Official Squadron FSC response to the introduction of FFA active support restrictions

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Originally Posted by Mark325

Should we still buy passes for bay 60 or for the southern hill?

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that is really up to the individual

i personally will be renewing my bay 60 membership but will be residing on the hill.

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Originally Posted by Mark325

Should we still buy passes for bay 60 or for the southern hill?

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It's up to each individual. Do what you feel you want to. Personally went for the GA

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Originally Posted by BodyNovo

that is really up to the individual

i personally will be renewing my bay 60 membership but will be residing on the hill.

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Did this also, in the hopes that the restrictions are eased/lifted and we can return as we were

What are the other supporters groups doing - united front and all that?

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Originally Posted by Jetmaster

What are the other supporters groups doing - united front and all that?

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Furns can answer more accurately, however my understanding is that due to their circumstances they can shrink their official active area and enlarge the GA areas around it so as to negate the effect. We obviously cannot do that.

This is correct
And I am also led to believe they will be protesting in some form or another once the season is underway.

Hmmmm... I can see security cracking down on you pretty quick if you're standing on the hill with banners/megaphone etc... Not sure who mentioned it earlier (hausmann maybe?) but maybe you need to use the first game or two to do walk arounds, give the kids balloons and even let people know as you're giving them out "The reason you won't hear us today is because of the FFA restrictions" and leave it at that. People will soon realise how quiet it gets and you might get a lot more support the next day in the paper etc..

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Originally Posted by Jeterpool

Gents, I have had a read and it explains why you have taken the decision.

My question would be, how do you want this to be received? There is a lot of anger behind the letter and this may be to your detriment when people are reading it. There are very emotive words used.

My advice, review it and take some of that emotion out. This will result in a more professional, considered and measured response. You can still get your point across without having to use words like "absurd", "over-bearing" which are based on opinion, not a fact. Also consider the tense you are using throughout the letter.

I work on "taking the emotion out" regularly and can provide an edit of my suggestions if you wish.

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This would be good were it intended for a purpose greater than that of letting other supporters know exactly how we feel about the restrictions.

We are not a business that is devoid of emotion. We are a group of fans that have a strong emotional attachment to the club for one reason or another. The release is for other fans that have an equal, perhaps greater, or even lesser attachment. The emotion is there because it is involved.

The restrictions are absurd, and over bearing it is the opinion of the Squadron FSC that they will result in zero to negative growth in their current form should we remain in bay60.

I am glad you sensed the anger. It's there.

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Originally Posted by halo se7en

Hmmmm... I can see security cracking down on you pretty quick if you're standing on the hill with banners/megaphone etc... Not sure who mentioned it earlier (hausmann maybe?) but maybe you need to use the first game or two to do walk arounds, give the kids balloons and even let people know as you're giving them out "The reason you won't hear us today is because of the FFA restrictions" and leave it at that. People will soon realise how quiet it gets and you might get a lot more support the next day in the paper etc..

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We will still be actively supporting from the hill. Whether that includes mega, drums, banners, etc depends on how the Jets and stadium wish to respond to us vacating the bay.
We will be deciding on how to publicise our actions (beyond releasing the public statement) as the season draws close. Dont forget we arent at a home game until November, so we have plenty of time to get the word out.

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Originally Posted by furns

We will still be actively supporting from the hill. Whether that includes mega, drums, banners, etc depends on how the Jets and stadium wish to respond to us vacating the bay.
We will be deciding on how to publicise our actions (beyond releasing the public statement) as the season draws close. Dont forget we arent at a home game until November, so we have plenty of time to get the word out.

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And for negotiations to be effective and the restrictions removed.

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Originally Posted by Blackmac79

This would be good were it intended for a purpose greater than that of letting other supporters know exactly how we feel about the restrictions.

We are not a business that is devoid of emotion. We are a group of fans that have a strong emotional attachment to the club for one reason or another. The release is for other fans that have an equal, perhaps greater, or even lesser attachment. The emotion is there because it is involved.

The restrictions are absurd, and over bearing it is the opinion of the Squadron FSC that they will result in zero to negative growth in their current form should we remain in bay60.

I am glad you sensed the anger. It's there.

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No worries. I certainly don't want to detract from your message or remove the emotion. Thought I'd make the offer regardless.

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Originally Posted by Jeterpool

No worries. I certainly don't want to detract from your message or remove the emotion. Thought I'd make the offer regardless.

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All good. I do understand where you are coming from, this is not for that purpose.

Some questions/comments:

-What % of the Squadron are already members (bay2/bay60)?
-Of your "blow ins" (for the want of a better term) what % are season ticket holders elsewhere in the stadium?
-Australian fan culture lends itself to the walk up ticket purchase. Elsewhere (eg EPL) all tickets must be purchased online. Why the concern with FFA instigating a worldwide accepted practice?
-Given the Australian privacy act, divulging of personal information to the FFA by Ticketmaster could constitute an offence under this legislation.

So what do y'all actually think about this response? I figure the foz is a good enough medium to have an open debate about it without descending into the lunacy that you see on facebook.

My summary of the decision would be:
FFA have introduced ridiculous restrictions on us unnecessarily, and these restrictions would be guaranteed to kill off active support in bay 60 (virtually no potential for growth), so we've decided the best way forward is to just do our own thing in GA areas (which is what many have been asking for for years anyway). The ball is in the FFA/club's court as to how they want to respond.

Seeing it like that here it does seem a bit wordy. Good comments from Couscous (no.1 multi of the off-season btw).
For the purposes of public info, we just need 1-2 paragraphs letting everyone know our intentions. Justifications can follow afterwards for those who want to read on.

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Originally Posted by militiamon

so we've decided the best way forward is to just do our own thing in GA areas (which is what many have been asking for for years anyway). The ball is in the FFA/club's court as to how they want to respond.

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I think that could just do it......Southern hill V Victory 8th of November 2014

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I didn't need a membership for trip to Bay 60 in 2013

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^ Paging SD.

As an occasional blow in who holds a season pass with family and friends in another part of the stadium I would have to say I understand the sentiment and fully support your actions.

Overall I think it is a fairly well constructed comment. I not the comment above that you want to express the anger you feel - well that certainly comes across which could be detrimental if the intended audience is wider, so perhaps a "media friendly" version of it when sharing with the press (which I assume you will do).

Out of interest has any approach been made to SBS re fan forums to champion the issue - either via squadron or other fan groups? (Although timing now would suck due to WC, so that clearly would be better left till August).

Personally I really hope that the club/police/venue give you a little lee way with the hill although I suspect FFA will try to flex their muscle with that. Ultimately it is the best location to recruit due to the GA nature of it, just may require pulling back on some tiffo :(

The Southern Hill is actually quite unique....we are the only A-League stadium with that 70's throwback still in existence - a grassed area with no numbered seating. Interesting times ahead.

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Originally Posted by lquiquer

I think that could just do it......Southern hill V Victory 8th of November 2014

Attachment 765

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Hehe would be good.

Only concern with the hill espicially on the grass is people like to park their camping chairs at the top of there so as a group we will have to get down there earlier then normal. I actually can see this move working quite well espicially with your Newcastle lunatics already based there.