spectacular to me. Maybe our Thunder friends could help us out with some ideas and learnings.
I for one would resent more "hit and giggle" style crowd engagement theatrics....lt would wreck the live experience for me and make me cranky. I may even shake my fist at the sky on the way home
As corny as it sounds , something as simple as the kiss -cam would be better than some fat FOB on some pretend DJ decks for fan engagement. People love seeing themselves on the big screen.
Or ... put funny filters on like Snapchat filters and zoom in on people . It's easy, it's free , and people get giggle out of seeing their mum with a beard , their kid looking like a 90 year old man , or dad with a face full of makeup,
Our club love saving a buck so I reckon they'd be up for it.
I could do the 90 year old man live.....LOL
Randolph in the sky with diamonds.......
Nah, just mushies
Super, I had a rant a while back about their lack of purposeful engagement with local Primary schools. The example I used was one of the local PSSA leauge competitions. I believe the school zone is referred to as 'Ridges' One of the fields they play out of is Wrights Reserve in Kellyville. A stones throw from COE. My understanding is that the club is still 'ticking a box' by sending representatives there each week at the moment. Usually a couple of NRLW players and perhaps a Development Officer of some kind.
Feedback I am receiving (and seeing photos of) is that there continues to be zero meaningful engagement from Eels representives at these games. They continue to stand around talking to each other in the background, playing on their phones. It's bloody laughable.
As I mentioned previuosly, this does more damage to the club's reputation than not sending anyone at all. What are they there for? What is their brief from the club, the purpose? There doesn't seem to be any purpose. Still missing such simple opportunity to genuinely engage with the next generation of supporters (and possibly players), their parents and their schools. Also, why do they only ever seem to send NRLW players. Nothing against that, but plenty of other players/staff etc withing the club that could be rostered on for an hour or so every now and then. Why can't they schedule some of these games over at the COE??
How about a Premiership ...everything else is lip service crap that ends up in a draw or collecting dust on your bar..
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