(05-23-2023, 12:33 PM)PaulP link Wrote:I don't agree that the players are apathetic and I don't believe they lack pride. And I don't believe that the genuine efforts of dozens upon dozens of people at the club should be denigrated by that sort of nonsense. There is no doubt in my mind that the players and coaches carry the hurt way more than armchair experts. One must legitimately ask what a membership fee, entry to the game etc., actually buys you. It doesn't buy you the right to spout dribble, or to insult and belittle others and treat them like sh1t.Let's agree to disagree.
In a commercial, competitive environment, clubs are in the business of selling hope. Hope can be the allure of playing finals, it can be the allure of a top coach, young No1 draft pick etc. Clubs will always try to give supporters some reason to believe. You won't ever find a club that will tell you this season will be a write off, don't bother, come back next year. I don't believe everything the club says - why can't Mr Snapper apply some very basic critical thinking skills and wait until he sees some evidence of improvement before he parts with is hard earned ? Oh wait, he's from talkback land, so.............
I am 100% convinced that players, coaches and clubs in general must find supporters to be a mixed blessing.
Carlton has a paid up membership of some 80 thousand. I believe that they believe membership entitles them to entry into a ground, no more, no less.
Whether they cheer, clap, jeer, shout at the umpire, or opposition players or even their own team players, contact radio hosts, newspapers etc to give their opinions is totally unrelated to their membership.
Their actions are no different from those supporters, also as passionate, who do not have memberships but attend matches on a regular basis.
As for Mr Snapper and his failure to apply some very basic critical thinking skills, probably it is caused by what you say the clubs are selling - hope. In the Carlton context that word could be replaced by 'wishful thinking'. For people to buy into "hope" or "wishful thinking" occasionally requires the suspension of basic critical thinking skills.
As for the true believer, the supporter who turns up to every match decked out in jumper and beanie and believing against all the odds that Carlton will win each game, basic critical thinking skills have never been a prerequisite.
I agree with you that players, coaches and clubs in general must find supporters to be a mixed blessing, but without them the AFL would not survive.