With the 2024-25 A-League season fast approaching, Perth Glory is doing all it can to succeed both on and off the pitch.
With the 2024-25 A-League season fast approaching, Perth Glory is doing all it can to succeed both on and off the pitch.
One way the club intends to do this is by offering a raft of cost-effective measures for its supporters – including a variety of flexible membership and merchandise options.
The five-game flexi and ‘shed’ memberships, available in adult or family, ensures Glory fans can attend five home games of their choice at HBF Park throughout the campaign.
Glory’s chief executive officer Anthony Radich told Business News the initiative would likely provide greater flexibility.
“One, I think that’s the direction a lot of membership products are going in across sport,” he said.
“I just think in the day and age we live in now, with so many options and choices at your disposal of things to keep entertained and engaged, that it’s difficult to get to 12-13 games in a season.
“I think people prefer the flexibility – and obviously, the cost-of-living pressures are obviously a factor also.
“And (secondly) right where we’re at as a club. The last few years haven’t been easy, so we’ve got to win back credibility on the park performance-wise and off the field, with what’s happened with the change of ownership and what have you.”
Flexibility has also extended to the club’s silver membership option, which ensures each fan can sit wherever they like within general admission seating areas at each home game.
“You can orientate yourself in different parts of the stadium throughout the season or game,” Mr Radich said.
“And the way the pitch is at HBF Park, it’s perfectly suited to our sport, so there’s a good choice of options there and plenty of space.”
Ahead of the men’s team away opener against Macarthur FC in Sydney this Sunday, the Glory finalised its pre-season with regional visits to Albany and Bunbury.
The Bunbury outing, a 3-2 friendly defeat against Newcastle Jets at Onside Sports Stadium, still provided upside for stalwart Socceroos recruit Josh Risdon – a former Bunbury United junior – who had the opportunity to play in front of family and friends.
Despite being held at the same time as the South West Football League’s women’s grand final at nearby Hands Oval between Bunbury and Busselton, more than 2000 people attended the Glory clash.
A few days later in Albany, Glory turned the tables, defeating the Jets 2-0 courtesy of an Adam Taggert brace.
“We had the game in Bunbury and we could see the forecast into Albany and we were really worried about what might transpire (weather conditions),” Mr Radich told Business News.
“We got there early on Monday and on Tuesday the conditions were pristine, and it was a beautiful sunny day.
“But we knew the next day wasn’t great. It was raining in the morning and the winds were really strong.
“Come the game in the afternoon, it wasn’t so bad. It was still pretty windy but the rain had gone away.
“And the locals came out to support us, which was great. We played midweek… Had we played there on a weekend with good weather, I think we would’ve had a lot more people turn up.
“But we were really pleased with both locations and the reception that the club got. We’re really pleased that we added Albany to the program and we hope to add another regional area next year as well.”
The Glory CEO also provided insight into his positive working relationship with chair Ross Pelligra, who became the new owner of the club in February, following a lengthy search following Tony Sage’s departure.
Mr Pelligra, owner of Pelligra Group and based predominantly in Melbourne, has multiple property and sporting interests across both Australia and Italy.
One of these assets includes Catania FC, an Italian club presently in Serie C, Italian soccer’s third tier.
Mr Pelligra famously gave new life to the club in 2022, after its previous entity, Catania Calcio, was declared bankrupt.
“Every time he is in Perth we catch up,” Mr Radich said.
“But we have a representative on the ground representing the Pelligra Group who works very closely with myself.
“They are really trusting in the strategy and the plan that we sort of devised. And it is a longer-term plan, so we’re really appreciative of the patience and willingness to entrust us with that plan.”
Long-term, the Glory intends to relocate its administration facility from its current location at Fremantle Oval, along with a raft of other steps to ensure it is the best possible sporting organisation that it can be.
In April, Mr Radich told Business News that the club was embracing analytics in a bid to enhance its income streams, and six months later, this approach is still paying off.
“The participant data is the key, so we’re always looking at ways and means to be able to access that participant data, get to the participant and target the participant,” he said.
“A lot of our marketing is focused around those that play the game as the most fruitful for us – and they’re the most fruitful from a conversion point of view.”
