LEATHERNECK CLUB MEMBERSHIP

[WIU0812]

Today is the last day to sign up for Leatherneck club for the 15-16 season. If you have not done so you can go online and sign up that way. Dig out that change and make a donation even as small as $10, it all counts!

http://goleathernecks.com/news/2015/6/2 ... 50628.aspx

[leatherface]

With all of the increased attention to the club this year, it will be interesting to see some numbers on membership as compared to last year. I imagine necksfansince71 can let us know

percentage of growth vs. last year- overall membership
percentage of growth in the Quad Cities vs. last year
percentage of growth in the Chicago area vs. last year

I bring these two area's up, since WIU placed staff in these key area's to grow membership

[sealhall74]

I don't really understand the "deadline" part. Maybe a campaign goal to try to meet but this really has to be an ongoing effort.

[Tere North]

I find it disappointing that by the time the 2015-16 seasons start, you can't join the Leatherneck Club for that year. You bring a friend to the first home game (say VB on Aug 29 or FB on Sep 3), convince them to join, the sign up, donate, etc., but they get no benefits until the following year. Effectively, they are being asked to prepay, hoping that the benefits will be of value the following year.

I know the idea was to align with the July 1 - June 30 budget/fiscal year, but to get nothing of return for an investment with not encourage folks to join. Once they realize their donation was for naught, I don't imagine they'll be renewing.

This needs to seriously be reconsidered. Sure, stick with the fiscal year approach, but any donations between July 1 and June 30 should go for the current year, not the next. That Aug 29 or Sep 3 donation needs to could for FY2016 (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016), not for FY2017 (July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017).

Imagine, you go to Disneyland and by an annual pass since it is just 3 times a daily admission, then you go to the gate to enter. Sorry, this pass that you paid for today isn't good until next year.

[sealhall74]

Good points, Tere. I looked at our benefits and the vast majority fall under the parking category, something which is totally irrelevant to me because I do not attend that many events and my policy these days is to park as far away as I can in life just because I want the added exercise. I give simply because it is one small way to help level the playing field against the competition. I do see the need for early deadlines to qualify for things like priority seating (does not really apply to us YET as everyone enjoys a reasonably good seat even on a walk-up) and preferred parking spot allocations but other than that, one should be able to join any time during the year with full-benefits for their giving level. Maybe that is the actually the case but the policy is just not well-advertised? NFS71 will need to clue us all in on this.

[Tere North]

Sealhall74. One of Tommy's decisions was to make the pre-giving a requirement. In the past, you always received benefits effective when you gave. Tommy chose to go a different route to help in budgeting. Last year was a transition year so you got your benefits on giving, plus for the upcoming post-June 30 fiscal year. It is stays as Tommy set it up, any giving as of July 1, 2015 counts toward FY17, which begins July 1, 2016.

[leatherface]

Generally at the conclusion of a major fund drive, the final announcement on the success is given that day. O looked a little earlier but saw nothing on the site. Be interesting to see the final numbers on membership-all, Chicago and Quad Cities. Especially compared to last years numbers. The added staff should help.

[sealhall74]

I think this is the CURRENT membership list:

http://www.goleathernecks.com/sports/20 ... 53729.aspx

Too late in the day for me to start counting. I would like to see a map showing membership by state/county alongside an alumni by state map. Could show areas prime for referral. We need to one up the Bison.

http://www.ndsualumnicenter.com/alumnia ... webmap.htm

[leatherface]

The administrators of the drive have current numbers, and could easily share this year vs. last by total, Chicago and Quad Cities. Sorting members by zip code should be easy, and that way you don't need to count, Seal.

[leatherface]

This is really rather odd that a major fund raising drive has ended, with no immediate publicity about its success or at least general comments thanking those who contributed.