Reward Loyalty not Ballots - AFL Grand Final

I've just participated in the ballot system for this year's AFL Grand Final.  Now I wait. To see if : a) my team qualifies and b) I'm lucky. I'm a member of two clubs, my West Coast Eagles, and my wife's Melbourne Demons FC.  We've supported both of these clubs for the best part of ten years, through good times, bad, and downright horrible. Which is the point of this post. We should be awarded the option to buy a grand final ticket based on consecutive years of membership, not luck of the draw.  

Data is available

We all have memberships with consecutive membership years printed on the back of our cards, so the data is available.

Bandwagon supporters are evil

I hate the idea of a bandwagon supporter getting a ticket ahead of me.  You know the people -

We are a chance this year. I'm getting a membership, so I can get finals tickets.

I am not one of those people.  I've had a Melbourne membership for 10 years :) Jokes aside - I don't mind missing out on a ticket to the grand final if somebody has earned the right ahead of me.

Loyalty based memberships will encourage people to renew even in non premiership window years

Loyalty based grand final allocations would also encourage people to maintain their membership during non premiership contention years.

Yes a ballot is easier, but loyalty has value

I have no idea whether this a club directed initiative, the AFL or Ticketek.  I would just love to see long term supporters being rewarded. Just as my team needs to earn the right to the grand final, as a supporter I should be earning the right as well.  Loyalty not luck.  What do you think? p.s As an aside - I also hate the idea of thinking about a grand final before we are actually in.  Something about a cart and a horse... Join the conversation: Comment below or if you are Linked In user you can also find this post here: http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/loyalty-luck-tickets-afl-grand-final-dave-anderson