Latest Bomber Magazine

To cut costs, get rid of the glossy pages by all means, except for the cover, but keep producing a magazine. I read plenty of ebooks because it is very convenient as I don't have to find 'good lighting' like I do with a 'real' book. A Club magazine however, is more like a piece of memorabilia. I believe there may still be a majority of members that would prefer the magazine to not go digital. The content on the Essendon website that is magazine-like, is almost always identical with any Essendon stuff on the AFL site and therefore has, for me, a very generic feel to it. We used to have a far superior site a few years ago. 

 

    Another cost effective method of producing the magazine could be to have members choose to opt in or out at membership renewal time, so that the magazine is specifically paid for, like when ■■■■ Smith owned Australian Geographic magazine. He did not like the idea of unsold copies being trashed, minus the banner, so the mag could only be bought by subscription. Anyway, I hope the club consults widely before any drastic changes are made. 

They must've stopped them for adults only.
Maybe they don't want to remind us about how old we're getting.

still after that genie hey

I think the mag's main value is as a bit of a time capsule. I flick through them and then put them on a shelf; but I do sometimes look through the old ones and find that rewarding. The move to semi-annual a few years back rather than multiple issues a year made sense from that point of view. So I personally would miss the magazine if it went.

 

That said I think the suggestion of a year-in-review DVD that collected together Hangar content is a good one and would be a pretty good substitute. Seems like a great way of maximising the value of content the club has already produced, and providing a little extra benefit for members. Members should be able to select a download-only option too. The idea that over time I could have a collection of old hangar vids (and things like game highlights if rights allowed) sitting in my itunes to revisit is pretty compelling.

 

Opt-in for the magazine makes sense for members but I assume the problem for the club is that the per-mag costs start to skyrocket if too many opt out.

 

(Off topic but the scarfs / caps etc should be opt out as well, as I think some other clubs do, to reduce wastage and let fans with enough paraphernalia divert the money straight back to the club).

I agree with bloodstainedevils, there are still many people my age and a bit younger who do NOT have a mobile phone, a computer or a tablet.  Why take away something from them they have no chance of tapping into except at someone else's home.  Its easy to assume everyone is computer or latest techno tablet/phone literate.

 

I think you ought to give people the opportunity to chose whether they want a magazine or not.  Those who do not want the magazine make the mag available as an e book or via Btv and those who want the magazine ought to be able to continue to obtain it as part of their membership.

To cut costs, get rid of the glossy pages by all means, except for the cover, but keep producing a magazine. I read plenty of ebooks because it is very convenient as I don't have to find 'good lighting' like I do with a 'real' book. A Club magazine however, is more like a piece of memorabilia. I believe there may still be a majority of members that would prefer the magazine to not go digital. The content on the Essendon website that is magazine-like, is almost always identical with any Essendon stuff on the AFL site and therefore has, for me, a very generic feel to it. We used to have a far superior site a few years ago. 

 

    Another cost effective method of producing the magazine could be to have members choose to opt in or out at membership renewal time, so that the magazine is specifically paid for, like when ■■■■ Smith owned Australian Geographic magazine. He did not like the idea of unsold copies being trashed, minus the banner, so the mag could only be bought by subscription. Anyway, I hope the club consults widely before any drastic changes are made. 

I like this too.

 

I am sure it will go digital, but see no reason not to transition or phase it in such a way that those who still want the hard copy version snail mail can have it and those that don't get the discount of  postage and printing or whatever. It would seem easily enough done next member renewal form.

Surprised not many people have supported the DVD idea. It’s farking brilliant.

BRING IT IN

I agree with bloodstainedevils, there are still many people my age and a bit younger who do NOT have a mobile phone, a computer or a tablet.  Why take away something from them they have no chance of tapping into except at someone else's home.  Its easy to assume everyone is computer or latest techno tablet/phone literate.
 
I think you ought to give people the opportunity to chose whether they want a magazine or not.  Those who do not want the magazine make the mag available as an e book or via Btv and those who want the magazine ought to be able to continue to obtain it as part of their membership.


This is exactly what I think. People can opt in or out but it shouldn't cost more to get it.

