Toronto FC membership

[Oblio2]

i don't care about swag. I don't care about videos or magazines. I don't care about getting through the gates quicker. I don't care about discounts on merchandise.

I care about having a mechanism by which the members of the CLUB can influence the direction of the club in a MEANINGFUL way. You agree to that and I'll pay the price.

Anything else is a cheap marketing vehicle that will only line your pockets more than they are already being lined.

I brought this upo in season 1 and was LAUGHED at on this board...well, maybe the porno board but nonetheless.....

Tottenham fans have a Supporters TRUST which works with the club-for the fans. Their mission statement:

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust informal mission statement is :-
· To help THFC achieve constant and sustained success.
· To unite and represent all Spurs’ fans and to exercise their collective power.
· To improve communication and understanding between the Club and its supporters.



Check it out online: http://www.tottenhamtrust.com/index.asp

[Blizzard]

I brought this upo in season 1 and was LAUGHED at on this board...well, maybe the porno board but nonetheless.....

Tottenham fans have a Supporters TRUST which works with the club-for the fans. Their mission statement:

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust informal mission statement is :-
· To help THFC achieve constant and sustained success.
· To unite and represent all Spurs’ fans and to exercise their collective power.
· To improve communication and understanding between the Club and its supporters.



Check it out online: http://www.tottenhamtrust.com/index.asp

That is a good mission statement IMO. I could see us picking up on that.

[905shmick]

I brought this upo in season 1 and was LAUGHED at on this board...well, maybe the porno board but nonetheless.....

Tottenham fans have a Supporters TRUST which works with the club-for the fans. Their mission statement:

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust informal mission statement is :-
· To help THFC achieve constant and sustained success.
· To unite and represent all Spurs’ fans and to exercise their collective power.
· To improve communication and understanding between the Club and its supporters.



Check it out online: http://www.tottenhamtrust.com/index.asp

The fee IS just £1 FOR ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP, £10 FOR FIVE YEARS, AND £25 FOR LIFE MEMBERSHIP!

Enter MLSE - The fee IS just $25 FOR ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP, $100 FOR FIVE YEARS, AND $500 FOR LIFE MEMBERSHIP!

[Lennon]

I care about having a mechanism by which the members of the CLUB can influence the direction of the club in a MEANINGFUL way. You agree to that and I'll pay the price.

THIS

The only thing that really matters ...

Oh and could you please tell security to stop IDing me 5 times a game AFTER I purchase my $13 beer? It's getting ridiculous ...

[mike]

if youre going to ASK what we want to get...

if this membership does not come with some sort of political benefit relating to the direction of the club, youre basically forcing me to pay for swag/coupons i either already get for free (scarf/discounted merch) or would never use.

how could any logical person possibly agree to that?

on the other hand, if youre simply TELLING us...

[Super]

If MLSE wants to make more money it should expand the stadium ASAP and put a roof on the south end to create an even better atmosphere - which really is what sets this club apart from all others in this city. Might improve the TV viewership as well.

OR sell membership cards. There's a fool born every minute - so sign me up for one.

[Wagner]

This is silly.

Think about how a good number of people, many of which are on this message board, and the u-sector board, bought tickets back in 2006. Investing in football in Toronto.

Part of the success is the rabid fans.
they use images of the crowd, they do a terrible parody of the crowd and use a chant in BMO ads (Cashzilla should be compensated), etc.

And now just 3 years in without producing anything except a fluke of a Voyageurs cup, which was promptly pissed away in Puerto Rico, they are floating ideas that on top of an inevitable ticket increase, that there may be Memberships for sale?

Please stop trying to squeeze the loyal fans that have been there since day one.
there must be other revenue sources to make the Teachers Happy.

[London]

Our ASSES are going to hurt come winter!!!!!

Thank you ML$E

[torontocelt]

This is nothing more than a cash grab.

[Mikey]

Our ASSES are going to hurt come winter!!!!!

Thank you ML$E

Don't worry, next years season ticket package "free" gift will be a TFC inflatable cushion for our asses, because this FO cares....

[Pookie]

We're looking at ways to make more people feel like part of this club. Many European clubs have a club membership model that ranges from Madrid who vote in the President every 4 years, to EPL clubs who make you buy a membership before you can purchase a ticket.

Look at Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham etc to see what I'm talking about.

Maybe it includes some swag like what is currently an exclusive SSH scarf?
a DVD of highlights?
souvenir booklet?
maybe there is some online benefit component?
maybe there are tiers where you get access to an allotment of tickets?
Newsletter?

Sky's the limit - how would it look? what would it cost?

It's probably best to look at what we already have:

- access to the ticket exchange
- first crack at tickets for events
- "Insider" mailing
- "dedicated" account rep
- player access, ie. pub crawls
- swag of some sort (ie. scarf)


What would membership need to give us that we don't already have in order to justify a cost?

- maybe a magazine but something other than what we currently get for free... similar to Hockey Canada's offering with profiles on Canadian players (including non-TFC), development tips for kids, etc
- discount on club gear (but if I am paying $25, that's 10% off a $250 purchase... is it really worth it)?
- discounts on away tickets and travel... though you'd have to offer significantly higher discounts than SGs manage to do on their own
-
-
-
-
-
-


**crickets**

.... I'm drawing a blank. I'm not trying to be negative but the things that would be useful to me are beyond your control. For example:

- guaranteed parking and easy exit from grounds
- assurance that the fee would be used to build more washrooms and give priority access to "members"
- access to a "narc line" in which scalpers are reported and if found guilty, tickets are offered to waiting list members


To me, the things you've done above are why this venture has been successful. If you start pulling those things and giving them only to those that pay a fee, you'll lose any advantage you've created.

