South’s media game is right up there, and has been for a long time however there is an important part of marketing that the club needs to start to push – memberships.

Memberships form the basis of the club. They are a core community of supporters that the club can directly communicate too, build attendances and merchandise sales off of, and use to engage the wider community.

I’ll be first to admit that South fans can be…. vocal about issues. Whether it’s the canteen, or the lights at Lakeside, or the on-field play (staying offline after the St Albans game would have been a good choice), but over time we’ve come to realise that this energy can be both challenging, but also extremely helpful – and ultimately needs to be embraced.

Passion and high standards shouldn’t be taken for granted and these need to be solidified through membership.

Young members in particular are extremely important, as this is when most people convert from casual fans to lifelong fanatics. Is the club doing enough to get young fans through the gates and converting those people to members? We think more can be done.

Although membership is available online, I’d like to see a physical kiosk at home games, perhaps integrated in the current merchandise stall. Fliers and advertisement for membership should pass through the hands of every attendee at South games throughout the year. In fact, right now, every person walking into lakeside should receive not just a ticket but a pamphlet or promotional material!

Membership takes the pressure off week-to-week attendances, and also provides a longer term and more sustainable revenue source as year-on-year members are less likely to cut themselves off from the club and more likely to introduce friends and family to Lakeside.

With the Australian Championship just months away the club should look to dramatically increase its membership base.