FORGET the fancy bells and whistles, tapping into Moorabbin's iconic atmosphere of the 70s and 80s is the focus of St Kilda’s match-day experience proposal.
The Saints will play 10 home games at Etihad Stadium this season, starting when they host Greater Western Sydney in round one on April 5.
Live music before big matches, a concentration of fan seating in bays around the cheer squad (with changes to the club's ticketing format designed to create a sea of red, white and black support), and "dual emcees" are part of St Kilda’s match-day plans.
CEO Matt Finnis said the club wanted fans to feel as though they had been a part of the entire match-day experience and not just a person in the outer.
"Attending a home game at Moorabbin was a wholly experiential feeling for our supporters," Finnis told AFL.com.au.
"People felt that they were a part of the game and a part of the day, rather than watching it all from a distance.
"While nothing beats exciting footy to get a crowd up and going, we do have a responsibility to provide our supporters ways to celebrate all that being a Saints fan can mean.
Become a Saints member TODAY! Click HERE or call 1300 467 246.
"That doesn't mean we need to recreate the 'Animal Enclosure' but it is imperative that when our fans go home from the game they feel they've been part of a shared experience with their friends and families that connects them with their club."
The Saints are also looking at ways to personalise how the team enters the ground ahead of the first bounce at home games this season.
They'll be able to "theme" the Docklands stadium using its IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) network, which will include the installation of 1600 high-definition screens around the venue.
Exclusive interviews and club produced content will air on the network and the big screens, which clubs will have access to two hours before the first bounce and at key stages throughout the game.
They'll also be able to use to the internal LED signage, which will stretch one kilometre around the fence line and level one.
A block of nine Sunday fixtures in a 10-match period mid-season has encouraged the club to incorporate game-day events in the heart of St Kilda beforehand.
While plans are still in their infancy, the Saints are exploring the possibility of arranging transport from their heartland to the game to allow fans to arrive en masse.
Come along to our next open training session, in Sandringham on March 6 - Details HERE.
The Saints conducted extensive research on their fans' experiences with the club and have resolved to take themselves to their supporters, rather than rely on them engaging at the Seaford base.
Aspects of the Saints' overall fan-experience strategy will be to tap into the eclectic nature of St Kilda's Acland Street centre, with a welcoming and inclusive philosophy at matches.
And, they'll also look to turn some of their weekly captain's runs at Moorabbin into a fan event.
Over summer, the Saints made a point of holding some media opportunities in alternative locations to Seaford, with the leadership group revealed in Acland Street and their new principal partner Dare Ice Coffee announced on St Kilda Beach.
The Easter Sunday match against the Giants will feature a focus on the holiday, with a potential visit from the Easter Bunny to emphasise the start of their family-friendly fixture.
They are also in talks with the AFL and Etihad Stadium management about the prospect of allowing kick-to-kick on the ground's surface after selected Sunday games.
This year the Saints are bringing the brand to the people in many fresh and surprising ways.
Activities and fan opportunities usually reserved for Family Day will instead appear across a number of enhanced events, including the club’s intra club match and our jumper presentation prior to the start of the home and away season. Regular open training sessions will bring supporters and members closer to the action than ever before, while your game day experience will reach a whole new level of interaction and engagement.
