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AFLMA
Newsletter #16 ::
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The
Newsletter of AFLMA Inc, the AFL Members Association.
In
this issue:
1)
AFLMA Strategic Planning
2)
AFL Membership Renewals
3)
From MCC News
4)
Summer Reading
5)
In-Between Footy-Seasons Greetings
6)
Contact details
AFLMA
STRATEGIC PLANNING
Last
issue we told you that the AFLMA Committee would be using the summer
to
prepare a Strategic Plan. We also asked for your perspective on what we
have
achieved so far and what we should aim to do in the coming four or
five
years. We'd like to thank all those to sent in their thoughts, which
have
helped us gain a vision for what the AFLMA Membership wants the
Association
to be.
The
Committee is currently reviewing a second draft of the Strategic Plan,
and
the intention is to release the document in the lead-up to the 2003
football
season.
AFL
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL PACKAGE
Last
issue we also asked for your feedback about the 2003 Membership
Renewal
package. A lot of people wrote in, and we thank them for their
response.
Many members are concerned about the requirement to pay
membership
fees just prior to Christmas. Subsequently, on 26 November we
sent
this letter to the AFL:
I write requesting that the AFL consider
offering AFL Members the
opportunity to pay their AFL Membership for
the 2004 season and
beyond by way of instalments.
It is the considered opinion of the AFLMA
that the AFL can benefit
by allowing its members to pay their annual
subscription in three
or four monthly instalments, spread from the
end of November to the
end of February (or before the start of the
pre-season competition).
The benefits to the AFL would include:
· the
improved image of goodwill afforded to its members in the
time just before Christmas
· the
avoidance of losing some members who would otherwise cancel
their membership
· the
clearer idea of the % renewal rates, thereby assisting your
planning for the following season
· the
lowering of costs incurred in chasing late payers.
Since it is possible for Club members to pay
their subscriptions
in instalments, we see no reason why the AFL
could not allow for
this method of payment.
The membership renewal notes: "If, for
some reason, you cannot pay
on this date, please call the AFL Members
Service Centre to make
alternative arrangements." However
those who are uncomfortable
talking about their financial situation are
unlikely to make the
approach. An open offer to accept
instalments would reduce the
costs of administration associated with
answering telephone calls
and responding to emails.
The AFLMA has received numerous comments
from members pointing out
the financial burden of being required to
pay AFL Membership, in
full, just prior to Christmas. We believe
that the option of paying
by instalments, without surcharge, is one
that will assist the AFL
to retain its membership base.
Last
week we received a response. Currently the AFL have offered Family
Package
holders the option of payment by instalments, and this is
considered
as a trial for a wider payment plan programme. The AFL
Membership
department is currently considering a number of payment
options
for the 2004 season.
We
note that Membership renewals were actually due on Friday 13th December.
However
telephone calls to the AFL Membership Department have revealed that
those
who haven't renewed will receive a reminder notice in January.
FROM
MCC NEWS
The
AFL Membership gets a mention in the latest (December 2002) issue of
the
MCC News. The article, which discusses their contract with the AFL,
states:
The agreement, ratified as recently as 2001,
is a mutually beneficial
partnership with the league which had its
genesis in the various
MCC-AFL arrangements underpinning funding
for the Great Southern
Stand in 1990-92.
In that environment the league was able to
greatly expand its own
membership, which now contributes $12
million annually to AFL income,
while the ground benefited from the new
revenue streams being created.
[...]
Members of both the MCC and AFL pay their
subs in anticipation of
certain games being played on the ground.
Corporate supporters, vital
to the ongoing development of the stadium,
enter into leases assuming
that matches such as the Preliminary Final
will be on the MCC menu.
Preferred suppliers take on long-term
contracts based on fixtures
locked into the ground.
Some
AFL Members have expressed to us their disappointment that the AFL
has
inserted into our Terms & Conditions a clause that the AFL makes no
quarentee
that there will be a final in
the
Finals Series. One member has made that point that with the reduced
capacity
due to the MCG redevelopment for some AFL Members the
Preliminary
Final may well be the ultimate match they are able to attend
over
the next three AFL Seasons.
SUMMER
"Football:
The People's Game?" is the title of Dr Alf Andrews’ PhD thesis.
Some
months ago we placed two extracts from Chapter 7 of the thesis on
the
AFLMA website, as they relate to the AFL Membership. The AFLMA is
grateful
to Dr Andrews for his permission to publish these extracts on our
website.
Anyone
wishing to read the Extracts can do so at
http://www.aflma.com/Andrews%20Thesis.pdf
, while you can read Dr
Andrews'
complete thesis at http://alf.magpies.net
. (Both the extract
and
the complete thesis are only available as PDF files. Subsequently
you'll
need a copy of Acrobat Reader to access the files.)
IN
BETWEEN FOOTY-SEASONS GREETINGS
As
we wind down to the end of the year the AFLMA Committee would like to
take
this opportunity to wish you all the best for the holiday season.
CONTACT
DETAILS
Internet: http://www.aflma.com
Email: info@aflma.com
Telephone: 0412-125-533
Mail:
Patterson VIC 3204
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