Cats seat shuffle anger

MORE than 1500 Cats members are scrambling to secure seats in GMHBA Stadium’s revamp, a forced move described by some as showing a “complete lack of regard” for fans’ loyalty.

The stadium is being redeveloped to increase capacity to more than 40,000.

Members with seats in level one of the Players Stand were emailed on Monday and offered “first priority” for seating in a new stand.

Belmont‘s Michelle McDonald said no one was happy, as the existing seating arrangements had been in place for decades and had a real family feel.

The 50-year-old said she had been a member for about 40 years, and had held her family’s seats for about 20.

“I was seething,” Ms McDonald said.

“There’s a complete lack of regard for members, and I’m not the only one who’s thinking like that. It is like your family.

“We sit with 30 amazing people – they’ve known my kids since they were three years old, we’ve seen people get married.”

Many fans have taken to social media to voice their disapproval.

Leanne Smith said the club had not repaid loyalty to fans who had supported the club through tough times.

“We supported the club through Covid-19,” she said.

“We have sat in this stand for a long time and the club thanks us with kicking us out and we have to sit elsewhere.”

Julie Barry agreed: “We support the club through the worst and this is how they repay us, thank you Geelong.”

Bur some fans said the club had engaged in positive discussions with them on the issue.

In response to one fan saying there was no “like-for-like” seat change, Kylie Mavric said the club had made assurances.

“I called them and they happily put a request on my file for a seat equivalent to what we had in the Players Stand and if they are unable to accommodate they asked what my next preference would be,” she said.

Ms McDonald said it was “not good enough” for the club to give members five business days to decide whether to take seats in the new stand.

Cats CEO Simon Kelleher said members not happy with the move to the stand would be able to choose alternative seats elsewhere in the stadium.

In terms of timing, he said the club thought the most appropriate time to communicate the change was post-finals.

“We had (about) 1600 members … who are affected,” he said. “Almost half have already positively responded over the past three days.”

Ms McDonald said she felt the club’s decision didn’t consider the loyalty of members.

“I feel like they’ve forgotten who lines their pockets,” she said. “Being a member isn’t cheap. It costs us (a family of five) about $1500 a year.”

Mr Kelleher said members were at the heart of the club’s

decision-making.

He said the club recognised the bond formed between members because of seating.

“We love that connection and sense of belonging that our members have,” he said.

“We want that to continue for many generations to come.

“There is an opportunity for members to nominate who they would like to sit next to.

“We’re really hopeful our members … will see the positives of the new development.”

Mr Kelleher said the “first class” stand would be 75 per cent under cover with two brand new bars, a new dining room, and an entrance close to the train station and CBD.