As for the right to vote on management, I'm on the fence as to whether it is a good thing. For every informed person who would make a rational decision based on drafting and long term performance, you probably have 2 more that would base their decision on the most recent game or worse, the opinion of a media scribe.

I can say though that I am 100% against the idea of voting being contingent upon paying a fee. All of the STHs and PPHs have demonstrated their commitment to the club by paying an annual fee in the form of their tickets renewals. That's all that should matter.

[London]

we already get a deal on merch, 15 %, SSH

[TFC Tifoso]

i don't care about swag. I don't care about videos or magazines. I don't care about getting through the gates quicker. I don't care about discounts on merchandise.

I care about having a mechanism by which the members of the CLUB can influence the direction of the club in a MEANINGFUL way. You agree to that and I'll pay the price.

Anything else is a cheap marketing vehicle that will only line your pockets more than they are already being lined.

This is silly.

Think about how a good number of people, many of which are on this message board, and the u-sector board, bought tickets back in 2006. Investing in football in Toronto.

Part of the success is the rabid fans.
they use images of the crowd, they do a terrible parody of the crowd and use a chant in BMO ads (Cashzilla should be compensated), etc.

And now just 3 years in without producing anything except a fluke of a Voyageurs cup, which was promptly pissed away in Puerto Rico, they are floating ideas that on top of an inevitable ticket increase, that there may be Memberships for sale?

Please stop trying to squeeze the loyal fans that have been there since day one.
there must be other revenue sources to make the Teachers Happy.

^ These two right here!!

Anything else is just buillshit......

[TFCtoMUFC]

EDIT: I don't know how I feel after reading all this.

[mlsintoronto]

sooo, if I'm hearing you correctly you don't want to have it mandatory for season seat holders? got it.

dont force it on season seat holders.

there are some good suggestions buried up there. Keep them coming.

[TFCtoMUFC]

sooo, if I'm hearing you correctly you don't want to have it mandatory for season seat holders? got it.

dont force it on season seat holders.

there are some good suggestions buried up there. Keep them coming.

So the rest of us are going to be forced?

[mlsintoronto]

Some people think this is some kind of seat licence play...no not the case. I don't see PSL's in our future. Those are generally put against construction projects.

[London]

what we are saying is It better be worth it!!!,

we already have pretty good perks as is, so to charge us money now for services we already get would be crazy.

if you have value in your membership, i will look at it

[mlsintoronto]

So the rest of us are going to be forced?

huh? I cant force you to do anything....just like we don't force people to buy mini packs or single game tickets.

[trane]

Again while I understand the concenrs, if it is done right I am all for it.

[Eastend]

EDIT: Apperently not per PB in a post a few above mine. (I don't want a seat licence ala Leafs....as this is pretty much what this is.)

I think being a SSH makes me a part of the club already and being an RPB is another way I support this team.

If these memberships become a reality, which they will, I think it should be optional...not a condition of being a SSH...and should come with a vote that means something at the top...

[Parkdale]

so... let's pull my inaugural season club member card out of the wallet....

'perks' listed on the card:

1. advanced access and 15% discount on team merch
2. access to members entrance 15 minutes before gates open
3. club member discount for additional regular season matches
4. access to exclusive members only team parties
5. advanced window and discounts on international games
6. free access to toronto fc reserve games
7. four issues of free kick magazine
8. special offers form tfc corporate partners

so, let's break these down one by one

1. yes there's a discount, but and I guess the 'kit party' was advanced access, but not really.
2. this has never happened. ever.
3. I think that was if you wanted to buy extra tickets (like walkups on game day). There's no discount.
4. again, there's exclusive parties if you PAY to play.
5. this one is accurate, and there was a 'loyalty' discount for RM. riiight.
6. nope, there's no more reserves.
7. this was nice, but ended after the first season
8. oh wow.... I'm privileged to have phone companies and credit cards bug me before the game. wow.



my point: TFC hardly lives up to the things we were given in the first season,
so what would a new membership possibly have to offer us now?

[canadian_bhoy]

sooo, if I'm hearing you correctly you don't want to have it mandatory for season seat holders? got it.

dont force it on season seat holders.

there are some good suggestions buried up there. Keep them coming.

In other words - it's coming, you don't have to be a part of it, but it's coming.

I find it really sad that fans will be freezed out of player signings, events, ticket offers etc if they don't pony up for the membership scheme.

[mlsintoronto]

Parkie that was year one. The offer has changed every year since.

[lintberg]

How much is the 'Membership" going to cost??

[Parkdale]

Parkie that was year one. The offer has changed every year since.

I know, and has decreased in value (despite rising in price) ever since then.
What did we get last year beyond the 15% discount on gear?

[canadian_bhoy]

Parkie that was year one. The offer has changed every year since.

It sure has.

[lintberg]

It does seem to be a bit pointless, based on the fact that STH's seem to have most of the perks already and seat prices are steadily rising, it appears to be just an excuse to line MLSE's pockets....Again!

[mlsintoronto]

In other words - it's coming, you don't have to be a part of it, but it's coming.

I find it really sad that fans will be freezed out of player signings, events, ticket offers etc if they don't pony up for the membership scheme.

Mike you are one of the people who has pushed me toward this in the past. Feels like you're sucking and blowing on this. I truly am surprised...I thought you'd be pleased.

And as you keep pointing out we should go back to how we did things in the first season. What do you think this thread is about. I'm ASKING for opinion. I'm not taking things away from anyone!

People think it's cool that we ask questions and listen. You make it difficult.

But I still love you. Parkdale however, his picture ain't on my wall anymore.

[Parkdale]

it's been said already, but if there are two way to be a 'member' of the club

A) have seasons in your name
B) sign up for the membership

then it would make sense. That way the non-SSH people out there can still get all the perks of membership.