Not completely related, but can stanton model more of the efc apparel? please?

Good insights here all.  Just to be clear, there have been some cautioning me not to make a quick decision based solely off of these comments. I assure you I'm simply stimulating conversation. A decision like this that would affect 60k+ people would not be made lightly and it would involve input from the wider member community. Discussion has to start somewhere so why not here.

 

But personally, I could see something like a wrap-up DVD in spring.  Since the spring edition is more backward looking than the late summer edition, it makes more sense to be a DVD of the year gone by, highlights etc.  Could even throw in Crichton Medal coverage as well.

 

Would have to sneak in some sponsor-related content as well to make up for the magazine ads - gotta keep the lights on, after all :)

 

The late summer mag makes more sense to stay as a written piece because it's more forward looking at the upcoming year. That maintains the memorabilia piece to it as well.  And I like the opt-in-ability.

 

Again, NOT making a final decision by any means. Just some sharing of thoughts and ideas.  Thanks for your input.

They must've stopped them for adults only.
Maybe they don't want to remind us about how old we're getting.

Too bad it's Heppell who signs the kid's birthday cards, and not Zaka  ;)

I like the magazine, not sure if I’d pay $10 for it at sign-up, but maybe.

I guess hard copy stuff just ages so quickly, digital is the way to go.

Bomber TV and The Hangar are awesome, but the Advertorials get annoying just watching one episode at a time, I reckon I’d start hating the sponsors if I had to put up with them multiple times in one sitting. It would be good viewing in the offseason though if you could watch them all I suppose, just the ads would be tough…

I’d love an ap that collated all of the Bomber TV stuff, kind of like iview, or umm…oh yea…YouTube, lol.

I guess I’m happy to chip in for the magazine, or a DVD, or buy an app.

Hi Ryan, thanks for being so willing to engage the blitz community for suggestions, opinions etc.  I for one, appreciate the contact (especially being interstate), and the opportunity for direct dialogue.  

 

Re the Bomber magazine, I am a big fan of the concept as well as the twice a year hard copy version.  I have every single issue (dating back nearly 20 years I think?) and consider it a highly valuable part of my EFC memorabilia.   I am not in a financial position to invest in most of the great merchandise offered by the club, so I do tend to covet whatever I can get my hands on (literally)!    I love being able to go through the old magazines with my kids on my lap, introducing them in a tangible way, to the champions of yesteryear and the modern history of the club, as well as to the players of today.   There is not quite the same 'nostalgic feel' when doing this via a PC or tablet!  

 

In saying this, I do very much like and appreciate the digital content that has been introduced in the past few years, especially 'The Hanger', and my kids and I are frequent consumers of BomberTV.  My son plays the videos of the boys singing the song after a win over and over throughout the week!   However, I am also very confident that the hard copy magazine still retains its own unique place in the hearts, minds, and hands of many EFC supporters - certainly in the case of my family at least.  People still wear player badges to the footy, they don't just carry the photos on their phones!

 

Last year, when I was advised at membership renewal that I would only be able to access a digital copy of the magazine, I was quite disappointed.  I have access to plenty of EFC related digital content already.  The magazine is different... a keepsake.  I spoke (and emailed) at length with Joel in the membership department about this and even suggested (as others have mentioned here), I would be willing to pay a small premium on my membership if I could keep accessing a hard copy magazine.  (On a side note, he said that he too would be willing to do likewise!!).  I was advised to call the club again when the magazine came out in March as they were expecting that a few hard copies would be produced for sale at the Bomber Shop.  As it turned out, when I called in March, the membership department very kindly secured a copy and sent it to me so I was able to add it to my collection.  When I recently renewed for 2015, I received the same advice again for the next March issue as the December issue was going to revert to hard copy, but it was expected that digital would again be the primary version for March.

 

I do understand that the hard copy version is not necessarily the best for the club's bottom line, but of course, stuff like this is never just about the bottom line for us fans!   So, I hope the club continues to produce the magazine and that it does so in hard copy twice a year (even if a digital option is also available).  If I need to 'opt-in' for the hard copies via a reasonable premium on my membership, I would be willing to do so.  Another option might be to keep the membership price the same, but allow the member to choose between say, the magazines and the scarf/pashmina or whatever some of the member goodies are for that year.

