The Western Bulldogs have recorded their second highest membership tally in Club history, after the official AFL cutoff was passed on July 31.
The Bulldogs amassed 46,541 red, white and blue members in 2021, which was second only to the tally achieved in 2017, the year after the Club’s fairytale premiership.
This year’s final figure is 19 percent higher than the 2020 number and four percent higher than in 2019. It includes club record amounts in Ballarat and AFLW categories.
The Bulldogs also achieved a 90 percent renewal rate in 2021 (the highest in the Club’s history) and had an impressive boost in new and returning members.
In a video message to Bulldogs members, CEO Ameet Bains said the Club will continue to be ambitious as it chases further growth in years to come, despite the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We remain strongly focussed on building our membership base into the future,” he said.
“Membership is a crucial aspect of our future viability, and our sights are set on crashing through 50,000 members in 2022.
“Our members have been unbelievable in their loyalty. It’s been disappointing and frustrating at different times this year to not have you in the stands to watch us live in Melbourne or Ballarat, or to have you at training, here at VU Whitten Oval during the week.
“Even in the face of all this uncertainty and difficulty, we feel your strength from afar. Your messages of care and support to our players and Club has been wonderful and given us all an emotional boost across the year, particularly for our players and staff during the harder periods of quarantine on the road for our interstate games.”
The Bulldogs are acknowledging their membership base in the lead-up to Sunday’s clash with Essendon at Marvel Stadium with a member recognition round, including giveaways and exclusive digital experiences.
