Gold Coast Suns membership soars as footy converts see the light

Not trolling here, just something I saw in the GC Bulletin. What do we think? Are people really converting in droves?

Gold Coast Suns membership soars as footy converts see the light

http://resources1.news.com.au/images...bf65914dfa.jpg

AFL has captured vital ground in the war with rugby league on the Gold Coast with diehard fans of the 13-man code openly willing to swap their *allegiance.

Mermaid Waters resident Carlee Raabe was once a hard-core Brisbane Broncos fan. That was before she was introduced to the Gold Coast Suns.

"I went to a Suns game when I first moved to the Coast in 2011 and I didn't understand it," Raabe said.

"But someone explained it to me and three games later I was hooked.

"I haven't followed the Broncos since 2011 and I've been a full AFL convert since I was first introduced to the Suns. My weekends now revolve around going to Gold Coast Suns games and *watching other AFL games on television."

It seems Raabe is not alone in her decision to ditch the Steeden for the Sherrin.

Raabe was the 8000th member to sign up with the Suns for the 2014 season as the club remains on track for a *resurgence in membership numbers this season.

The Suns membership figure stood at 8430 yesterday and the club's general manager of marketing and fan development, Kelly Ryan, said the signs were positive for 2014.

"It's definitely our best year so far and we're tracking about 11 per cent ahead of where we were this time last year," Ryan said.

"No doubt the performance of the team at the end of last season is helping ... and people that were sitting on the fence or watching from afar are starting to jump on board.

"We had 12,500 members last season and our aim is for more than that this year."

The Suns goal is to have 20,000 members by the end of 2015. And while they have a long way to go to reach that figure, they can always count on Raabe's support.

She has become apart of the club's "SUNScreamers" cheer squad and is planning a holiday to Townsville next month to watch her beloved Suns play Brisbane in a NAB Challenge match on February 23.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/...-1226803908868

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Originally Posted by CoastSportsFan

Not trolling here, just something I saw in the GC Bulletin. What do we think?

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We think you're a wanker http://www.footballanarchy.net/forum...ies/wanker.gif

Hardcore Broncos fan LOL

How the **** does one random saying they used to be a Broncos fan (not member) authenticate that any increase in new members is stemming from Rugby League defectors? It's bull****.

More like first or 2nd generation Victorians.

This isn't news, its a Suns press release.

Who gives a F**k about the suns!

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Originally Posted by DIEHARD

How the **** does one random saying they used to be a Broncos fan (not member) authenticate that any increase in new members is stemming from Rugby League defectors? It's bull****.

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Well if you read the second part of the article it actually states the club had experienced an 11% increase in memberships compared to last season. These fans must be coming from somewhere?

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Originally Posted by CoastSportsFan

Well if you read the second part of the article it actually states the club had experienced an 11% increase in memberships compared to last season. These fans must be coming from somewhere?

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And in what universe does this mean they are former Rugby League supporters? Not converts from other AFL clubs or neutrals or move fresh over the border?

I wouldnt want someone like you in journalism or science! :ugh:

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Originally Posted by DIEHARD

And in what universe does this mean they are former Rugby League supporters? Not converts from other AFL clubs or neutrals or move fresh over the border?

I wouldnt want someone like you in journalism or science! :ugh:

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It doesn't but that's why the article has provided a source of a convert. It'd be pretty hard to write an article about twenty or so people converting, wouldn't it? It's a primary source of one former RL fan who has converted. I suppose you could add in a few more primary sources but the argument would be the same.

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Originally Posted by Ryan

We think you're a wanker http://www.footballanarchy.net/forum...ies/wanker.gif

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100% :thumbsup:

What's with the name calling??? I often see threads on here that could get some good discussions happening, but it just disintegrates into a slanging match. Shouldn't we be promoting discussions and differing opinions??

Primary source? LOL.

Fair enough if the Suns wanna place an article in the media about membership numbers. It's another thing entirely to make the edge about RL fans "fully converting". It's utter bull****. AFL fan fiction.

I know many Titans fans on here will agree that there is very little cross over between fanbases.

Imagine the Storm trying to do something like this. It'd be so embarrassing. :laugh:

But everything aside, at the moment the Suns are sitting on 8000 members and we are sitting on 4000. Maybe there have been a few converts?

Who are the Suns?

Some of us were down at Dune cafe this morning and watched the Suns open training session. Great morning, great location - by the beach, next to a cafe and kids play area. The guys were really accessible and it attracted not just fans, but passers by stopped and watched. Not a huge AFL fan, but simply a sports fan who enjoys having high profile sporting teams on the coast. Also the Broncos fan day was an awesome concept - at Suncorp, fans got to play touch with the players on the field, get photos with the team, tour the dressing sheds etc. Great concept. The only way we can grow as a club is to take on board what other codes and teams are doing to win and keep fans and build on it.