It is a sad state of affairs when I am left to question the day to day actions of my beloved Melbourne Tigers.
I think they are currently a perfect example of the NBL mentality as a whole.
I applauded their decision to initially stand out of the upcoming NBL season with the South Dragons, and believed them when they stated they would not stand for more mismanagement.
Then they stabbed us all in the back and rejoined the league, stating change had occurred, but then wouldn’t tell us what?
I was immediately sent an email from the Tigers celebrating the fact that they will field a team in 09/10 and asking me to sign up as a member.
What will I get for my membership I ask?
Where is the stability? I feel if I had sent that cheque and they changed their minds again I would never get it back.
I have lost trust and faith in the Melbourne Tigers.
What will keep fans coming to see a league that can’t afford imports, Brian Goorjian, or to take the naming rights sponsor FROM TWO YEARS AGO off the current logo.
They don’t even have a rival anymore! (a blog for another day)Anyway, the reasoning behind this post are many, Firstly – in today’s economic climate, does it look like the Melbourne Tigers are doing there part to help the sport of Basketball grow in this country?
Are they offering anything that says ‘Basketball is the way to go!’?
Obviously this isn’t an in depth financial analysis but a simple break down of current membership pricing.
Cheapest Seating prices
Collingwood Magpies 2009 – Adult Membership $170.00
Melbourne Victory 2009/10 – Adult membership $185.00
Melbourne Tigers 2009/10 – Adult membership $324 ($306 early bird ‘special’) (no parking included)
The average fan has been completely priced out.
I was told yesterday by someone who sponsors a box at The Cage, that no notice was given to them as a corporate sponsor when the team decided to sit out the season. They heard through the media. When the team announced it was back, they were promptly sent an invoice with no explanation.
Seems eerily similar to the fate of poor old Stephen ‘Sneaky’ Hoare, as Grantley Bernard writes in the Herald Sun today.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25657777-10914,00.html
POPULAR veteran forward Stephen Hoare feels like a forgotten man as the Melbourne Tigers build a championship-calibre roster without him.
A winner of two NBL championships in nine seasons with the Tigers, Hoare is unlikely to be offered a new contract and is waiting to gauge interest from Cairns Taipans, Townsville Crocodiles and Wollongong Hawks before considering retirement.
His greatest hurt is that he heard the news that his time with the Tigers was over from somebody other than the club, which has scheduled a meeting with him tomorrow.
"If the Tigers want to go in a different direction, I can understand that," Hoare said.
"I'm just disappointed that I still had a year to go on my contract and that after nine years, nobody called me and I found out from somewhere else."
That is pathetic.
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