Dear Members,

We trust your 2011 Panthers membership provided you great entertainment and enjoyment with the Club introducing lighting for night football and then making it through to the finals series for the first time since 2006.

There are no plans for the momentum to slow in 2012.  The upcoming season will kick off with a home game in Round 1, and then the historic and highly anticipated Good Friday home game v Sturt which is guaranteed to draw a bumper crowd.  The attached fixture shows a spread of games across a range of time-slots providing something for everyone. 

We again plan to feature first-class entertainment at our night games being the high energy, 20:20 style bonanza with plenty of colour, theatre and service.  Sundays we will specialise in family-friendly entertainment which has been the catalyst of our crowd growth over the last six years.  Saturday games will be great for the traditionalist with a pure footy theme.

Neil Sharpe has had another busy off-season with recruiting.  2012’s recruits will have big shoes to fill after the last two years arrivals of Cross, Wundke, Stribling, Liddle, Gotch etc, but we have great confidence in the likes of Tom MacNamara (ex SAFC boy who spent last few years with Melbourne FC), Tim Houlihan (West Coast eagles), Daniel Bass (Port Rookie recently cut by the Power), Xavier Watson (Port Magpies) and Todd Pfeiffer (North Adelaide). All will play meaningful roles in our continued improvement in 2012. 

You’ll note a few changes with the 2012 membership structure.  Most significantly, we have bundled general membership together with either a Home Games pass or an All Games pass.  Our previous structure was simply unviable, with the Club actually losing money from those just buying a general membership and then paying for game entry at the gate (which the SANFL collect). 

If you deduct the 2011 $60 price-tag for ‘general membership’ from our 2012 packages, the remaining $70 for a Home Games Membership averages out to just $7 per game, or even less for an All Games Membership!  And the Club retains 100% of this money!

It is relevant to also note that entry to SANFL games will increase again in 2012 to $14 for adults and $8 for concession, adding further value to your Panther membership. 

For those of you who have traditionally just purchased ‘general membership’ then paid at the gate, we urge you to continue as either a Home Games Member or an All Games Member (all home and away games).  You’ll get outstanding value with the added benefits of entry to four AFL games free, as well as some great member’s only offers as displayed on the back of your membership card.  Redeem these offers enough and your membership could become effectively free.

This year it’s easier than ever to sign up with simple on-line renewals available.  To renew your membership or sign-up for the first time CLICK HERE. 

I can assure you our players have been working harder than ever before over the off-season.  There’s plenty more blood, sweat and tears to come, but there is also much to be excited about. 

The Board, the coaches and the players all thank you for your support in the past and ask that you continue to be a valued part of the club in 2012. Renew your membership with the South Adelaide FC today.

Yours sincerely,

Ben Kavenagh CEO