R12: Central Coast Mariners vs Brisbane Roar

[bikinigirl]

This deserves much more discussion. Find an answer to that question and a lot of our problems go away.

. yes it does ... it is the key to our survival

. unfortunately for every goal the club scores, they give away a couple of weak ones, the occasional spot and an own-goal:

• i don't know the details because i don't have kids, but the mariners mates program is still a source of complaint amongst many
• the multi-game passes may have been a success (refer to our membership numbers) but i feel they may have also been a convenient option for some people to cut back on their membership 'grade'
• talk of relocation and actual relocation has hurt membership numbers as well - the unclear or deceitful messages hurt even worse

. i am not really one for ideas, but incentives are good:

• the 'jackpot' offered a few games ago along with cheap tickets i think was a good idea but the weather/weather forecast (and a friday cut-off) conspired against it ... i reckon it is worth another crack - hey those things get people frequenting clubs all the time
• the mariners mates program needs an obligatory 'accompanying member' attached
• a mariners equivalent of an insurance company's multi-policy discount. discount based on years of continuous membership and membership grade. you could even encourage out-of-towners with further options
• add to this a one-off upgrade discount - if you increase your membership grade (the ongoing loyalty discount will encourage you to hold it)
• schemes through the local teams to encourage numbers to grow. for example highest percentage growth wins a prize or graduated prizes - probably not dissimilar to those school schemes that coles/woolies run occasionally
• if the club would engage with businesses on the coast again they could run similar promotional schemes, you want people talking about the mariners when they buy their bread, pick up the paper, get their hair done or have a beer - you don't want them defaulting to cricket, league or politics
• every water cooler on the central coast should be accompanied by a mariners fixtures poster
• etc, etc

. i don't think any of this is particularly new. but there is no reason why the people of the coast shouldn't be completely immersed in the mariners. the club should be capitalising on the coast as a community enhancing any parochialism