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



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