Geelong eyes 100,000 members as next goal after premiership success

The Cats have a flag in the bag but they are not slowing down, marking down a big box to tick in coming years.

A PREMIERSHIP ticked off, Steve Hocking has turned his sights to Geelong’s next goal – signing up 100,000 members.

The Cats have fans everywhere. Picture: Sam Tabone/Getty Images

Just three clubs – West Coast, Richmond and Collingwood – ticked beyond 100,000 members this year, with Geelong ranking seventh in the league with 71,943 fans signed up.

Hours after the breakthrough 2022 flag, Cats chief executive Hocking told fans the club would eye off six figures of signed-up supporters.

Hocking said the club had figures showing it was among the top-followed in the country.

“We know that we are one of the biggest supported clubs in the competition, we are in the top 4-5 clubs as far as the fan base goes,” Hocking told the Addy.

“That is right across the whole of the country, we are a really popular club right across the country.

“It is about how you turn those supporter into members and get them connected to the club?”

Cracking 100,000 members would make Geelong an AFL powerhouse and Hocking has plans to the Cats to rise up the ladder of the biggest clubs in the game.

The Cats take in a sea of fans after the grand final. Picture: David Crosling

“We would like to be (one of the biggest), definitely when you look at how competitive the competition is, that is the opportunity for us,” he said.

“A lot of what happened (on Saturday) at the MCG was pretty special. We were fortunate to be one of the first clubs to have played in front of 100,000 people at the MCG.

“And so it is really about building on that momentum and all of those stories you saw (in the grand final).”

Steve Hocking has a moment with Patrick Dangerfield . Picture by Michael Klein

A key figure in the reshaping of the game over the past few years in his previous role of football boss at the AFL, where he oversaw rule changes such as the ‘stand rule’ and the ‘protected zone’ that have helped open up the game.

Asked about how football has bounced back on and off the field this year, Hocking said he was most taken with the atmosphere around football and the strong crowds throughout the season.

“The thing that satisfies me the most – I couldn’t be more genuine about this – is how engaged people have been,” he said.

“People have been watching more than just their own teams play football, they are so excited and so engaged with what is going on. That is what I have been so satisfied with.”

Originally published as Geelong eyes 100,000 members as next goal after premiership success