With the 2018 season coming to an end, the Parramatta Eels Membership team want to thank our passionate Members for all of their support this season and have a look back at some of the exciting Member events and experiences from the 2018 Season.
BLUE AND GOLD ARMY FESTIVAL
The Parramatta Eels kicked off the season with our annual Blue & Gold Army Festival at Bella Vista Farm. Over 7,000 passionate Eels Members and fans came along to meet their favourite players and enjoy the festival activities. For the first time in Eels history, the Parramatta Eels reached 20,000 Members prior to the start of the season with long-time passionate Eels fan Debbie Burnes becoming Member number 20,000, winning a 2018 signed Parramatta Eels Jersey.
MEMBERS LOUNGE '47
In 2018, Members Lounge '47 was the place to be on game day for our passionate Blue and Gold Army Members. With weekly prize draws, regular player appearances (both past and present), live entertainment and guest appearances from Toy Story, PJ Masks and Paw Patrol characters, Members Lounge '47 was an exclusive space for Members of all ages to come together and interact on game day.
LOYALTY PROGRAM
This season the Parramatta Eels announced their revamped Loyalty Program which celebrated Decade Membership Milestones, with Members since 2009, 1999, 1989 and 1979 all receiving a Membership flashback email and a commemorative certificate. Milestone Members were also invited to attend an intimate Members experience of their choice, with the choices of a Lecture Session with a Trainer, Brunch with Parramatta Eels CEO Bernie Gurr or an exciting on-field experience. In addition to this, all Members with over 10+ Years of continuous tenure were recognised in our Members Recognition Banner in Members Lounge '47, and we hosted our inaugural 50+ Year Members Morning Tea with all Members with a continuous tenure since 1969 invited to Morning Tea with CEO Bernie Gurr at the Gatehouse Tea Rooms in Parramatta Park.
INTERSTATE EVENTS
The Parramatta Eels played five interstate games this season with the Membership Team hosting hundreds of Members at exclusive events ahead of each interstate match. We held pre-match functions in Canberra, Brisbane and Newcastle, invited Members to the team hotel for a Meet and Greet in Melbourne, opened our Captain's Run Session to Members in Townsville and organised a Members-only Trivia Night in Brisbane. Brisbane Trivia Champion Dave Thompson and Newcastle Door Prize winner Al Burgess were both lucky enough to win a 2018 signed Parramatta Eels Jersey.
MEMBERSHIP RECORD
In Round 11, the Parramatta Eels announced that for the 6th consecutive season we had broken our Membership record with 25,003 Members. To celebrate this incredible accomplishment, the Eels Membership Team organised six prizes of for six Members each day for six days. Prizes included on-field experiences, corporate upgrades and six lucky junior Members were invited into the sheds post-match where they were presented with a signed jersey from their favourite players.
MEMBER OF THE MONTH
In Season 2018, we continued our Member of the Month initiative which recognises a Member that embodies our Club values of Integrity, Respect and Excellence. This season our Members Council selected Adam Martin, Nick Workman, Stewart Wiles, Jasper Bruce, Tony Guinta and Troy Worner as our Members of the Month. To thank them for their continuous on-going support, our Members of the Month participated in an on-field experience at our Members Apperception Round Match against the Roosters and won a 2018 signed Parramatta Eels Jersey.
WOMEN@EELS
At our Women In League Round match against the Dragons, the Parramatta Eels launched the Women@Eels coterie. This important initiative aims to recognise the influence women have in Rugby League, whilst engaging women and girls to participate and support the Parramatta Eels Club. The Women@Eels concept was a suggestion delivered through the Eels Members Council initiative with former Member councillors Michelle Samson and Cherry Fratto assisting with the development of our coterie framework. Women@Eels will be open to all Parramatta Eels Members and all Members will have an option to opt-in during the 2019 Membership Renewal period.
The Parramatta Eels Membership Team would like to thank our 25,145 Members for their ongoing support of our football club this season. We look forward to seeing you again in 2019 when we return home to Western Sydney Stadium.