 

One final point... the people who most appreciate the hard copy magazine may not even be the type that tend to engage the club and fellow fans via digital media.  They may not have the access or the know-how.

 

Thanks once again for your connection with Bomberblitz and for the work you are doing at our great club...

 

EDIT: I just read your post about the wrap-up DVD for spring on the basis that it is a 'look back' at the season and having only the forward looking summer/pre-season edition as hard copy. Just something to keep in mind is that from a memorabilia point of view, ALL the magazines become 'looks back' a year (or even sooner) after they are produced... they are all essentially adding to the written historical record of the club, at least in a 'snapshot' sense, even if they are 'forward looking' in the moment. So, to re-iterate, I am an advocate for retaining both magazines in hard copy form.  From a memorabilia perspective, having the season review in hard copy is perhaps even more important for me than the preseason magazine, as it is a written and pictorial 'collector's edition' documentary of the season just completed.  Maybe not as comprehensive and visual as a DVD, but the perpetuation of a valuable tradition all the same!

 

 

 

and also, why isn't it 'Maple Leaves'?

Simple.

You get a Magazine unless you choose to opt in to a Digital Version.

A lot of Members still enjoy reading ‘the old fashioned way’.

Do that for 12-24 months to get Members used to the idea & aware that a move to a full Digital Version is likely in the future.

In the mean time look at packaging something up that extends the value of The Hangar program with complementary content from Bomber TV. Either show this on Fox or as Members Only content on the Club website. A bit more effort in these areas will soon make our paper Magazine redundant.

I did enjoy the bomber mag read today but for what it’s worth I would rather see resources put elsewhere.

Granted I understand the points of others that most of the older gens would still prefer the physical version.

Personally I would prefer a well edited video with interviews, summaries of players seasons, award winners (Crichton behind the scenes?) and message from the footy dept.

Good luck

The magazine still has a place I believe. I do agree that with videos and digital updates it is not needed as a source of club news.

However, we do have a lot of older supporters. Despite NBN and whatnot, videos can be hard to access outside of cities. I visit family on a farm that is not exactly remote, and they cannot get an Internet plan that lasts more than a week without being capped at dial speeds.

Yes the magazine is not as relevant these days, however there are still a lot of fans who can’t watch the hangar and follow videos on the website.

Bomber mag hard copy is a must. There is no feeling to staring at a monitor. Yes, it gives you the information, but in a cold, bland and soulless way.

Ryan just one other thing.

TIPPA

I'm conflicted, on the one hand I like getting hard copy Bomber mags, I can sit on the couch in silence and just read through them without any distractions like  live jasmin  advertisements continually appearing on my screen...

On the other hand, because I view it as disrespectful to throw the mags away once I've read them, I'm running out of space on the bookshelf :D

I would be interested in (would pay some undetermined amount for) all of the previous magazines in PDF format, and then (for “free”) ongoing. That‘s still an “archival” presentation, unlike specialised apps etc.
But I agree a tangible item is important for many members, and should at least be an option.

Yep Ryan. I don’t know how you are going to get away from producing a magazine. Opt in will at least give you information on the mags value to members. It really wouldn’t hurt to add it as a membership add-on. But if people don’t opt in, and then realise they haven’t received the mag and ring up and want the magazine, please don’t make them pay for it. A bit of generosity and flexibility year 1 would be wise.

But really, once you’ve produced it for one person, it wouldn’t save much to reduce numbers.

Strategy :

  1. Set up Magazine as a membership add on at a cost
  2. Actively try to get members to go digital. Include tutorials in the magazine etc.
  3. Reduce information value of magazine to those computer savvy by putting all articles out electronically over time and prior to magazine release.
  4. track reducing magazine numbers.
  5. when it gets low enough, do something special for those subscribed the year before, put out a final mag to all members for old times sake, and shift all your resources to digital.
  6. we win the premiership and I want a premiership edition regardless of cost or how long it has been since the mag shutdown.