Package targets elderly Cats to chase ‘grey’ support

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG Football Club plans to offer a membership package to invalid supporters without supplying seats at Cats games.
The “Grey Cats” package offers a limited membership for senior citizens in retirement and nursing homes.
Club president Frank Costa was scheduled to launch the Cats’ latest initiative to boost membership at a Marshall retirement village today.
Rice Village has initiated the Grey Cats with the club and will be the first Geelong aged-care facility to participate in the program.
Under the trial, residents could receive an automated birthday card, a scarf or a beanie and a team poster for the facility.
But Rice Village community engagement committee member Tony McManus said the membership would not include admission to AFL games.
Retirement villages that signed up 100 members would have a player attend a morning tea and also receive a football club flag for reaching “targets”.
The Grey Cats package will sell for between $30 and $40.
Mr McManus said Rice Village could add an optional levy on existing living costs of residents to pay for memberships, Mr McManus said.
Mr McManus, who developed the package plan, said the club wanted to keep the cost of Grey Cats membership low.
“The club has been very good to help us set up the Grey Cats as a pilot stage at the retirement village and they’re looking at having it in all retirement facilities in the Geelong region next year,” he said. “We think it’s best to trial it first and see how it goes and then we’ll get a bit of feedback from the residents.”
The Grey Cats’ patron would be Bob Davis and Garry Hocking would act as an ambassador.
Mr McManus said the scheme could spread to other areas and involve other codes across Australia.
“I reckon this could be huge because when you look at the ageing population and that Geelong has been identified with more than the average in the older demographic with people retiring down this direction,” he said.
“I’d be surprised if it doesn’t add another 5000 or so potential members to the football club over the next couple of years.”
Grey Cats initiative follows a letter from Costa last year asking elderly supporters to consider including the Cats in wills.
Geelong Football club had not returned the Independent’s call for comment before the paper went to press yesterday.